A 1,380 hp Volvo XC hybrid? The new Zeekr 8X makes it feel inevitable

Packing just over 1,380 hp and up to 255 miles of all-electric range, the new, tri-motor, extended-range hybrid Zeekr X8 is redefining what buyers could and should expect from their next SUV – and parent company Geely’s global ambitions could mean the platform will make its way to North America. As a Volvo.

File this one under “wishful thinking” if you must, but it’s no secret that Volvo’s new EVs haven’t been selling the way the company had hoped – and new unit sales have plunged more than 30% in Q1. At the same time, however, sales of certified pre-owned (CPO) Volvo cars are up 14%, proving that there’s still an appetite for the brand, if not its all-electric XC90 and EX30 models.

That’s why hot-selling products from parent company Geely’s global portfolio – like the recently-released Volvo XC70 EREV and the new Zeekr 8X, based on the Haohan-S hybrid architecture and featuring up to three electric motors good for up to 1030 kW (~1,380 hp) – could play a huge role in Volvo’s North American product line in the near future.

Volvo dealers sounding alarm bells

Despite Volvo cutting prices in an effort to goose demand for its latest new models, Yahoo!Autos is reporting that Volvo’s US dealers are “sounding alarms” as their are choosing more proven hybrids and gas model Volvos over the brand’s bug-riddled BEVs.