Volvo to unveil V60 diesel Plug-in Hybrid at Geneva Motor Show
27 January 2011
At the 2011 Geneva Motor Show, Volvo Cars will unveil the V60 diesel Plug-in Hybrid—a virtually production-ready car with carbon dioxide emissions below 50 g/km, which translates into fuel consumption of some 1.9 L/100 km (124 mpg US). (Earlier post.) All-electric range is up to 50 km (31 miles), with combined range being apprpoximately 1,200 km (746 miles).
The plug-in hybrid, to be introduced into the European market in 2012, is the result of close cooperation with the Swedish energy supplier Vattenfall.
The front wheels of the V60 Plug-in Hybrid will be driven by a five-cylinder 2.4-liter D5 turbodiesel, which produces 215 hp (160 kW) and maximum torque of 440N·m (325 lb-ft). The rear axle features ERAD (Electric Rear Axle Drive) in the form of an electric motor producing 70 hp (52 kW), which receives its power from a 12 kWh lithium-ion battery pack. The car features a six-speed automatic transmission.
In order to get true car enthusiasts to think green, you have to offer them the opportunity to drive with low carbon dioxide emissions without taking away the adrenaline rush that promotes genuine driving pleasure. The V60 Plug-in Hybrid has all the traditional properties of a genuine sports wagon. What we’ve done is to spice it up with spearhead technology.
—Stefan Jacoby, President and CEO of Volvo Cars
The Volvo V60 Plug-in Hybrid will be revealed at a press conference in Geneva on 1 March 2011.
In a press conference at Paris Motor Show in September 2010, Jacoby stated that the future for Volvo lies in electric cars.
The strategy that Volvo is adopting to start series-producing plug-in hybrid cars as early as 2012 is to exploit existing architecture for major components such as the body and engine. The company says it is saving time by installing the battery and electric motor beside a conventional driveline instead of waiting for an entirely new generation of car models.
Those are very impressive power stats. My only complaint is that it may set the bar too high, both for the performance and the cost of achieving it; the result may be market failure, like the original Honda Accord hybrid.
Posted by: Engineer-Poet | 27 January 2011 at 07:04 AM
PHEV hybrid technology advances.
When or if Europe gets serious about cleaning up the diesel generated pollution that spews from their so-called "clean diesels", this will be a fully viable type of vehicle to measurebly reduce the demand for fossil fuels.
Europe has taken a baby step with their 2016 EU VI pollution reduction regulations. But America has had tighter diesel regualtions in force, since the early 1980s, some thirty, 30, 3 - 0, years ago.
Posted by: ExDemo | 27 January 2011 at 10:27 AM
The issue with this automobile will be that you will never know which axle is driving - front or rear.
Posted by: Darius | 27 January 2011 at 11:00 AM
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