Found a video that I had in mind but I got it a tad wrong in my initial post where I said it was a 2020 model that had this update where a T8 wouldn't engage ICE regardless of how hard you accelerate...
In the video he says it's a 2021 model that received this update, but yet again it might be that older models qualify for this too i.e. the ones with an 11.6kWh battery (since the 2021 is pretty much the same setup)
https://youtu.be/_og2GFYN4aU
^ around a 4:50 mark he starts talking about this update and demonstrates how it wouldn't start the ICE...
NB:
As per the manual for a late 2019 XC90 T8:
https://www.volvocars.com/uk/support...cs/drive-modes
The Pure mode is available when the hybrid battery has a sufficiently high energy level. The internal combustion engine also starts in the Pure mode if the energy level in the battery falls too low. The internal combustion engine also starts
if the speed exceeds 125 km/h (78 mph)
if the driver requests more motive force than electric drive can provide
in the event of system/component limitations, e.g. low outside temperature.
However in the manual for a late 2021 XC90 T8 the definition of when the Pure mode is no longer available is a tad different:
https://www.volvocars.com/uk/support...cs/drive-modes
The internal combustion engine starts:
if the battery's State of Charge (SoC) is too low
if the driver fully depresses the accelerator pedal.
The Pure mode is not available:
if the battery's State of Charge (SoC) is too low
if the speed exceeds 140 km/h (87 mph) (does not apply when driving downhill, etc.)
in the event of system/component limitations e.g. low outside temperature.
I might be completely wrong here, but to me it sounds as if in late 2021 cars they've made it different in a way that you have to fully depress the accelerator pedal, i.e. an override to tell the car that I need more acceleration than the electric mode can provide... However in earlier models ICE engages when you go beyond a certain limit as per the dashboard.