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Following the recent
announcement of the 99g/km Volvo C30 1.6D DRIVe and the plans to
introduce a plug-in hybrid in 2012, Volvo is also evaluating the
viability of an entirely electric-powered C30 known as a BEV (Battery
Electric Vehicle).
And unlike some
battery-powered cars, the Volvo C30 BEV features the same safety,
comfort and space as the standard car, including four seats. The
difference is that the C30 BEV is powered solely by electricity, emits
no carbon dioxide emissions, and has a range of up to 93 miles. It also
features a limited top speed of 80mph and can reach 0-62mph in less than
11 seconds.
In 2009, a small
number of prototype versions of the C30 BEV have been built and tested
internally by Volvo. In addition to focusing on performance and safety,
much of the emphasis is on integration of the electric propulsion system
with the rest of the car.
Technical
solution
Electrical power is
a suitable and practical fuel for passenger cars of the near future. The
electric motor offers greater energy efficiency compared with the
combustion engine and will become increasingly common in the future as
fuel prices rise and demands for low CO2 emissions become
ever more stringent.
The Volvo C30 BEV
is powered with a Litium-Ion battery that is charged via a regular power
socket found in most homes. Recharging an entirely depleted battery via
the regular household power supply system (230V, 16A) will take about
eight hours.
The electric motor
is housed under the bonnet, just like the engine in a conventional car.
One of the priorities within the BEV project is to find the best place
for the battery. Ideally, it will be in the prop shaft tunnel or where
the fuel tank normally is located. These locations are within the car's
crumple zone. Since the car runs solely on electricity, it requires a
larger battery with higher capacity (24 kWh) compared to the plug-in
hybrid (12 kWh).
High safety
standards
Volvo Cars imposes
the very same high safety standards on all its products irrespective of
the type of fuel or power source used. Volvo's safety dedication is
always focused on the human being and is based on solid understanding of
real-life traffic situations. What is more, comprehensive in-house tests
are carried out both virtually and in Volvo's highly advanced crash-test
laboratory. If Volvo chooses to introduce an entirely new type of
electric car on the market, it will be just as safe as any other car
bearing the Volvo badge.
Volvo has
theoretically identified all the electric-related safety scenarios in
the stages before, during and after a collision. After careful study of
these scenarios, the company's engineers will create solutions for
handling each and every situation identified, guaranteeing that any
future electric cars fully match Volvo's renowned safety standards in
every respect.
Market
potential
Volvo Cars' main
focus over the mid-term future is plug-in hybrids. This applies in
particular to the company's larger car models. The combination of
electric motor and combustion engine is the solution that, at this
moment in time, has the greatest potential from both technical and
commercial viewpoints. Plug-in hybrids offer long range, good
environmental performance and at the same time limited dependence on
expensive battery technology.
There are several
factors that determine how successful dedicated electric cars will be in
the future:
"The consumer must
feel that this type of car is attractive both to drive and own. In order
to ensure this, we feel that electric cars will have to be as
comfortable and safe and offer similar levels of performance as cars
with other power sources. The learning from the C30 BEV project will
help us to fulfill all these criteria's and showcase Volvo's
determination to drive developments in the field of electrification,"
says Paul Gustavsson, Director of Electrification Strategy at Volvo
Cars. |
