Volvo XC70 Set for Comeback: What to Expect from the New Extended Range PHEV

It's almost a decade since Volvo discontinued its XC70 to establish the V60 Cross Country. According to sources, Volvo is now planning to make a surprising return to this flagship nameplate. The Geely-owned automobile brand is set to launch a new SUV in China by the end of this year, with a global market debut expected later. The nameplate suggests that the SUV will be slightly larger than the existing XC60, providing more space inside the cabin.

Interestingly, the plug-in hybrid sales of Volvo grew 11% in April, touching 56,722 units. With a reinforced version of the XC70, the Swedish automobile manufacturer will launch its first 'extended range' PHEV. It is claimed that the new XC70 will deliver an electric range of 200 km, significantly higher than the Volvo XC60, which offers around 58 km of pure electric range in the US. In comparison, the European spec model delivers an 80 km range.

While the claimed range of the potential Volvo XC70 from China is incredibly high, it's worth noticing that the real-world EPA and WLTP figures will be on the lower end. Volvo confirmed that it is the first long-range PHEV. Therefore, it will likely be built on a Scalable Modular Architecture (SMA) that supports fast charging while ensuring the same technical specifications.

As the brand has claimed its upcoming XC70 to be an extended-range PHEV, it could feature a larger battery than the standard 18.8 kWh pack offered in the XC60. The parent company of Volvo is reportedly working on a range extender powertrain that uses a combustion engine as a generator to charge the battery. This setup resembles Mazda's rotary engine in the MX-30 or the V-6 for the RAM 1500 Ramcharger.

The new powertrain may come from the joint venture between Geely and Renault. It promises to deliver 200 km of pure electricity, hinting that the battery size can be half the size of a full EV, and offers a maximum driving range of 805 km.

For the exterior, the EV is anticipated to feature the brand's latest SUV design language but with longer dimensions than the 185.4-inch XC60. It could also get an AWD badge on the tailgate to confirm that the power is sent to both axles. In the front, the SUV may pack matrix LED headlights positioned below the brand's signature Thor's Hammer DRLs.