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A Week With: 2021 Volvo XC90 Recharge T8 Inscription

The 2021 Volvo XC90 Recharge T8 inscription was one the most artfully engineered vehicles we drove during the past calendar year. It is a big vehicle capable of carrying seven passengers and their gifts, luggage and sporting gear on a holiday outing. 

2021 Volvo XC90 Recharged T8 Inscription side
Volvo’s XC90 Recharged T8 Inscription is a fantastic mix of power, handling and technology.

It also features a unique combination of power and fuel efficiency thanks to its plug-in hybrid powertrain. The Volvo PHEV system delivers impressive fuel economy — 55 miles per gallon — while being driven on the vehicle’s battery, which can be recharged in three hours using a 240-volt outlet.

Overview

The seven-passenger Volvo XC90 Inscription T8 is designed to enhance the comfort and convenience of the occupants while they are on the road. It also is built with the very latest in automotive technology for safety as well as entertainment, and it keeps the driver and passengers connected while they are in the car. Volvo’s take on a midsize sport-utility vehicle is quite impressive. 

Exterior

It’s hard to disguise the fact the Volvo XC90 is a midsized sport-utility vehicle but Volvo’s designers have made an effort to give the impressive interior a respectable home. The profile is enhanced by the broad shoulders and tailored roof line with roof rails. 

2021 Volvo XC90 Recharged T8 Inscription rear
The XC90 Recharged offers room for seven people — and their stuff.

But the real strength of the exterior design comes at the corners with the well-designed light fixtures at front and rear corners of the vehicle, enhanced by the 20-inch wheels and with the distinctive front fascia and grille. The pair is amplified by the bright chrome bar through the grille that comes with the Inscription and the Volvo marque. The “Thor’s Hammer” headlights complete the look of the XC90. 

Interior

Inclement weather for a significant part of the year means Swedes don’t have much control of the exterior environment around them. But they do prize their interiors and it shows in Volvo’s vehicles such as XC90, which has a lush, well-appointed interior filled with rich material and carefully placed accents such as wood inlays, which serve to enhance the overall design. 

The interior is also very quiet, minimizing stress, and filled with easy technology placed for easy use. The interior also is filled with storage spaces, an impressive entertainment system, and comfortable, well-appointed seats covered in Nappa. There are also easy-to-use steering wheel controls and a great view of the road from the driver’s seat and a nicely done lighting scheme for nighttime driving. 

2021 Volvo XC90 Recharged T8 Inscription charge port
The XC90 can be recharged in as little as three hours.

Powertrain

The Volvo XC90 Recharge T8 Inscription is equipped with a 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine with a supercharger and turbocharging, couple with an 8-speed automatic transmission with start-stop. The powertrain also includes two electric motors and a high-voltage battery with recharging cables. 

The combination of gasoline and electric produces 400 horsepower and 476 pound-feet of torque. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency gives the vehicle a combined gas and electric rating of 55 miles per gallon. The combined city and highway rating for the gasoline engine in the Volvo XC90 is 27 mpg. It also comes with all-wheel drive and several drive modes.

Safety and Technology

2021 Volvo XC90 Recharged T8 Inscription dashboard
The interior features a mix of high quality materials and top-notch technology.

The Volvo XC90 is equipped with front- and side-impact airbags as well as whiplash protection front seats. It also comes with blind-spot detection with cross-traffic alerts, lane-departure warning with lane-keeping assistance and driver alert system. It is also equipped with collision avoidance with automatic braking and pedestrian and cyclist detection. 

The XC90 also comes with LED headlights, smartphone charging, parking assistance, in-car navigation, 12.3-inch driver’s display, Bluetooth, XM Radio, Bowers and Wilkins sound system and two USB ports in the front seat and two USB ports in the rear seats. 

Driving Impressions

This car is a pleasure to drive. It is surprisingly nimble for a vehicle of its size and its suspension levels out all sorts of road surfaces. The suspension, electric steering and excellent brakes give the vehicle excellent driving dynamics overall. The position of the larger battery for the hybrid powertrain also added to the vehicle’s overall stability, I think. 

The driving dynamics are complemented by the vehicle’s impressive power with its turbo and supercharged 4-cylinder engine, which is augmented by the electric motor, producing an additional 87 horsepower to help enhance the pleasure of driving on both short and longer trips where the vehicle’s quiet, comfortable cabin comes into play. 

2021 Volvo XC90 Recharge T8 specifications:

Dimension L: 194.9 inches/W: 79.1 inches/H: 69.9 inches/Wheelbase: 117.5 inches
Weight 4,771 pounds
Powertrain 2.0-liter supercharged, turbocharged 4-cylinder engine with electric motor; 8-speed automatic transmission
Fuel Economy 55 MPGe/27 mpg combined
Performance Specs 400 horsepower and 476 pound-feet of torque
Price Base price: $63,450; As tested: $81,690 including $995 destination charge
On-Sale Date Available now

Wrap Up

The Volvo XC90 Recharge T8 Inscription is an impressive vehicle outfitted with some of the very latest in automotive technology, including a large array of driver assistance features and safety equipment. The driver assistance features are augmented by a long list of comfort and convenience features, making it a very fine vehicle to use on a long trip, particularly since it also equipped with first-rate connectivity and entertainment elements. But I can also see how some buyers might find this model overengineered and perhaps overpriced at $82,000. 

2021 Volvo XC90 Recharge T8 ­— Frequently Asked Questions

What makes the Volvo XC90 recharge so special?

The XC90 Recharge is powered by Volvo’s latest generation plug-in hybrid powertrain. It delivers high power, smooth electric propulsion and outstanding drivability. 

How far can a Volvo XC90 recharge T8 go?

With a full battery, the XC90 Recharge T8 will cover up to a claimed 30 miles on electric power alone by official standards, but in reality, you’ll see more like 20-25 miles depending on the sort of driving that you do. Around town you’ll see the Volvo go further than if you’re on the highway regularly.

What is the lowest price for a Volvo XC90?

The least-expensive 2021 Volvo XC90 is the 2021 Volvo XC90 Recharge Plug-In Hybrid T8 Inscription Expression SUV AWD. Including the destination charge, it arrives with a Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price of $63,450.

Electrify America Gives EV Shoppers a Reason to Look at Volvos: Free Charging

For those looking to buy an electric vehicle, it’s a good time to be in the market as there are a variety of incentives available. Electrify America’s offering the latest with 250 kWh of complementary charging for new 2022 Volvo XC40 Recharge and the coming 2022 C40 Recharge buyers.

2022 Volvo C40 Recharge - side parked
The 2022 Volvo C40 Recharge is being produced in Ghent, Belgium, like the XC40 Recharge — gets 250 kWh of free charging too.

The program only applies to the first owners of the vehicles. Once owners have chewed through their free allotment, they’ll automatically be eligible for Electrify America’s Pass+, which gives them lower rates and a membership paid by Volvo for one year.

“Increasing access to fast and reliable charging is critical to the adoption of battery electric vehicles,” said Anders Gustafsson, president and CEO of Volvo Car USA. “Our collaboration with Electrify America ensures our drivers will be able to enjoy the benefits of an electric car whether they are taking short trips or long journeys.”

Free juice is one of the go-to moves to entice potential BEVs owners buy a particular electric vehicle these days. Even the popular Ford Mustang Mach-E, which is reportedly responsible for stealing 10% of Tesla Inc.’s marketshare, came with a deal.

New owners once got 250 kilowatt hours of free charging through FordPass Rewards at Electrify America fast-charging stations. It’s not just Ford. General Motors has turned to petro-giant Shell to help buyers of BEVs like the Chevrolet Bolt charge up using renewable energy.

The program allows owners to charge up overnight — when demand on the grid is normally low — at no cost using renewable energy. The new partners also plan to provide energy at reduced rates to GM suppliers. Initially, the program will be limited to Texas, but the plan is to expand to other markets “in the future,” they said in a statement.

Ford Mustang Mach-E owners once received 250 kWh of complimentary charging through FordPass Rewards at Electrify America stations.

Cash rebates haven’t cut it

In the past, cash rebates or special low interest rates have been used to entice buyers into a specific vehicle, but not so with EVs. Makers have seized upon range anxiety fears to get attention by offering no-cost EV charging.

The “free juice” push isn’t a recent phenomenon. Nissan’s offered it sporadically on its Leaf EV for several years. Ford offered the incentive on its C-Max five years ago too. Recently General Motors jumped on the bandwagon.

GM looked to attract buyers by making it easier to charge up at home and on the road, setting up alliances with more than a half-dozen public charging companies, including Blink Charging, ChargePoint, EV Connect, EVgo, FLO and SemaConnect, as well as Greenlots. The latter company was acquired by Shell in 2019.

Of course, Tesla really started the whole “free charging” by offering it for a lifetime to early owners of its vehicles through its proprietary SuperCharger network.

General Motors and Shell are working together to offer renewable energy solutions to GM’s customers in Texas. The program includes current offerings that can help expand access to renewable energy for GM’s customers and suppliers. Coming this summer, owners of electric vehicles from GM brands will have the opportunity to select home energy plans that include the option for free overnight hours of EV charging.
General Motors and Shell are working together to offer renewable energy solutions to GM’s customers in Texas.

Working with automakers

EVgo’s worked with Nissan on to make charging easier, including working with the Japanese automaker to add 2,000 charging stations to its network in the last six years, including a series of nine fast-charging stations stretching across a 500-mile stretch of I-95 between Boston and Washington, D.C.

Electrify America offered special pricing for Kia Niro EV owners last year. The “Kia Select” program offered a flat rate of 35 cents per-minute charging for current Kia Niro EV drivers, designed specifically for the unique DC charging characteristics of the model. The program also waives session fees and has no subscription fees for participants.

It is owned by Volkswagen, which formed the company as part of its dieselgate scandal settlement a few years back. It just recently announced plans to double its current electric vehicle charging infrastructure in the United States and Canada with more than 1,800 fast charging stations and 10,000 individual chargers installed by the end of 2025. 

The expansion will increase the deployment of 150 and 350 kilowatt chargers – the fastest speed available today – and help pave the way for more electric vehicles in North America, according to Electrify America officials.