Volvo is set to expand its line-up of plug-in hybrids in the UK over the coming years, responding to slower-than-expected demand for pure-electric models. Nicole Melillo Shaw, Volvo UK boss, said the brand will double down on long-range PHEVs, which she described as a “stepping stone” for buyers not yet ready to switch fully to electric cars.
The key to that strategy, Melillo Shaw explained, is ensuring hybrids offer a sufficiently long electric-only range so drivers actually use them as electric vehicles rather than as conventional petrol cars. “The important nuance here is not the number of hybrids we sell: it’s whether people are driving them as a hybrid rather than just as a petrol car,” she said. “In the past, when plug-in ranges were very low, drivers rarely charged them. Volvo has invested heavily in making sure our hybrids offer a long range so that people can use them as intended.”
Volvo currently offers plug-in hybrid versions of the XC60 and XC90 SUVs, with a maximum electric range of around 50 miles. The upcoming XC70, already launched in China and planned for Europe, is the first of the brand’s so-called “long-range” PHEVs, claiming an engine-off range of 124 miles on China’s testing cycle — longer than any PHEV currently on sale in the UK. An upcoming refresh for the XC60 is also expected to add a similarly capable long-range plug-in option, with a larger battery set to more than double its current EV range.
The shift comes as Volvo UK’s pure-electric sales have grown significantly, rising from 4,556 units in 2022 to nearly 18,000 in 2024, and 9,000 in the first seven months of 2026. However, petrol-powered cars still account for around 75% of the brand’s UK sales this year, roughly 31,000 units, of which almost 7,000 were plug-in hybrids.
While reaffirming Volvo’s commitment to electrification, Melillo Shaw called for a “reality check” on the UK’s zero-emission vehicle (ZEV) mandate targets, which are currently under government review. “If everyone decided to drive an electric car tomorrow, we are set up to support that, so there are no concerns from an innovation standpoint,” she said. “But if consumer adoption isn’t moving at the expected speed, then how can we work together, industry and government, so the outcome isn’t just punitive? We need to step back, assess the reality, and partner to keep moving forward.”
She added that the mandate needs to examine the facts and data, and assess the consumer adoption curve, rather than focusing only on “EV registration numbers driven by heavy discounting”. The UK government launched a review last week that will consider whether to soften ZEV mandate targets for electric car sales from 2027 to 2035. Under current guidelines, new combustion cars must feature some form of hybrid element to remain on sale beyond 2030, with all new UK cars going fully electric by 2035.