The brand spanking new Volvo S60 was just launched in Malaysia last week, and it is only available in one variant - T8 R Design plug-in hybrid.
When the XC90 and the XC60 was launched, both came in the same T8 plug-in hybrid variant with the T5 variant joining the range some time post-launch.
As for the S90 and V90, they were the reverse with T5 and T6 variants arriving first and the T8 version joining later. Though Volvo Malaysia has since stopped selling the V90 here.
So what do these Ts and numbers mean?
They are basically Volvo’s designation for power outputs. The higher the number, the higher the power.
Volvo’s designation at a glance:
T4 - Turbocharged 2.0-litre 4-cylinder producing 190 PS and 300 Nm of torque
T5 - Turbocharged 2.0-litre 4-cylinder producing 254 PS and 350 Nm of torque
T6 - Turbocharged and supercharged 2.0-litre 4 cylinder producing 320 PS and 400 Nm of torque
T8 - Turbocharged and supercharged 2.0-litre 4 cylinder paired with electric motors generating a combined output of 407 PS and 640 Nm of torque
Volvo believes in the electric future and aims to make all-electric cars 50% of Volvo Cars’ sales by 2025. Meanwhile every Volvo launched from 2019 onwards will be available as a plug-in hybrid, mild hybrid or a fully electric powered car.
As such, all T variants in the future will be plug-in hybrids and will join the Recharge family, which is fully electric, seeing that they can essentially be “recharged”.
Fully electric models will have the P designation, like the XC40 Recharge P8 with a near-identical output to the T8 at 408 PS, and there will be 48-volt mild hybrids to wear the B designation.
Like the T variants, the higher the number that accompanies the letter, the higher the power output and of course, price as well.