The 2028 Volvo XC90 will require fewer trips to the pump, after Volvo fitted the three-row SUV with a new “long-range” plug-in hybrid powertrain that raises pure-electric range to 73 miles. The change shifts driving patterns for owners who can charge regularly, increasing the chance of extended all-electric use while retaining a gasoline engine for range security.
The Story in Pictures
The revised T8 setup keeps the same turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder and eight-speed automatic transmission, but pairs them with a more powerful electric motor and a much larger battery. Battery capacity grows from 15 kWh to 38 kWh, and Volvo’s published estimate for EV-only range jumps to 73 miles from the previous 32 miles. Total system output remains 455 horsepower.
Volvo also reports an improved MPGe figure, rising from 58 to 61, a modest efficiency gain that reinforces the principal benefit of the update: fewer fuel stops. Volvo says the long-range PHEV will be available on the XC90 and the smaller XC60 for the 2028 model year, giving buyers across two SUV sizes a significantly longer electric driving window while preserving the convenience of a combustion engine.
Other XC90 variants remain unchanged, including gas-only B5 and B6 trims that produce 247 horsepower and 295 horsepower respectively. The SUV’s exterior and upscale interior continue to offer seating for up to seven, depending on configuration.
Volvo has not published 2028 pricing for the XC90, but the company expects the new lineup to retail for about the same as current models. For context, the existing nonhybrid XC90 starts at roughly $62,500 and the outgoing PHEV begins just under $81,000. The new long-range PHEV therefore promises substantially more electric miles without an announced premium to the buyer.
Owners and prospective buyers should watch for final pricing and EPA numbers as Volvo releases full 2028 specifications, but the battery and powertrain changes clearly reframe the XC90 as a plug-in model that can cover daily driving in electric mode far more often than before.
