Volvo increases the batteries for 2028 XC60 and XC90 plug-in refresh

Volvo more than doubled real-world electric range on its bestselling XC60 T8 and the three-row XC90 T8 by fitting a 37.9 kWh net (41.2 kWh gross) lithium-ion pack. EPA cycle range hits 78 miles for the XC60 and 73 for the XC90 — enough, Volvo says, for about three days of a median US commute.

The same refresh brings an 11.2-inch infotainment system with a Gemini personal assistant for conversational voice control on Android Automotive OS. Brief testing in the report found Gemini performing better than Volvo’s prior assistant.

We’re watching automakers treat assistant quality as part of the electrification pitch, not a separate gadget story.

We’re here for the battery math first. Jumping from a 14.9 kWh net pack and ~35 miles of EV range to nearly 38 kWh usable and high-70s miles changes who can treat a PHEV like a weekday EV. Combined with a full tank, Volvo cites about 590 miles between stops on the XC60 T8.

Gemini landing in the cabin is the AI angle that pulled this onto our desk. Conversational control of navigation, climate, and media is table stakes now; the question is whether it stays reliable after the press drive. Ars notes the old assistant had degraded over years — a warning for any cloud-tied voice stack in a car that will be on the road for a decade.

Useful in-car AI that actually understands requests is a quality-of-life win. The downside if this scales poorly is drivers stuck with a regressing assistant while the hardware ages, plus local production moves (XC60 adding South Carolina) driven as much by tariffs as by tech. I’m watching whether Gemini stays snappy offline-adjacent and how Volvo supports the stack across model years.

Volvo had sold more than 2.7 million XC60s worldwide by end of last year. Styling updates include revised Thor’s Hammer headlights with matrix LED projectors and a slimmer grille. CEO Håkan Samuelsson framed the long-range PHEVs plus the all-electric EX60 as the brand’s strongest mid-size electrified lineup.