2018 Volvo XC90 T8 Inscription plug-in hybrid launched in India at Rs 96.65 lakh
Volvo has added a new variant to its flagship SUV, the XC90 in India. Priced at Rs 96.65 lakh (ex-showroom), the T8 Inscription variant is positioned below the T8 Hybrid Excellence that was launched at Rs 1.25 crore and will be imported as a CBU. OVERDRIVE had already reported about this variant at the time of the launch of the T8 Excellence trim in India. Though it is the only plug-in hybrid SUV in this range, the XC90 T8 Inscription will compete with the likes of the Mercedes-Benz GLS 400 4Matic, BMW X6 35i M Sport and the Mercedes-AMG GLE 43 4Matic in terms of pricing.
The Volvo XC90 T8 Inscription , unike the top-spec T8 Excellence 's four-seater, comes in a seven-seater configuration. While it does miss on some of the goodies offered on the T8 Excellence trim for obvious reasons, the XC90 T8 Inscription comes equipped with four-zone climate control, Bowers and Wilkins entertainment system, panoramic sunroof, adaptive suspension, HUD, Nappa leather seats with ventilation function for the front row.
Like the Excellence trim, the XC90 T8 Inscription comes with a turbocharged and supercharged, 2.0-litre, 320PS, direct-injection petrol engine that's coupled to an electric motor, which produces 83Ps and 240Nm. The combined output is an impressive 407PS and 640Nm which should be enough to give this behemoth all the grunts it needs. The engine is mated to an 8-speed Aisin transmission. Volvo claims a 0-100 time of 6 seconds. Here's our road test review of the Volvo XC90 plug-in hybrid.
The battery can be charged using a 110V or a 240V power outlet. The former will charge the battery in 12 hours while the latter charges the battery in six hours only. On a fully charged battery, the XC90 T8 hybrid can travel up to 32km in pure electric mode. In the combined power mode, it can cover 250km, before it needs a refill. These are pretty impressive figures for a 2-tonne-plus SUV. Volvo will also provide two charging stations, at no extra cost. These will be installed by Volvo at points preferred by the owner, like one at home and the other at the office. These stations will charge the battery in just 2.5 hours. The SUV also features brake energy recuperation to charge the battery. In addition, the battery is charged while coasting. There are six driving modes: Save, Pure, Hybrid, Power, AWD and Off-road. The electric motor powers the rear wheels in Off-road mode.