You know what? Volvo needs to improve its marketing regarding its new plug-in hybrid T5 Twin Engine. If the T8 engine found in the XC90 is anything to go by then the T5 Twin Engine will be fantastic plug-in hybrid powerplant. that is if you are into engines. Let’s look at the T5 Twin Engine from a simplified perspective. Plug-in hybrids are usually boring, but the XC90’s T8 Twin Engine is anything but boring. When we tested the Volvo XC90 T8 we were bowled over by how fast and responsive the engine was. It made the XC90 feel like a sports car and the XC90 with a normal diesel or petrol engine is comparatively slower than watching paint dry.
So Volvo marketing should give the T5 Twin Engine a name makeover boost. What about “blast furnace”, “rocket engine supreme power”, “Supreme Leader”, “very fast not slow”. Yes the Volvo XC40 Very Fast Not Slow sounds about right. Anyway… the Volvo XC40 compact SUV is now available with the T5 Twin Engine plug-in hybrid (very fast not slow). Mind you rebranding “Plug-in Hybrid” to Twin Engine probably sounds more pro than our suggestions.
The T5 Twin Engine is powered by Volvo’s new 1.5-litre three-cylinder 180hp petrol engine with an 82hp electric motor in a hybrid system that delivers a total system power of 262hp, making it the most powerful powertrain in the XC40 range. Volvo claims preliminary WLTP figures for CO2 emissions are from just 38g/km (where 19-inch wheels are specified)
But don’t believe the claimed combined cycle fuel consumption of “up to” 141.1mpg. The clue here is the “up to” part of the sentence. By using the terminology of “up to” Volvo marketing can get away with using a wide margin of error. Is the “up to” figure based on lab testing and real-world or one or the other? Typically a decently engineered Plug-in Hybrid is good for around 45mpg.
The lithium-ion battery has a capacity of 10.7kWh, enabling exhaust emissions-free electric-only driving “of up” to 28.6 miles. There we go again with the “up to” terminology. Don’t believe manufacture claims when it comes to consumption and range. Even a company that is regarded as being trustworthy as Volvo.
Just because a Volvo executive can string a sentence together, look respectable, has a reasonably good educational background, wears a suit it is in no way a qualification or a measure of honesty and integrity. Whenever we have tested plug-in hybrids the range has always been 50 percent lower than the official figures. Sorry, that should be “up to” 50 percent lower.
Oh, and don’t forget, you should never trust motoring journalists, they have all been bought and paid for even the ones who scoff at such a suggestion. That’s because motoring journalism is dead, is corporatized to ensure car manufacturers are allowed to get their message across. I have digressed somewhat from the subject… back to the XC40…
The new T5 Twin Engine joins two diesel and three petrol powertrains in the XC40 range, with an all-electric model joining the line-up next year. The powertrain is paired with a new seven-speed twin-clutch automatic transmission.
Charging via the fast-charge cable will completely recharge the car’s high-voltage battery in as little as 2.5 hours. Fully charging via the three-pin plug cable takes between 3.5 and 6 hours.
On-the-road prices are from £40,905 for the R-Design. Volvo retailers are taking customer orders now, with the first cars scheduled for UK delivery in February 2020.
