Volvo’s new Volvo V60 plug-in diesel-electric hybrid will go on sale
in the UK in the spring priced from £47,000. The model is the first car
of its type and will qualify for the government’s £5000 electric car
grant, bringing down the price to £42,000.
Volvo claims the V60
plug-in, which will be badged Volvo V60 D6, has CO2 emissions of just
49g/km, although no fuel economy figures have been quoted. The all-wheel
drive D6’s front wheels are powered by a 212bhp, 324lb ft five-cylinder
2.4-litre turbodiesel engine mated to a six-speed automatic
transmission.
The
electric rear axle is powered by a 69bhp, 147lb ft electric motor,
which in turn is powered by an 11.2kWh lithium-ion battery pack located
under the boot’s floor. In the D6’s Pure driving mode (Hybrid and Power
are the other two driving modes), the car has a theoretical
electric-only range of up to 32 miles. Volvo claims this is enough to
meet the needs of most European driver’s daily mileage. A driver can
also select to save electric power for later in their journey by
activating ‘Save’ mode.
Hybrid mode is the default-operating mode
for the V60 D6. Volvo claims this mode best blends the hybrid system’s
environmental and performance capabilities. It is in this mode where the
49g/km CO2 figure was recorded using the New European Driving Cycle
(NEDC) standard tests. In Hybrid mode, Volvo quotes a theoretical range
of 746 miles.
Power mode is designed to release the greatest
performance from the hybrid drivetrain. Maximum power and torque is
available from the engine and electric motor in Power mode, and Volvo
quotes a 0-62mph time of 6.2sec.
Other features of the drivetrain
include a selectable electrical all-wheel drive mode, which is claimed
to be more economical than a permanent mechanical all-wheel drive system
as it is only activated when a driver needs assistance in snow, mud or
similar low-grip situations.
A
two-stage braking system also features, which initially slows the car
using the electric motor (the energy from which is used to recharge the
battery pack) before the mechanical brakes kick in when extra braking is
required.
A full recharge of the batteries takes between 3.5
hours and 7.5 hours depending on the amperage of the power source. While
recharging, it is also possible to pre-heat or cool the cabin to
prevent the car using unnecessary charge on these tasks when on the
move. The battery can also be pre-conditioned to its optimum working
temperature, too, thus maximising the electric-only range.
The V60
D6’s order books open in the spring before entering production in an
initial run of 1000 cars in November 2012. Production will be ramped up
to around 4000-6000 units per year in late 2013.
All of the
initial 1000 units will come with Electric Silver paintwork and 17in
‘aero’ alloy wheels, and feature equipment including a high-performance
stereo system, Bluetooth connectivity and front and rear parking
sensors.
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