GQ India – July 2019

JULY 2019 — 145

HOW DOES IT WORK?

Unlike most hybrids in the

market, this is a plug-in, which

means it requires an external

power source to charge the 87bhp-

strong electric motor that works

the rear wheels. Sure, 25 per cent

does get charged through excess

kinetic energy (read: regenerative

braking), but it’s not enough to go

the entire 35km that the SUV

can do in pure Electric mode.

Up front, the engine makes an

incredibly healthy 320bhp, the

supercharger and turbocharger

splitting duties and taking charge

of the bottom end and mid-range

of the power band, respectively,

and sending power to the front

wheels through an eight-speed,

automatic gearbox. The combined

output of a suf ciently charged

electric motor and the petrol

engine put out a whopping

407bhp, turning this otherwise-

posh and sedentary wagon into a

stealthy, streamlined javelin.

Volvo’s SPA platform, on which

both the current-generation

XC90 and S90 are built, has been

designed keeping electri cation

in mind, so the front axle isn’t

connected to the rear via a

propshaft. Instead, that space is

utilised with a lithium-ion battery,

which, in turn, sends power

exclusively to the rear wheels.

Volvo allows you to modulate

power via different driving modes:

Pure electric is exclusively for

Electric mode, while Power mode

uses all the juice that both motors

have to offer, lowering ride height,

adding a fairly powerful spring

in the car’s step and, just like

the car’s AWD mode, absorbing

power from both the axles.

Hybrid mode alternates between

the petrol and electric motor, for

maximum ef ciency.

HOME SWEDE HOME

The T8, in this particular

Excellence trim (picture), isn’t

quite the family car the standard

XC90 is known to be. For an

admittedly steep `1.25 crore

premium, you get the fanciest

bits from Volvo’s luxury vault: two

individual reclining seats at the

back covered in perforated Nappa

leather, while the entire cabin is a

nice mix of leather and alcantara.

VO LVO
XC90 T8
Excellence

ENGINE
.-litre, petrol +
electric motor

POWER
bhp (front),
bhp (rear)

TORQUE
Nm (combined)

TRANSMISSION
-speed automatic

PRICE
`. crore (ex-
showroom, Mumbai)