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
I wonder if the 1.6 GTDI is a better choice than the 5 cylinder diesel?
http://www.greencarcongress.com/2010/08/volvo-20100830.html
Posted by: 3PeaceSweet | 27 January 2011 at 11:10 AM
Or even the 1.4 liter VW TDI. Smaller, lighter and more efficient at road load.
Posted by: Engineer-Poet | 27 January 2011 at 07:31 PM
Come to think of it, maybe this is where the Scuderi will kick a**. Air storage for instantaneous power, small displacement for efficiency, electric plug-in for silent fuel-free cruising. Just holding a full tank of air allows instant starts and supplementary power as an air motor.
Posted by: Engineer-Poet | 27 January 2011 at 07:34 PM
It is long past the time to start the talk about inefficient drivers and inefficient driving. If there are mandates for renewable fuels and mandates against coal burning power plants, then there can be mandates against high powered automobiles. Single piston cars can be built in the series hybrid form and with ancient but novel transmissions. Large engined automobiles should have very high taxes in addition to the large fuel taxes imposed in many countries. Fines for driving over the speed limit should be at least double in a large high powered automobile. ..HG..
Posted by: Henry Gibson | 27 January 2011 at 08:45 PM
I have just looked at the standard diesel efficiencies - the 2.4 is 44 mpg(US) combined cycle and the 2.0 is 43 mpg.
So the 2.4 may be the more economical engine (!).
The problem s that a Volvo V60 is a heavy car (1650Kg), and probably needs a large engine.
I wonder are they doing any other efficiency tweeks to get the numbers - 50 gms/km is VERY low for such a large car (where the standard gets 142 gms), but lets see what the reviews discover.
[ 50 gms sounds like they cheated a bit - rather like the early Volt figures ] (but 70 or 80 in real driving would still be very good).
And well done Volvo (for spending the money and actually building it).
Posted by: mahonj | 27 January 2011 at 11:17 PM
The 2011 Hyundai Sonatas are using smaller 4-cyls engines to get 198 to 264 hp. That is more than enough for large cars.
Much smaller engines with half that power could do the job. My wife old Camry has only 135 hp and never runs short of power.
Yes, we are being sold overpowered vehicles.
Posted by: HarveyD | 28 January 2011 at 06:36 AM
Harvey - I have long thought that folks that can be brainwashed have been brainwashed by auto magazines and the tons of money poured into them by our junk car makers.
After all, if it doesn't use four times the gas, weigh four times what it needs to and have four times the engine size it needs some folks just won't buy it.
ZOOM! ZOOM! ZOOOOOOM ...!
Posted by: Lucas | 30 January 2011 at 06:27 PM
It's weird how certain people think so consistently alike..."people are stupid and easily led", "freedom is an impediment to the agenda", "the free market doesn't work (LOL)", "government is the only solution", and my favorite: "people should be 're-educated'" in that maoist, khmer rouge vein.
Posted by: Rytooling | 05 February 2011 at 01:29 PM
What else can you conclude from the facts that:
- Most Americans want to cut oil imports.
- The same Americans don't want to downsize their vehicles or buy "econo-cars".
- A solid majority of Americans refuses to consider higher gas taxes to change incentives.
- Many Americans think the country can drill its way to energy independence.
The free market is "working", within the incentives created by the political process; it's the political process that's broken.Posted by: Engineer-Poet | 07 February 2011 at 04:15 AM