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The first official road test drive with the unique Volvo
V60 Plug-in Hybrid will take place at the 11th Michelin Challenge
Bibendum in Berlin (18-22 May 2011).
All in all, Volvo Car Corporation enters the
sustainability rally with three cars that emphasise the company's
leadership in combining environmental technology with a full luxury car
experience.
The Volvo V60 Plug-in Hybrid, the Volvo C30 Electric and
the Volvo V50 DRIVe featured in Berlin are three examples of Volvo Car
Corporation's uncompromising attitude to green motoring.
"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," says Peter Mertens, Senior Vice President Research
and Development at Volvo Car Corporation. He adds:
"Since the Michelin Challenge Bibendum drives include
acceleration and handling tests as well as energy efficient driving, we
expect that our cars will do very well. All of them are just as well
equipped, comfortable, sporty and safe as all Volvo models."
Volvo V60 Plug-in Hybrid - three cars in one
The Volvo V60 Plug-in Hybrid, which makes its official
road test debut at Michelin Challenge Bibendum, integrates the very best
properties from three different car types into a single attractive
sports wagon. The driver chooses the preferred driving mode via three
buttons on the instrument panel: Pure, Hybrid and Power.
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In Pure mode the
car runs only on its electric motor as much as possible. The driving
range is up to 32 miles.
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In the default
Hybrid mode the diesel engine and electric motor interact to provide
the optimal balance between driving pleasure and low environmental
impact. Emissions of CO2 (NEDC) are 49 g/km,
corresponding to diesel fuel consumption of 150 mpg. The car's total
range is up to 746 miles.
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In Power mode the
technology is optimised 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 car's front wheels are driven by a five-cylinder
2.4-litre turbodiesel producing 215 hp/440 Nm. The rear axle has a 70 hp
electric motor, which receives power from a 12 kWh lithium-ion battery
pack.
The V60 Plug-in Hybrid, which will be available on the
market in 2012, is the result of close cooperation between Volvo Cars
and Swedish energy supplier Vattenfall.
Volvo C30 Electric - 101 miles with almost zero emissions
The Volvo C30 Electric is as well-equipped, comfortable,
sporty and safe as the standard C30 - while at the same time offering
the driver a range of up to 93 miles per charge with almost zero carbon
dioxide emissions.
The car has a 111 hp electric motor delivering 220 Nm of
torque. The 24 kWh lithium-ion battery pack is recharged via a regular
230 volt power socket. A full 10-ampere charge takes approximately 10
hours. This time drops to less than seven hours with 16A.
The certified range according to the NEDC (New European
Driving Cycle) is 101 miles. However, Volvo Cars specifies up to 93
miles as the car's practical range. The energy produced during engine
braking is used to regenerate the battery.
The C30 Electric accelerates from 0 to 43.5mph in just
6.5 seconds. The car has a top speed of 80.7 mph.
Volvo V50 DRIVe
The Volvo V50 DRIVe is equipped with a 1.6-litre common
rail turbo diesel featuring start/stop and several other refinements
that bring CO2 emissions down to 99 g/km. The engine produces
115 hp/270 Nm and fuel consumption (EU Combined) is 74.3 mpg.
Volvo's DRIVe badge sits on the models that offer the
best environmental performance in their segments. "We have moved ahead
very quickly since we launched our first three 119 gram models in Paris
in the autumn of 2008. The fact that we now have seven models below 120
g/km, three of them below 100 grams, emphasises that few of our
competitors can match us in the drive for increasingly eco-efficient
cars," says Peter Mertens. He concludes:
"The V60 Plug-in Hybrid and the C30 represents our
ambition bring electric power into the Volvo showrooms as soon as
possible. The cars shown at Michelin Challenge Bibendum are part of test
fleets that are very close to production quality."
Michelin Challenge Bibendum
Michelin Challenge Bibendum is an international event
that combines technical tests and evaluations, demonstrations and test
drives to gauge the progress of vehicles, energies and technologies.
Technologies and trends are debated in forums and conferences. Private
and public sector opinion leaders and decision-makers gauge the advances
and future sustainable energy paths for a better mobility. |
