MODEL ON TEST: ULTRA T8 PLUG-IN HYBRID AWD AUTOMATIC – MILEAGE – 2,521

It’s strange how, with missiles falling in the middle east and fuel prices rising steeply here, our view of Volvo’s top plug-in hybrid, the XC90 T8, has changed almost overnight. We’d already been fairly good at plugging in, at least when the nearby lamp post that has been converted to a charging point by Lambeth Council, wasn’t otherwise engaged by one of my electricity-loving neighbours.

But when we knew we’d be embarking on longer trips, perhaps out into the countryside instead of bimbling around London, and certainly when heading to the West Country from London to see relatives, it didn’t always seem worthwhile. Especially as, during the really cold snap when we were enjoying the heated seats and steering wheel, along with the de-misting, massaging seats and so on – we were getting only around 20 miles of electric motoring after plugging in. Which, at a cost of around £8 to £10 a pop, didn’t seem great value for money.

Now though, with warmer weather promising a longer electric-only range (they call it ‘Pure’ on the central screen) the sharply rising cost of unleaded and the possibility of forecourts running dry altogether, it made more sense, and seemed more responsible, to plug in more routinely. Especially as I’d managed to top up the 71-litre tank at a reasonable 1.31p per litre and wanted to preserve the cheaper juice for as long as possible, not fancying the look of rising forecourt prices.

The good news is that with ever warmer weather, each plug-in charge- up is delivering more range; 36.6 miles on electric-only at the last count. Seeing as the last full charge from empty costa total of £8.42, that worked out at 23p per mile, almost on a par with what I reckon it costs to run only on unleaded when it’s at its current, time-of-writing level of 158.1p per mile; 22.74p per mile.

If the Treasury did what many say they should do and lowered the 20% VAT rate at public charging points to match the 5% VAT paid using home charging units, it would be a slam dunk, also encouraging wider take-up of EVs. Although the queue for Lambeth’s street chargers would be even longer. Most
of us in The Smoke, you see, don’t have driveways, let alone garages. And there are some nine million of us. It’s the same picture in many other cities.

There are other benefits to plugging in, of course; when running on electricity, plug-ins produce fewer localised emissions, and that’s definitely a good thing in highly populated cities such as London.And the XC90 feels extra swish to drive when running on the clean stuff too. It responds slightly more crisply to the throttle and is quieter. The big come- on for business users is that the BIK rate for the T8 is a mere 10%, compared to 37% for the ordinary B5 petrol XC90, and that’s some saving.

It wasn’t all about fuel this month, though. We’ve had some great drives out into the countryside, enjoying the car’s plush ride, all-pervading air of luxury and extreme comfort. It also doubled up as a van (don’t worry, I put sheets down first), cleared some of the attic into the XC90’s vast boot and headed to the recycling centre with old rugs, long-forgotten beds, broken electricals and so-on. What a green month it’s been.

DAVID WILLIAMS

WHAT’S HOT: The boot load cover is much easier to unlatch and remove compared to some. It’s ideal for loading big, tall objects during tip runs.

WHAT’S NOT: The iPhone/central screen link isn’t 100%. After finding Waze locations on my phone and plugging in, the car sometimes makes me start again, using the built-in Waze instead. I’m not sure why.

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FACTS & FIGURES

ARRIVED: 18th December 2025

PRICE WHEN NEW: £84,260

PRICE AS TESTED: £85,055

ECONOMY: 217.0mpg (official WLTP) 43.2mpg (on test)

COSTS: None

FAULTS: None