Volvo V60 Recharge hybrid review: range, MPG, CO2 & charging
The electric range, MPG and CO2 figures for the Volvo V60 Recharge are all pretty impressive
| Model | Fuel economy | CO2 emissions | Electric range | Wallbox charge time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Recharge T6 | 256.5-352.6mpg | 18-46g/km | 54 miles | 3hrs (0-100%, 6.4kW) |
Charging is crucial with the V60 Recharge hybrid; keep its battery topped-up and use only electric power for short journeys, and you may be able to go weeks without visiting a petrol station. Best of all, charge times are quick – even from a conventional domestic socket, meaning you can maximise your car's electric potential without too much hassle.
Volvo V60 Recharge hybrid range, MPG & CO2 emissions
Like all plug-in hybrids, the V60 Recharge has very impressive fuel-economy and emissions figures – on paper at least. You can theoretically see up to 352.6mpg from the Recharge T6, while even the more powerful T8 Polestar Engineered could return 282mpg when available. CO2 emissions range from as low as 18g/km for the standard car on 18-inch wheels.
Those figures were obtained from standardised industry tests, however, and it's likely you'll struggle to match them in real-world driving without plugging in every evening. The main thing is to keep the battery charged up, therefore, and drive in electric mode as much as possible. If you're not using the battery, you're just driving a heavy petrol-engined V60, and will likely see in the region of 30-40mpg at best.
With a pure electric range of up to 54 miles (depending on specification and other external factors), the Volvo V60 Recharge is pipped only by the Mercedes C 300 e, which can do over 60 miles on a charge. Regardless, both cars offer a range of over 40 miles which means they fall into the low 8% Benefit-in-Kind tax bracket. This isn’t the case for the BMW 330e, though, with its 37-mile range meaning it can only qualify for the 12% BiK rating.
Charge time
The Volvo V60 Recharge comes as standard with a 6.4kW on-board charger, allowing owners to charge using a 7.4kW home wallbox from 0-100% in just three hours. However, unlike some plug-in hybrids, the V60 Recharge can’t make use of ultra-fast DC rapid charging speeds. So, while you can fork out extra for a Type 2 charging cable and use a public rapid charger, it won't top up the battery any faster and is likely to result in you receiving several unhappy glances from EV owners wanting to charge up their fully-electric cars.
