I have a V60 T6 hybrid. When new and on its factory supplied normal tyres it had no problem at all climbing up a hill on packed snow in the Swiss Alps using AWD mode.
Thx for this video. I saw several videos on youtube about this car but this is one that show the real performance of this car. I own one since March 2019 and I can say that is the best car ever. Very good on off road and a real beast on highway, thx to the adaptive suspension. One of the best car made by Volvo.
Modern AWD systems plus modest mods now allow overlanders to enjoy the outdoors in 80% offroad capable 12:28 vehicles like the Cayenne, Touareg, GX470, ML320, X3/X5, etc. Now with the right AWD system, your daily driver can be your single drive for both on and offroad. Once car companies figure out their SUVs have crossover appeal to the offroad community, perhaps every SUV will now have an optional offroad variant package.
The XC60 is a semi luxury expensive SUV, not really designed for extreme off roading. So, what you were able to do with it is a bonus. It’s nice to know that it will stands a pretty good chance in a heavy snow fall.
Nice video! Awesome mods! I have seen in other videos that non eAwd volvos break the spinning wheels much quicker and more effectively, although there is still room for improvement.
Yeah my suspicion is that the mechanical AWD system in the T6 is more than anything stronger, so the brake 'lsd' is allowed to more aggressively force power across the axle.
I have a V60 XC T5 AWD. I've been toying with trading/upgrading to a XC60 with air suspension for a couple years, to use it like you describe- one vehicle that does it all. I was surprised to see the front axle not controlling the traction in your video (and in the other video of the car on rollers you linked earlier). Many other videos of the non-hybrid Haldex system on other Volvos show it handling the rollers as good as any AWD system. Update: another comment from someone who worked for Volvo says you need to use throttle to get enough driveshaft speed to get pressure up in the coupling(s) on these Haldex systems-in other words more wheel spin up before engagement. No idea if that is true...
Did you try the Range Rover Evoque/Discovery Sport PHEV? They have the same configuration which we call "Axle Split". We developed parts of that car and it's quite capable offroad as long as you take care to the ground clearance :)
Those fully pumped air bags in Off-road mode had made me think a lot about Citroën's old hydropneumatic suspensions and whether they can extend to full articulation at full height.
Huh. PSA already has its C5 Aircross, 5008 and DS7 hybrids, with talks already in place about the FCA merger going likely. Oh. just fyi, the term for a AWD vehicle that doesn't have a front to rear driveshaft is called a "Through the road hybrid".
I have a really dumb@$$ question. I'm looking at the S60 recharge. It's a plug-in hybrid. Let's say I run the big battery to 0... or I'm on a long road trip and way, way beyond the 40 mile all electric range. Does my eAWD suffer? In other words, is there ever a situation where, because of the state of my main battery, I'm losing or degrading my AWD capability?
No, when in eAWD mode the engine runs continuously and can feed power from the motor/generator under the hood into the battery and to the electric rear axle as needed. Could you 'run out' when racing up Pike's Peak, maybe? But in all practical driving situations there's always ample opportunity to generate/recover any power needed.
What Will happen If your out of battery life in the middle of an off Road trip? I know that the battery never drains 100%, and still work as a hybrid, but is that enough in order to have a proper 4wheel drive that Will help you get off an off Road path?
Yeah it's not a problem, the starter/generator/motor connected to the ICE will feed the electric rear axle, and if you choose even recharge the battery. If you were to charge up Pike's Peak at full throttle the maybe you could 'run out', but it's not a practical issue.
@@MotorsportUnplugged So over all, you believe the Four Wheel Drive experience / performance of the plug in hybrid is better from traditional petrol engine? Would you recommend it?
Depends on your goal... The e-axle style AWD system is great for efficiency, you can drive only a pair of wheels whether leveraging just the ICE or EV or both. A full mechanical AWD/4WD system with it's EV system integrated into the ICE, like the Subaru PHEV or Jeep Wrangler PHEV, I would expect to not be as efficient, for the former due to it's always-on nature and the latter due to it's more robust and heavy 4WD system. On the flip side, if you're seriously wheeling, maybe that's more important to you.
Looks like it did pretty darn well. I wonder if momentum would have just gotten you past any of the areas you were pivoting. My big concern before I take delivery of my XC90 is, will it handle soft sand if I want to take it to Fraser Island here in Australia. I don't think I'll be doing much rocky terrain, gravel roads occasional river crossing at most!
Well, yeah, I guess the _other_ thing I could have done was just go for it :-P I would expect sand like snow to be a-ok, there was a chap on the Swedespeed forums with a 90 who was rolling big sand dunes, let me find the video... ua-cam.com/video/lTP8MKJQY0Y/v-deo.html
Dies meaning like fails completely? I would guess kinda yes, but have never heard of such a thing on the Volvo forums. If you actually mean depleated, it never happens in any pratical way, the system always keeps a minimum buffer state of charge to feed the rear axle if you want full go-juice, fed by the motor-generator under the hood directly attached to the ICE or accumulated regen.
Thanks for putting these videos out. They've been really helpful when I was contemplating if I should order one or not earlier in the year (Have a MY2021 on order but who knows when/if I take delivery as things are as they are at the moment). As you don't mind getting yours dirty I wonder how clean the car keeps the driver/passengers even when its dirty? As in, even when it's dirty on the outside, will all the areas of the car you easily brush with your clothes/touch getting in and out still remain clean? Thinking of both front and rear doors and the boot. Have had mixed experiences in different cars in the past. Is this a car you really want to get cleaned in all nooks and crannies straight on or can you live with it no problem even if you cant wash it straight on?
So, A, no issues with odd places in the door jam collecting dirt and transferring that to me. However, B, there is this weird thing with a relatively easy fix... forums.swedespeed.com/showthread.php?590449-Rear-doors-gather-way-too-much-snow-dirt-design-flaw
@@MotorsportUnplugged Thanks! If the dealer ever decides to re-open I'll get on to them about that part as it's plenty of wet days in Scotland where I'm at and I love to head for the snow to go skiing when it falls. Looks like the rear doors edges can get quite dirty otherwise. Doubt we'll end up using it for as bad roads as you've shown, but great to see what it's capable of. Keep the videos coming. I know it's hard work shooting and editing everything. Really appreciate it.
If you were to buy the 22" wheel package on the XC60, that flare kit is installed from the factory and is body color keyed. I ordered mine through my dealer in black (it's pre painted) and they installed it for me.
is it possible to get a list of modifications you made to make it more outdoorsy? especially that rear outer spare wheel holder. does it restrict the auto tail gate?
@@MotorsportUnplugged thanks. ive got a xc60 b4 awd and wanted to get it more suited for outdoor terrain. currently it runs the factory 235/55R19 eco contact 6. considering going down to 18 or 17 and getting an all terrain. the tire already has 17000km but should last for another year... also im gonna need a winter tire and Im conflicted between keeping the current tire/wheel and get a smaller winter tire, which then require change twice a year. or get an all-terrain instead for all-year around. any suggestions?
I specifically aimed for "tripple-mountain-peak" rated AT tires, so they are decent in the snow in addition to being off-road worthy. YMMV, really depends on where you are and what scale of 'winter' you get there :-)
Thanks for all the detail! I’ve been close to buying a 2019 t8, shake it off as risky/unproven long term (dealership 2hr away!), and then return to justify it *might* be just as reliable as a gasser. Curious about any update on your rig or suggestion to read real-world reviews? Thanks
3 years now and just one moderately significant issue covered under warranty (exhaust header nuts came loose, and required a pretty substantial amount of disassembly to get to). Just bought out the lease and am aiming to continue carrying on!
Yeah we collected 3 stings when they swarmed our camp Saturday morning. Nothing really hostile, just curious and looking for water. We slammed the RTT and got outta dodge 🤣
Thanks for the video, in future ones let your partner do more video shots and less of driver shots especially when you are describing what the car is doing. Cheers!
For Volvos you turn on "DSC Sport Mode" to tell the computer to allow additional wheel spin. No I didn't try it, but no I don't think it would have helped. Probably the biggest additional things I could have done was lower the suspension down a for better articulation, and lower tire pressures for better grip. Also, since this video we've stepped up to a larger size tire: ua-cam.com/video/JBapMCdPq40/v-deo.html
Its interesting that they STILL haven't put the T8 system in the cross country versions of the V60 and V90. They claim it is for offroad performance. Which is like.. "Wait what?" the lifted wagons get more capability than the SUV's?
Not a problem, when driving along the system always reserves power for AWD or 'Power' drive modes, and can feed additional power into the battery from the generator under the hood as needed. In addition FWIW, when off in the wilds I always drive with 'Charge' turned on, which brings the battery state up to about 7/8ths full and keeps it there, providing a safety reserve. This way if we had a significant problem with the gas engine, we could still move a good distance without it and/or run the AC/heater if needed.
@@MotorsportUnpluggedInteresting point. But are you sure you can drive with electric engine only with the gas engine turned off? I would say in order to do that you probably needed to trick the system somehow, as with the gas engine turned off the front wheels are locked.
That would be 18" So yes, the Polestar's brake calipers may cause you trouble, more on caliper clearance in the discussion here: www.swedespeed.com/threads/18-wheels-and-at-tires-on-a-spa-xc60-t8.588871/
This video is from a long time ago, and I haven't had that xc60 in a year, but I would guess now it's more about drivetrain strength than traction control programming. If to hit your weight targets you must downsize the diff and half shafts, then you'll program the traction control to only push yay much power across the axle.
I’m planning to switch my Mercedes E-Class All-Terrain to XC60 T8. My biggest fear is that the eAWD isn’t as good as Merc’s 4Matic when driving fast (≈120km/h) on snowy and icy highways or carving the backroads. With good set of winter tires the Merc is absolutely phenomenal in that kind of driving.
Nah e-awd aint as good as an constant mechanical AWD would be in that situation, but then again the 4matic system aint exactly that great but it gets the work done for you so.. try it out?
@@MotorsportUnplugged It’s much safer and relaxing to drive 75mph in horrible conditions with AWD than with F or RWD. Slowing down isn’t an option to be able to use the fast lane on a motorway without having someone glued to the rear bumper all the time. The AWD in these conditions and speeds is especially relevant when changing lanes over a pile of snow or slush that’s often between the lanes (Volvo’s massive weight helps in this though). So far the experience with the eAWD hasn’t been great. When accelerating the car feels like a FWD even if the rear is trying to help a bit. Also in corners there’s no consistency on the car’s willingness to either oversteer or understeer which doesn’t increase the driving confidence at all. Even if the car is pretty nice overall, as an AWD car I have to give it only a ⭐️ when quattro and 4Matic gets ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️, xDrive ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ and even the Haldex solutions get ⭐️⭐️⭐️.
You have made nice videos, rare to use xc60 at overlanding. You are correct, articulation is lost when driving off road mode, I have tested it now on my t8 at simple rti ramp test, here is video on it and light off road after that: ua-cam.com/video/c7uZkU95keM/v-deo.html
One of the rare videos of testing eAWD to the limits. Thanks a lot!
I have a V60 T6 hybrid.
When new and on its factory supplied normal tyres it had no problem at all climbing up a hill on packed snow in the Swiss Alps using AWD mode.
Thx for this video. I saw several videos on youtube about this car but this is one that show the real performance of this car. I own one since March 2019 and I can say that is the best car ever. Very good on off road and a real beast on highway, thx to the adaptive suspension.
One of the best car made by Volvo.
Great video! My wife just purchased a 21' T8 and I have my FJC. It was funny seeing the car zipped by you guys lol
Modern AWD systems plus modest mods now allow overlanders to enjoy the outdoors in 80% offroad capable 12:28 vehicles like the Cayenne, Touareg, GX470, ML320, X3/X5, etc. Now with the right AWD system, your daily driver can be your single drive for both on and offroad. Once car companies figure out their SUVs have crossover appeal to the offroad community, perhaps every SUV will now have an optional offroad variant package.
Very educating! Thanks for making us aware. Volvo...just look into this and make corrections!
The XC60 is a semi luxury expensive SUV, not really designed for extreme off roading.
So, what you were able to do with it is a bonus.
It’s nice to know that it will stands a pretty good chance in a heavy snow fall.
Nice video! Awesome mods! I have seen in other videos that non eAwd volvos break the spinning wheels much quicker and more effectively, although there is still room for improvement.
Yeah my suspicion is that the mechanical AWD system in the T6 is more than anything stronger, so the brake 'lsd' is allowed to more aggressively force power across the axle.
I have a V60 XC T5 AWD. I've been toying with trading/upgrading to a XC60 with air suspension for a couple years, to use it like you describe- one vehicle that does it all. I was surprised to see the front axle not controlling the traction in your video (and in the other video of the car on rollers you linked earlier). Many other videos of the non-hybrid Haldex system on other Volvos show it handling the rollers as good as any AWD system. Update: another comment from someone who worked for Volvo says you need to use throttle to get enough driveshaft speed to get pressure up in the coupling(s) on these Haldex systems-in other words more wheel spin up before engagement. No idea if that is true...
I saw your vehicle in pioneer town this morning, darn thing looked super cool!
LOL yes we were! On our way home after 4 days in the Joshua Tree area...
Rig looks awesome
Did you try the Range Rover Evoque/Discovery Sport PHEV? They have the same configuration which we call "Axle Split". We developed parts of that car and it's quite capable offroad as long as you take care to the ground clearance :)
Those fully pumped air bags in Off-road mode had made me think a lot about Citroën's old hydropneumatic suspensions and whether they can extend to full articulation at full height.
Huh. PSA already has its C5 Aircross, 5008 and DS7 hybrids, with talks already in place about the FCA merger going likely.
Oh. just fyi, the term for a AWD vehicle that doesn't have a front to rear driveshaft is called a "Through the road hybrid".
I have a really dumb@$$ question. I'm looking at the S60 recharge. It's a plug-in hybrid. Let's say I run the big battery to 0... or I'm on a long road trip and way, way beyond the 40 mile all electric range. Does my eAWD suffer? In other words, is there ever a situation where, because of the state of my main battery, I'm losing or degrading my AWD capability?
No, when in eAWD mode the engine runs continuously and can feed power from the motor/generator under the hood into the battery and to the electric rear axle as needed. Could you 'run out' when racing up Pike's Peak, maybe? But in all practical driving situations there's always ample opportunity to generate/recover any power needed.
What Will happen If your out of battery life in the middle of an off Road trip?
I know that the battery never drains 100%, and still work as a hybrid, but is that enough in order to have a proper 4wheel drive that Will help you get off an off Road path?
Yeah it's not a problem, the starter/generator/motor connected to the ICE will feed the electric rear axle, and if you choose even recharge the battery. If you were to charge up Pike's Peak at full throttle the maybe you could 'run out', but it's not a practical issue.
@@MotorsportUnplugged So over all, you believe the Four Wheel Drive experience / performance of the plug in hybrid is better from traditional petrol engine?
Would you recommend it?
Depends on your goal... The e-axle style AWD system is great for efficiency, you can drive only a pair of wheels whether leveraging just the ICE or EV or both. A full mechanical AWD/4WD system with it's EV system integrated into the ICE, like the Subaru PHEV or Jeep Wrangler PHEV, I would expect to not be as efficient, for the former due to it's always-on nature and the latter due to it's more robust and heavy 4WD system. On the flip side, if you're seriously wheeling, maybe that's more important to you.
Looks like it did pretty darn well. I wonder if momentum would have just gotten you past any of the areas you were pivoting. My big concern before I take delivery of my XC90 is, will it handle soft sand if I want to take it to Fraser Island here in Australia. I don't think I'll be doing much rocky terrain, gravel roads occasional river crossing at most!
Well, yeah, I guess the _other_ thing I could have done was just go for it :-P
I would expect sand like snow to be a-ok, there was a chap on the Swedespeed forums with a 90 who was rolling big sand dunes, let me find the video... ua-cam.com/video/lTP8MKJQY0Y/v-deo.html
great video!
can you share detail on the system that you use to fix your wheels on the attach?
or if there is a ref of article?
thank you very much!
Here ya go: ua-cam.com/video/FiQ1RATXKZs/v-deo.html
What happens to the AWD system when the battery dies ???? Does the rear axel stop working???
Dies meaning like fails completely? I would guess kinda yes, but have never heard of such a thing on the Volvo forums. If you actually mean depleated, it never happens in any pratical way, the system always keeps a minimum buffer state of charge to feed the rear axle if you want full go-juice, fed by the motor-generator under the hood directly attached to the ICE or accumulated regen.
Love the look of your 60. What wheels are those?
MSW Type 49: www.tirerack.com/upgrade_garage/BigPic.jsp?wheelMake=MSW&wheelModel=Type+49&wheelFinish=Gunmetal+Painted
Thanks for putting these videos out. They've been really helpful when I was contemplating if I should order one or not earlier in the year (Have a MY2021 on order but who knows when/if I take delivery as things are as they are at the moment). As you don't mind getting yours dirty I wonder how clean the car keeps the driver/passengers even when its dirty? As in, even when it's dirty on the outside, will all the areas of the car you easily brush with your clothes/touch getting in and out still remain clean? Thinking of both front and rear doors and the boot. Have had mixed experiences in different cars in the past. Is this a car you really want to get cleaned in all nooks and crannies straight on or can you live with it no problem even if you cant wash it straight on?
So, A, no issues with odd places in the door jam collecting dirt and transferring that to me. However, B, there is this weird thing with a relatively easy fix... forums.swedespeed.com/showthread.php?590449-Rear-doors-gather-way-too-much-snow-dirt-design-flaw
@@MotorsportUnplugged Thanks! If the dealer ever decides to re-open I'll get on to them about that part as it's plenty of wet days in Scotland where I'm at and I love to head for the snow to go skiing when it falls. Looks like the rear doors edges can get quite dirty otherwise.
Doubt we'll end up using it for as bad roads as you've shown, but great to see what it's capable of.
Keep the videos coming. I know it's hard work shooting and editing everything. Really appreciate it.
Darn you. Now I want one of my own. 😉
Nice XC60!
What kind of sparetire holder did you use?
ua-cam.com/video/FiQ1RATXKZs/v-deo.html
Love the look. What kind of fender flares are those!?
If you were to buy the 22" wheel package on the XC60, that flare kit is installed from the factory and is body color keyed. I ordered mine through my dealer in black (it's pre painted) and they installed it for me.
@@MotorsportUnplugged Such a nice touch. Thanks very much! Keep posting!
Just curious what dealership had them? It said on Volvo Canada they are discontinued so I'll see if your guy still has these 😂
is it possible to get a list of modifications you made to make it more outdoorsy?
especially that rear outer spare wheel holder.
does it restrict the auto tail gate?
Here ya go: ua-cam.com/video/FiQ1RATXKZs/v-deo.html
@@MotorsportUnplugged thanks. ive got a xc60 b4 awd and wanted to get it more suited for outdoor terrain. currently it runs the factory 235/55R19 eco contact 6. considering going down to 18 or 17 and getting an all terrain. the tire already has 17000km but should last for another year... also im gonna need a winter tire and Im conflicted between keeping the current tire/wheel and get a smaller winter tire, which then require change twice a year. or get an all-terrain instead for all-year around.
any suggestions?
I specifically aimed for "tripple-mountain-peak" rated AT tires, so they are decent in the snow in addition to being off-road worthy. YMMV, really depends on where you are and what scale of 'winter' you get there :-)
Thanks for all the detail! I’ve been close to buying a 2019 t8, shake it off as risky/unproven long term (dealership 2hr away!), and then return to justify it *might* be just as reliable as a gasser. Curious about any update on your rig or suggestion to read real-world reviews? Thanks
3 years now and just one moderately significant issue covered under warranty (exhaust header nuts came loose, and required a pretty substantial amount of disassembly to get to). Just bought out the lease and am aiming to continue carrying on!
Oh man. My gf got stung by a bee that weekend too!
Yeah we collected 3 stings when they swarmed our camp Saturday morning. Nothing really hostile, just curious and looking for water. We slammed the RTT and got outta dodge 🤣
Thanks for the video, in future ones let your partner do more video shots and less of driver shots especially when you are describing what the car is doing. Cheers!
did you try turning of DSC? that might have helped.
For Volvos you turn on "DSC Sport Mode" to tell the computer to allow additional wheel spin. No I didn't try it, but no I don't think it would have helped. Probably the biggest additional things I could have done was lower the suspension down a for better articulation, and lower tire pressures for better grip. Also, since this video we've stepped up to a larger size tire: ua-cam.com/video/JBapMCdPq40/v-deo.html
Did you record your audio with your phone? What's goin on here
Its interesting that they STILL haven't put the T8 system in the cross country versions of the V60 and V90. They claim it is for offroad performance. Which is like.. "Wait what?" the lifted wagons get more capability than the SUV's?
Since the eAWD uses electric motor to drive rear wheels, what if the motor battery is drained, will the electric motor still working for eAWD ?
Not a problem, when driving along the system always reserves power for AWD or 'Power' drive modes, and can feed additional power into the battery from the generator under the hood as needed. In addition FWIW, when off in the wilds I always drive with 'Charge' turned on, which brings the battery state up to about 7/8ths full and keeps it there, providing a safety reserve. This way if we had a significant problem with the gas engine, we could still move a good distance without it and/or run the AC/heater if needed.
@@MotorsportUnpluggedInteresting point. But are you sure you can drive with electric engine only with the gas engine turned off? I would say in order to do that you probably needed to trick the system somehow, as with the gas engine turned off the front wheels are locked.
Soy mexicano pero me gusta aventurarme en terrenos de terracería
Hola señor, bienvenido
hey, where did you get that spare wheel carier from?
That's a Hitchgate Solo from Wilco Offroad: ua-cam.com/video/fdtmIOVCY9c/v-deo.html
what wheels size you use? I have polestar and I want try this too
In this video I was running 255/55-18s, though since then I upsized to 255/60-18: ua-cam.com/video/JBapMCdPq40/v-deo.html
@@MotorsportUnplugged thanks i mean the rim size. I have 21 as standard cheers
That would be 18"
So yes, the Polestar's brake calipers may cause you trouble, more on caliper clearance in the discussion here: www.swedespeed.com/threads/18-wheels-and-at-tires-on-a-spa-xc60-t8.588871/
@@MotorsportUnplugged thanks so much
B6 or B5 much better choice cuz it has Haldex AWD
Probably would you're right, with of course all the tradeoffs.
A joy to watch!
Similar to xc90 T8?
Yes, it's the same system as the XC90.
Can’t really compare Fj with Volvo . Fj cruise is a meant for off road. Your Volvo is probably meant for ski trips in Vale .
It's really disappointing to see such an expensive vehicle have worse traction control programming than a +2 decade old Subaru.
This video is from a long time ago, and I haven't had that xc60 in a year, but I would guess now it's more about drivetrain strength than traction control programming. If to hit your weight targets you must downsize the diff and half shafts, then you'll program the traction control to only push yay much power across the axle.
I’m planning to switch my Mercedes E-Class All-Terrain to XC60 T8. My biggest fear is that the eAWD isn’t as good as Merc’s 4Matic when driving fast (≈120km/h) on snowy and icy highways or carving the backroads. With good set of winter tires the Merc is absolutely phenomenal in that kind of driving.
Nah e-awd aint as good as an constant mechanical AWD would be in that situation, but then again the 4matic system aint exactly that great but it gets the work done for you so.. try it out?
The Volvo's eAWD system gives up at 75mph. But you know, if you really NEED all wheels driven at over 75, maybe slow down? :-P
@@MotorsportUnplugged It’s much safer and relaxing to drive 75mph in horrible conditions with AWD than with F or RWD. Slowing down isn’t an option to be able to use the fast lane on a motorway without having someone glued to the rear bumper all the time. The AWD in these conditions and speeds is especially relevant when changing lanes over a pile of snow or slush that’s often between the lanes (Volvo’s massive weight helps in this though).
So far the experience with the eAWD hasn’t been great. When accelerating the car feels like a FWD even if the rear is trying to help a bit. Also in corners there’s no consistency on the car’s willingness to either oversteer or understeer which doesn’t increase the driving confidence at all. Even if the car is pretty nice overall, as an AWD car I have to give it only a ⭐️ when quattro and 4Matic gets ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️, xDrive ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ and even the Haldex solutions get ⭐️⭐️⭐️.
Lexus TX500h+ is the one to watch if youre interested in PHEV offroaders
Hai
You have made nice videos, rare to use xc60 at overlanding. You are correct, articulation is lost when driving off road mode, I have tested it now on my t8 at simple rti ramp test, here is video on it and light off road after that: ua-cam.com/video/c7uZkU95keM/v-deo.html
Off road hell no lol