A Volvo hybrid owner was saddled with a £7,500 repair bill and a car she didn't want after its electric motor packed in after less than five years - prompting accusations the Swedish firm is running a 'money-making scheme' on eco-conscious owners.
Terri-Anne Smith, 37, bought the high-tech XC60 T8 SUV for around £40,000 in 2021 - snapping it up less than a year from new after it had been used as the dealership manager's daily runabout.
But the mother of two, from Rugby, Warwickshire, was left with a gargantuan bill after a piece of hybrid machinery with a reputation for unreliability packed in at the end of February - four and a half years into its life.
Known as ERAD - short for 'electric rear axle drive' - the electric tech is meant to allow the car to be driven on battery power in town, with a petrol engine kicking in on high-speed motorway trips.
But the part is notorious among Volvo owners for its habit of failing. Nevertheless, the Swedish firm washed its hands of any responsibility when Ms Smith complained - instead blaming her for not servicing it at a Volvo garage directly.
