2011 Geneva Preview: Volvo V60 plug-in hybrid can do 31 miles on battery power alone
While Volvo may considering pulling models from the United States, it isn’t going to stop introducing new ones. At the 2011 Geneva Motor Show, Volvo will unveil a V60 plug-in hybrid concept, which will be ‘a virtually production-ready car with carbon dioxide emissions below 50 g/km, which translates into fuel consumption at 1.9l/100 km.’
“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,” said CEO Stefan Jacoby.
Power for the Volvo V60 plug-in hybrid comes from a 2.4L D5 5-cylinder turbodiesel, which makes 215-hp and 325 lb-ft of torque. The two back wheels are powered by Volvo’s ERAD (Electric Rear Axle Drive) system in the form of an electric motor making 70-hp, which receives its fuel from a 12 kWh lithium-ion battery pack. Mated to a 6-speed automatic transmission, the Volvo V6 plug-in hybrid can travel 50 kilometers (31 miles) on pure electricity.
When will we see a production model? Volvo hasn’t said anything yet but in a press release, the company said “in 2012 Volvo Cars will be the first manufacturer on the market with this new breed of hybrid – which is the result of close cooperation with the Swedish energy supplier Vattenfall.”
2011 Volvo V60:
– By: Omar Rana
