2012 Volvo V60 Plug-in Hybrid

Volvo will actually hit the market with the new 2012 V60 Plug-in Hybrid. The vehicle will have carbon dioxide emissions below 50 g/km. The Plug-in Hybrid, which will be launched on the market in 2012, is the result of close cooperation between Volvo Car Corporation and Swedish energy supplier Vattenfall.

What is more, it will bring astonishing performance. V60 Plug-in Hybrid is powered by a 2.4 liter five-cylinder diesel engine and an ERAD (Electric Rear Axle Drive) motor and a 12 kWh lithium-ion battery.

The power of the diesel is 215PS (158 kW) and 440Nm (324 lb-ft) and the electric motor has 70PS (51 kW) and 200Nm (149 lb-ft), which means a total output of 285PS (210 kW) and 640Nm (472 lb-ft), which is not bad for family touring car. The acceleration – 0 to 100 km/h in 6.9 seconds.

The most staggering about the car is its fuel consumption – 1.9 litres per 100 km (148.7 mpg) with CO2 emissions of 49 g/km. This is achieved on "hybrid mode", which is default driving setting, but you can also run on pure electricity for up to 50 km (31 miles).

"One important aspect of the project was to retain the Volvo V60's excellent driving pleasure, high safety standard and luxurious comfort. At the same time, average CO2 emissions and fuel consumption will be halved compared with what is available on the market today," says Stefan Jacoby.

"We're taking a step forward towards our "DRIVe Towards Zero" vision, that is to say the hunt for zero emissions. In fact, when the V60 Plug-in Hybrid is run solely on electricity and recharged using renewable energy, we've already reached that goal.", he added.

Volvo V60 Plug-in Hybrid (2012)

Source: Volvo