- The new Volvo XC70 has surfaced ahead of its official debut via China's MIIT.
- It's a PHEV-only SUV slotting between the XC60 and XC90 and has two battery pack options.
- It can drive a claimed 112 miles CLTC on electricity alone and has almost 600 hp in top trim.
Most of us know the Volvo XC70 as a tall version of one of the company’s wagons, but now it’s repurposing the nameplate to designate another SUV that it’s adding to its lineup. The new XC70 strongly resembles the brand’s other tall offerings and, as its name implies, it’s bigger than an XC60 but smaller than an XC90. It’s focused on the Chinese market, where big-battery, long-range plug-in hybrids are gaining popularity, and now we know just how large its battery is.
China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) has just published photos of the new XC70 completely uncovered, as well as detailed dimensions and specs. As expected, it will only be available as a plug-in hybrid with a large-capacity battery, but buyers will be able to specify a more affordable variant with a smaller battery.
Gallery: Volvo XC70 on MIIT website
The larger battery features a nickel manganese cobalt (NMC) chemistry and has a capacity of 39.63 kilowatt-hours, giving the vehicle a CLTC electric range of 112 miles (180 kilometers) on the Chinese test cycle. The smaller pack has a lithium iron phosphate (LFP) chemistry and just 21.22 kWh, enough for a claimed range of 62 miles (100 km).
The MIIT documents don’t list the XC70’s power or performance figures, but we’re pretty sure it is mechanically identical to the Lynk & Co 08, which comes in either front- or all-wheel drive guises. The former features a 1.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine and one electric motor powering the front wheels together and giving a combined 381 hp and 453 lb-ft (615 Nm) of torque.
The big-battery dual-motor variant has all-wheel drive and 593 hp combined, with an impressive torque figure of 667 lb-ft (905 Nm). It’s unsurprising that it needs just 4.6 seconds to hit 62 mph (100 km/h) from a standstill, quickly reaching its top speed of 124 mph (200 km/h). The Volvo will have a slightly lower top speed of 112 mph (180 km/h), but its performance should be identical otherwise.
Underpinning the new XC70 is likely the same CMA 2.0 platform, which supports DC fast charging. We don’t know the exact charging power, but in the Lynk & Co 08, it can bring the battery from 10 to 80% in 33 minutes.
We don’t know what Volvo’s plans are for the XC70, but since Lynk & Co has confirmed its intention to bring the 08 into Europe, it’s likely that the new Volvo model won’t remain a China-only deal. We’ll have to wait for the XC70’s official reveal, when Volvo should provide more details about the model and explain what its plan is for the new SUV.
Along with its Lynk & Co brother, it would instantly become the biggest-battery PHEV available in Europe. The fact that it's made in China makes it implausible for it to reach U.S. shores, though.
