I'm in the NE US and don't know if this is a cold weather start issue, but with a 2021 XC60 Recharge T8 I am finding that Pure electric mode is unavailable when I first get going. Hybrid is and electric use is available at very low speeds, but anything faster goes to gasoline immediately for a few minutes before electric availability is accessed even though the charge is there.

Is this a cold weather, cold start issue or possible malfunction?

 

According to the manual:
Pure mode is available when the hybrid battery is sufficiently charged. Even in Pure mode, the combustion engine will start if the charge level in the battery gets too low. The combustion engine will also start
• if the vehicle's speed goes above 125 km/h (78 mph)
• if the driver requests more power than the electric motor can provide
• if factors such as cold weather affect the system or components.

The combustion engine may start temporarily in certain situations when Pure drive mode is used. This is to provide the wheels with the desired torque in driving situations that require higher loads, such as when towing a trailer or driving up a hill.

 

I have a 2019 xc 60 T8.....Maryland.....parked in garage at night, so really not all that cold....it will start out on battery....but there are times where the engine will come on, for the above reason listed and at times it will come on....just because it wants too,lol 1 being if the engine has not been on in awhile. Lot of great info on swedespeed.....more T8 owners there

 

This morning driving out with it being 26 degrees Fahrenheit, a fully charged battery in Hybrid mode was showing now electric access on the right dial, but when I looked to see if Pure mode was available it was. I switched to Pure and suddenly the available electric appeared in the right dial and I proceeded in electric mode.

 

I'm finding now that its cold/snowy our XC60 almost never stays in electric when running in hybrid. It does go there if we put it in pure, but will switch to gas almost immediately when starting in hybrid, sometimes even before backing out of the driveway.

After just spending 3 months having no heat in electric because our HVCH was busted and took out dealer that long to get a new part, I'm really thinking purchasing the recharge was a mistake.

We loved it before winter when everything was working, but just not been a good experience since.

It does seem to handle the snow pretty well in AWD, but I think that pretty much negates the value of driving in electric too.