Volvo's new XC90 T8 Twin Engine is approved for Plug In Car Grant
Volvo's XC90 T8 Twin Engine - their first ever petrol plug-in hybrid has qualified for the Office of Low Emissions (OLEV) UK Plug-in Car Grant (PICG) scheme, it has been revealed.
The XC90 is powered by Volvo's new Drive-E powertrains and is the first car to be built on Volvo's first in-house designed and built platform (SPA Scalable Product Architecture).
The SPA platform is designed to incorporate electrification without reducing interior space, with the necessary battery pack being neatly concealed within the centre console. The Drive-E powertrain was designed to include electrification, with the new XC90 utilising both a 320hp petrol engine and 87hp electric motor.
The PICG scheme was introduced by the government in late 2012 and aims to encourage car manufacturers to decrease the level of outputted CO2 exhaust emissions from their cars. In order to achieve this, hybrid vehicles must emit less than 75g/km, have a minimal travelling range of 10 miles and must be able reach a speed of at least 60mph.
The Swedish manufacturers 7-seater SUV achieves all of these criteria easily, emitting only 49g/km of CO2 and accelerating from stop to 62mph in only 5.3 seconds.
Despite its economical output figures, the XC90 T8 Twin Engine is not lacking in power, boasting an impressive combined 407hp. It is now available with an on-road price of £54,955 (including PICG).