Volvo Cars introducing production S60L T6 Twin Engine PHEV at the Shanghai Motor Show; on sale next week
15 April 2015
Volvo Cars will introduce the production version of the S60L T6 Twin Engine plug-in hybrid sedan at the 2015 Shanghai Motor Show; the plug-in sedan first made its appearance as a concept car at the Beijing auto show in 2014. (Earlier post.) Sales of the S60L T6 Twin Engine begin next week in China.
The new S60L Twin Engine is manufactured in Volvo Cars’ Chengdu Plant. The car is powered by a Drive-E four-cylinder 2–liter gasoline engine, linked to rear-axle drive 50 kW electric motor, powered by an energy-optimized 11.2 kWh lithium-ion battery pack. This combination delivers 306 hp (238 + 68 hp) and 350 + 200 N·m with emissions of 49 g/km (NEDC, mixed driving cycle for certification). The S60L T6 Twin Engine also delivers a full 53 km (33 km) of all-electric range.
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The S60L T6 Twin Engine is Volvo’s third production PHEV after the V60 diesel a and the XC90 T8. In 2012, Volvo Cars launched the diesel plug-in hybrid V60 D6 Twin Engine (earlier post); the model continues to be the bestselling premium plug-in hybrid in Europe. All-Wheel Drive is also available on demand, thanks to the innovative electric rear axle drive.
| Current Volvo Twin Engine plug-in hybrid models | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Model | XC90 T8 | S60L | V60 D5/D6 | |||
| Markets where sold | Global | China | EU | |||
Dr. Peter Mertens, Senior Vice President Research & Development at Volvo Car Group, said that the company will introduce two new Twin Engine variants every year in the coming years.
Drive modes. Twin Engine variants come with three drive modes: Pure, Hybrid or Power.
In Pure mode, the car is powered solely by its electric motor as much as possible. The range is up to 53 kilometers.
Hybrid is the standard setting whenever the car is started.
In Power mode, the technology is optimized to give the car the maximum possible power. The gasoline engine and electric motor combine to deliver a total power output of 238 + 68 hp (or 350 + 200 N·m). The car accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in 5.6 seconds (preliminary data).
The driver can choose to save battery power in order to drive on electricity alone later on, for example in an urban green zone or in the heart of a city. When Save is activated, the on-board system ensures that there is always sufficient charge for driving later in Pure mode. If necessary, the high-voltage generator will charge the battery pack so there is sufficient capacity for driving in Pure mode.
The S60L Twin Engine battery pack can be recharged from a regular power outlet (230V/6A, 10A or 16A fuse) at home or in a parking lot. Recharging time varies with amperage. A full charge with 10A takes 4.5 hours. This is cut to 3.5 hours with 16A, while a 6A charge takes 7.5 hours.
It is possible to heat or cool the passenger compartment while recharging the car to provide a more comfortable start to a journey. This also means that more battery power is available for actually propelling the car. The pre-conditioning function can also cool the batteries if necessary.
The S60L Twin Engine has two heating systems. In electric mode the car uses a PTC (Positive Temperature Coefficient) air heater. The car also has a fuel-powered heater.
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