Volvo Drops DRIVe V70 and S80 CO2 Emissions Below 120 g/km
01 February 2010
| Volvo DRIVe S80 and V70 with 119 g/km. Click to enlarge. |
Volvo has introduced new DRIVe diesel versions of the S80 sedan and V70 wagon with CO2 emissions of 119 g/km, corresponding to fuel consumption of 4.5 L/100km (52 mpg US). With the arrival of these two, Volvo now has five models available with emissions below 120 g/km.
Volvo uses the DRIVe badge on its cars with the best environmental performance in their respective size class. In addition to the Volvo V70 and S80, the other DRIVe models with emissions below 120 g/km consist of the Volvo C30 (99 g/km), Volvo S40 (104 g/km) and Volvo V50 (104 g/km).
| “There has been a swift pace of development since the launch of our first 119-gram models in Paris in autumn 2008.” |
| —Stephen Odell, Volvo Cars President and CEO |
As with the earlier DRIVe versions (earlier post), the new 119-gram versions of the Volvo V70 and S80 are equipped with a 1.6-liter diesel engine and manual gearbox. They have a power output of 109 hp (81 kW) and maximum torque is 240 N·m (177 lb-ft). Volvo engineers employed two main techniques to reduce CO2 emissions from the previous 129 g/km (4.9 l/100 km) to 119 g/km (4.5 l/100 km):
Intelligent battery recharging, whereby the control system only allows the alternator to charge the battery when the engine is operating at low load, for instance when driving downhill.
Reduced friction for the belt that drives the alternator and air conditioning compressor. The redesign of the tensioner pulley and alternator pulley results in lower fuel consumption and lower emissions.
Smart battery recharging is the most important measure. It is primarily thanks to this that we have dipped below the 120-gram level that gives car owners tax breaks and other benefits in a number of European countries. What is more, one might say that we offer the normal driver one free tank of fuel a year.
—Ulf Nordström, Technical Project manager at Volvo Cars
The reduction in fuel consumption from 4.9 L/100 km (mixed driving cycle) to 4.5 L/100 km means that someone driving 15,000 km a year will save 60 liters of diesel. Translated into carbon dioxide emissions, the saving is 150 kg over a year.
It just shows what the EU's 120 / 130 gms limit can do.
They make it sounds so easy - everyone should do the same things.
It is really impressive to see cars this size (and safe) getting CO2 levels (and fule economy) this low.
Posted by: mahonj | 01 February 2010 at 06:58 AM
If large enough, ultra safe cars, like the Volvos can do it, there are no logical reasons why all cars will not meet the same pollution rerstrictions and more.
Gone are the days of ghg level of 300 gr/Km. Most ICE vehicles will be below 100 by 2015.
Posted by: HarveyD | 01 February 2010 at 11:29 AM
Wake up guys. No one cares about co2/km. that program has been reset.
Posted by: sulleny | 01 February 2010 at 11:56 AM
it does not matter whether you beleive in AGW or not, low CO2 means low fuel consumption and that is a benefit to everyone, especially the US boys dying in Iraq and Afganistan.
If Volvo can do it, everyone should be able to do it. The acceleration may not be sub 10 seconds, but it is adequate and journey times will be no different from higher Co2 cars for people who stay more or less within the speed limits.
Posted by: mahonj | 01 February 2010 at 01:51 PM
It's good to see Volvo making these advancements. This will also help them gain market share in the HEV/PHEV market.
Posted by: Will S | 02 February 2010 at 06:44 AM
I love proper Volvo cars (V70, XC60 etc. ) but proposed 1.6l diesel engine with 109hp/240Nm for such a heavy cars is unacceptable. Customers will have to push accel pedal heavily to get a car moving and real fuel economy will be much worse that envisaged 4.5l/100km. This figure looks good pnly on the paper but it is very unrealistic.
Posted by: Kamil | 19 February 2010 at 01:42 AM
I own a V70 1.6 DRIVe and am amazed at the performance for a relatively small engine within such a heavy vehicle. The vehicle accelerates more than adequately for most drivers, particularly in the 50-80mph band.
I believe you need to rethink your presumptions about engine/vehicle size, Kamil, and maybe test drive one if you have the opportunity.
Increasingly in the automaitve world you will see cars with smaller engines producing more power/economy.
Posted by: D | 06 December 2011 at 06:15 AM