The way electric motors work is that you get a lot of torque from low/zero RPM. They become more asthmatic the faster you go.
That means even in full electric mode and the weight of PHEVs, at the lights, they pull like trains up until like 20-25mph. After that it becomes less “urgent”, but not to the point where you become a roadblock.
In full electric you still pull away from ICE cars up until 20mph, despite having nominally less power. It’s just that you have way more power where an ICE car makes basically none. It don’t know about the XC40, but in the Golf GTE, it’s enough to get the tyres screeching.
Above 50mph or thereabouts, that’s where electric only becomes somewhat painful. I’d argue that safe overtaking in normal circumstances (in a 60mph, of course) isn’t granted there, but for that you can always call on the ICE engine to boost past someone. If the XC40 is anything like the GTE, once the petrol engine runs, the electric motor then also “boosts” when you put your foot all the way down, as in you get increased power from the electric motor (more than you’d get electric only) for 10 seconds.
I’m not 100% certain, in regards to the topic, if i could do it. We have free chargers, mainly at the shops, but i don’t want to park my PHEV at a 50kw charger for 4 hours. For half an hour if i go shopping, sure – but “blocking” a charger for 4 hours to get 40 miles, when EVs could charge over a thousand miles in the same time (not a single one, of course) feels arse. Not gonna judge anyone for it (especially with the energy prices now), but i know i’d be annoyed if we’d be driving an EV and a PHEV sits on the charger for 4 hours.
Prior: SEAT Ateca Xcellence Lux 1.5 TSI DSG MY19, VW Golf GTE PHEV DSG MY23
Current: Hyundai Ioniq 6 Ultimate
Next: we'll see what's available in 2028.