2028 Volvo XC60 and XC90 PHEVs offer over 70 miles of electric range

Volvo has unveiled the 2028 versions of its XC60 and XC90 plug-in hybrids, and the headline figure is an electric-only range of more than 70 miles, which according to multiple reports makes them the longest-range PHEVs currently available from any manufacturer.

For everyday drivers, that figure matters in a practical way. Most people in the UK cover fewer than 30 miles a day, so a 70-plus mile battery range means the petrol engine would rarely need to start at all during a typical week of commuting and school runs. The car still carries a combustion engine for longer journeys, but the electric side of the equation now does far more of the heavy lifting than in previous generations.

According to multiple reports, the new models more than double the electric range of their predecessors, which is a significant engineering step rather than a modest refresh. Both the XC60 and XC90 are Volvo's two best-selling models, so the update affects a large number of drivers who are already considering or running one of these cars.

No UK pricing or on-sale date has been confirmed at this stage. Drivers who currently own an earlier PHEV version of either model should be aware that the improved range applies only to the new 2028 cars, and existing vehicles will not gain the extra battery capacity through a software update. Anyone weighing up whether to buy or change is now looking at a meaningfully different proposition compared with what was available even 12 months ago.