These days every motor show features more and more electric, hybrid or “alternative powerplant” vehicles. Volvo's stand at the upcoming Geneva Motor Show will be no exception, as one can expect to see the company's V60 plug-in hybrid… with diesel power.
On the surface, the only things that set the V60 plug-in hybrid apart from the standard wagon is the unique paintjob, a front-fender charging port and lightweight wheels with low-rolling resistance Pirelli tyres. The cabin features an updated instrument cluster, new leather upholstery and a new infotainment set-up that accomodates the systems overseeing the car's hybrid drivetrain.
It’s at the heart of the car where the important distinctions take place. A 2,4-litre five-cylinder turbodiesel engine produces 158 kW and 440 N.m of torque and powers the front wheels. This unit is supplemented by a 12 kWh lithium-ion battery that sends power to the Electric Rear Axle Drive (ERAD) motor, which powers the rear wheels. It has an output of 51 kW and 200 N.m of torque. The Swede manufacturer calls this V60 “the world’s first diesel plug-in hybrid”.
Volvo claims that the V60 plug-in hybrid has a fuel consumption figure of only 1,9-litres/100 km and an ultra-low CO2 emissions figure of 49 g/km. There are three operational modes – Hybrid, Pure and Power. Hybrid is the default mode. In this mode, both the diesel engine and electric motor are active. In Pure mode, the vehicle operates as an EV with a claimed range of 50 km. A switch to Power mode – which is like the Hybrid mode, but with the operation emphasis shifted towards performance – will see this wagon sprint from zero to 100 km/h in 6,9 seconds.
Volvo claims that once the vehicle is plugged into a standard household electricity outlet, the batteries take seven and a half hours to fully recharge. A rapid charger facility enables users to complete a useable recharge in around three hours.
The vehicle on show at the Geneva stand is still a prototype, but the production version won’t deviate much from the concept's formula when it's launched next year.
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