Volvo V60 Plug-in Hybrid on sale next year in Europe for 57,000 Euros
2012 Volvo V60 Plug-In Hybrid
Proclaimed as the very first diesel plug-in hybrid in the world, the Volvo V60 Plug-in Hybrid will make its first public appearance next year at the Geneva Motor Show, before going on sale in Europe for a starting price of 57,000 Euros. In the United Kingdom, the prices for this model will start between 45,000 and 50,000 pounds, before the government subsidies for EVs kick in. The car is going to be sold in Pure Limited specifications, including here the top-spec Summum trim level which in the UK is known as the SE Lux.
2012 Volvo V60 Plug-In Hybrid
The car promises to offer one touch functionality as you will just have to press one of the Pure, Hybrid or Power modes and the driving mode will change. When in Pure mode, the vehicle is powered only by the electric motor and can be driven for distances of up to 31 miles (50 km) when the battery pack is charged from an external source.
2012 Volvo V60 Plug-In Hybrid
When the car is in Hybrid mode, the V60 Plug-in Hybrid is running in standard settings and uses both the diesel engine and the electric motor. When driven in this mode, the fuel consumption is a remarkable 1.9 liters / 100 km (124 mpg or 149 mpg UK) while CO2 emissions are as low as 49 g/km.
2012 Volvo V60 Plug-In Hybrid
As for Power mode, the diesel engine and the electric motor are optimized in order to generate a total output of 212 hp (215 PS / 158 kW) + 69 hp (70 PS / 51 kW) and a torque of 324 lb.-ft (440 Nm) + 149 lb.-ft (200 Nm) respectively, enough for a 0-62 mph sprint in a respectable 6.2 seconds.
2012 Volvo V60 Plug-In Hybrid
The Volvo V60 Plug-in Hybrid is motivated by a 2.4-liter, 5-cylinder turbocharged engine that drives the front wheels while the electric motor powers the rear wheels. The latter is powered by 11.2 kWh lithium-ion compact battery pack which is water cooled and it has been installed by the Swedish engineers from Volvo under the car’s floor of the loading compartment. It has a 6-speed automatic gearbox and when the driver presses the AWD button, both power plants engage in electronically-controlled four-wheel drive.
2012 Volvo V60 Plug-In Hybrid
We should mention that taken into consideration the fact that the wheels in the back are powered only by the electric motor, this all-wheel-drive system should be used only occasionally when it is necessary so we shouldn’t compare it with a regular AWD system. This type of system can be activated up to a speed of 74 mph (120 km/h).
2012 Volvo V60 Plug-In Hybrid
According to Volvo, this would have to be the most technically advanced car that they have ever made, and we should believe them since the V60 Plug-in Hybrid features a digital DIM – Driver Information Manager that has a one-piece LED display which replaces the traditional analogue gauges. The driver of the car has the possibility to select a bunch of information screens through the vehicle’s menu setup, while a smartphone application is available for allowing the owner to communicate with his car. The app can be used for controlling the air conditioning system, pre- and after-cooling, and also as a reminder to connect the charger cable if it hasn’t been done by a predetermined time.
2012 Volvo V60 Plug-In Hybrid
The car will go on sale in the beginning of next year and the first 1,000 units that Volvo will make will wear an Electric Silver finish. When the 2014 model year will arrive, production will be increased to approximately 4,000 – 6,000 units. 30% of sales are destined to the local market as well as other Nordic countries. A share of 5-15% each will be for countries like United Kingdom, the Netherlands, France, Belgium and Switzerland.
We will have more information about the car at next year’s Geneva Motor Show. Stay tuned.
Source: Volvo
Post tags: Tags: Volvo, volvo v60, Volvo V60 Plug-in Hybrid
