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Volvo V60 Plug-in Hybrid Confirmed for 2012 Launch
24-10-2011Volvo Car Corporation confirmed on Monday that the V60 Plug-in Hybrid will be launched next year initially in Europe and worldwide before the year is out.
In a statement today, the company said the 2012 Volvo V60 Plug-in Hybrid is the result of its close cooperation with Swedish utility company Vattenfall.
The Volvo V60 Plug-in Hybrid promises a fuel economy of 1.9 L/100 km (123.8 mpg US or 149 mpg Imperial) with carbon dioxide emissions below 50 g/km.
The V60 Plug-in Hybrid features a five-cylinder 2.4-liter D5 turbodiesel, which produces 215 horsepower and maximum torque of 440 Nm. The turbodiesel drives the front axle, while the rear axle has ERAD (Electric Rear Axle Drive) in the form of an electric motor producing 70 horsepower, which receives its power from a 12 kWh lithium-ion battery pack. The car features a six-speed automatic transmission.
The V60 Plug-in Hybrid can be driven on diesel power alone, as a diesel-electric hybrid, or as an electric-only car – technology that no other manufacturer can currently offer. The driver chooses the preferred driving mode via three buttons on the instrument panel: Pure, Hybrid and Power.
In Pure the car runs only on its electric motor as much as possible. If the battery has been recharged using electricity from a renewable source, the driving range is up to 50 km (32 miles) with zero emissions of carbon dioxide. Battery range varies with terrain, climate and driving style.
Hybrid is the default mode whenever the car is started. The diesel engine and electric motor interact to provide the optimal balance between driving pleasure and low environmental impact. Emissions of CO2 (EU Combined) are 49 g/km, corresponding to diesel fuel consumption of 1.9 l/100 km (123.8 mpg US or 149 mpg Imperial). The car’s total range is up to 1200 km (750 miles). The driver has the possibility to key in the planned route’s distance (short, medium or long) in the car setup menu. The control system calculates the balance between diesel and electric power to obtain the lowest possible CO2 emissions for the given distance.
In Power the technology is optimized to give the car the best possible performance. The diesel engine and electric motor have a combined power output 215 + 70 horsepower and maximum torque of 440 + 200 Nm. The electric motor’s lightning-quick torque delivery contributes to the car’s 0 to 100 km/h acceleration time of 6.9 seconds.
Volvo claims the car has an overall range of up to 1200 km (750 miles), a top speed of 200 km/h or 125mph (100 km/h or 62mph in all-electric mode) and will cover the 0-100km/h (0-62mph) dash in 6.9 seconds.