The China-made Volvo XC70 has completed extreme cold weather testing at -37 degrees Celsius and is scheduled to begin pre-sales in late August. This plug-in hybrid (PHEV) SUV measures 4815mm in length, 1890mm in width, and 1650mm in height, with a wheelbase of 2895mm.

The front fascia is complemented by Volvo’s signature “Thor’s Hammer” headlights. The rear is adorned with the familiar “Viking Axe” taillights. The vehicle has frameless doors and popular hidden door handles.

The new infotainment system maintains Volvo’s “Scandinavian aesthetic,” the interface predominantly uses cool grey tones, with a “line-based design”; menus, icons, and various interfaces utilise simple lines and descriptions.

XC70’s new centralised electronic and electrical architecture is equipped with the NPA intelligent pilot assistance system, which is currently unique among Volvo models. This system supports assisted driving on highways and urban expressways from 0-150 kph.

The intelligent parking assist system supports various parking scenarios, including vertical, horizontal, and diagonal spots, and can handle complex dead-end parking.

The all-new XC70 is the first vehicle built on Volvo’s new SMA architecture, specifically designed for hybrid models. Unlike traditional luxury PHEVs that often integrate a small electric motor before the transmission, Volvo’s SMA architecture combines a 1.5T hybrid-specific engine with three electric motors.

The 1.5T hybrid-specific engine serves as the primary power source, while the three electric motors each have distinct roles:

• P1 Motor: Responsible for starting the engine, providing torque assistance, and converting mechanical energy into electrical energy.
• P2 Motor: Located between the engine and transmission, it drives the front wheels and handles kinetic energy recovery.
• P4 Motor: Independently positioned on the rear axle, it specifically drives the rear wheels. Together, the P2 and P4 motors form the all-wheel-drive system.

When powered directly by the battery to the P2 or P4 motors, it offers a CLTC pure electric range of over 200 kilometres.

The XC70’s 1.5T engine delivers a maximum power of 120kW (161 hp). The P1 motor has a maximum power of 60kW, the P2 motor 107kW, and the P4 motor 156kW. This combination allows the vehicle to achieve a 0-100 kph acceleration in a swift 5.28 seconds.

The Volvo XC70 boasts a combined range of 1200 kilometres and a low fuel consumption of 5.85L/100km in WLTC conditions when the battery is depleted.

CarNewsChina estimates the price of XC70 to be around 360,000 yuan (50,000 USD).