Volvo XC60 Plug-in Hybrid Concept to debut in Detroit

Volvo XC60 Plug-in Hybrid Concept to debut in Detroit

Volvo is set to unveil its XC60 Plug-in Hybrid Concept at the North American International Auto Show next week. The company touts the vehicle as an electric car, a highly economical hybrid and a powerful high-performance car all rolled into one.

It’s powered by a four-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine from the forthcoming VEA (Volvo Environmental Architecture) engine family, with 280 hp and 380 Nm on tap, mated to a newly-developed eight-speed automatic transmission driving the front wheels.

The rear axle of the vehicle is driven by an electric motor producing 70 hp and 200 Nm, with juice provided by a 12 kWh lithium-ion battery pack installed under the floor of the load compartment. The battery pack is rechargeable from a regular power outlet, and at 220V and 12A takes just 3.5 hours for a full charge, while at 110V/12A this goes up to 7.5 hours.

Volvo XC60 Plug-in Hybrid Concept to debut in Detroit

The XC60 Plug-in Hybrid Concept’s electric all-wheel drive system is activated by pressing the AWD (All Wheel Drive) button, but instead of the mechanical power transfer of conventional four-wheel drive, the central control unit distributes power between the petrol-driven front wheels and the electrically-driven rear axle.

Three operation modes are available for the car – Pure, Hybrid and Power. In Pure mode, it runs on fully electric mode, with a driving range of 45 km. Hybrid is the standard setting, while Power delivers the maximum power through combined powertrain operation.

The driver can choose to save battery power for later in order to drive on pure electricity at a chosen point. When Save is activated, the generator charges and tops up the battery pack, if necessary, ensuring that there is always sufficient battery power for about 20 km of driving on electricity.

Volvo XC60 Plug-in Hybrid Concept to debut in Detroit

The Detroit debutant, which will carry a “T8” badge to emphasise the combined 350 hp of the four-cylinder engine and the electric motor, will come dressed in a special white colour and wear 21-inch wheels.

Inside, the cabin will feature unique detailing and colours such as sober dark-blue leather upholstery and inlays of blue-grey wood. Meanwhile, the instruments have been tailored to give the driver all the necessary information about petrol and electricity consumption, battery charge level, remaining range and so on.

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Anthony Lim

Anthony Lim believes that nothing is better than a good smoke and a car with character, with good handling aspects being top of the prize heap. Having spent more than a decade and a half with an English tabloid daily never being able to grasp the meaning of brevity or being succinct, he wags his tail furiously at the idea of waffling - in greater detail - about cars and all their intrinsic peculiarities here.

 

Comments

  • deftones on Jan 05, 2012 at 8:31 pm

    oh man…4 cylinder with 350hp?? and a hybrid? its the most beauty i’ve ever seen..
    volvo makes good chasis and good powertrain nowadays..

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 0
  • VOLVO FOR LIFE on Jan 05, 2012 at 10:19 pm

    if the engine is a 2.0, please bring it to malaysia!

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • everytime i see this beast on the road, i got a quick orgasm.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • Carl Wong on Jan 06, 2012 at 12:57 am

    Yeah man, with Plug in Hybrids we can choose where and when to use the all electric mode. Imagine that in parking areas or housing areas (or outside our house :] ) and so forth we could drive with its quiet zero emission electric mode. Cars of the future should be getting near………….

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • XC60 will surely be the most good looking SUV on Malaysia road if launch here.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • luristvan on Jan 06, 2012 at 8:17 am

    can i say the steering look a like Exora’s steering?

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • Packers on Jan 06, 2012 at 4:36 pm

    It might just come to Malaysia as the engine is a turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-four engine.

    http://www.motortrend.com/auto_shows/detroit/2012/1201_2012_detroit_volvo_xc60_plug_in_hybrid_concept/

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
    • Paul Tan on Jan 06, 2012 at 4:53 pm

      It depends. Alot of car manufacturers that have been making hybrids with engine sizes that qualify for a tax break in Malaysia are unfortunately making these cars in left hand drive only. Like the Audi A8 Hybrid, Audi Q5 Hybrid, etc.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
      • VOLVO FOR LIFE on Jan 07, 2012 at 4:59 pm

        audi. y u no take advantage of malaysia tax structure?

        Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
        • Faddd on Jan 07, 2012 at 8:49 pm

          LOL the “Y u no” meme guy catchphrase, I guess everybody is infected with 4chan phenomenon……..

          Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • Faddd on Jan 07, 2012 at 8:51 pm

    Wow, as if it couldn’t get any sexier, it DID……! damn this thing is drop dead gorgeous, front to rear inside and out, love that tail lights at night, curvy line to the roof…..!

    beautiful beautiful sculpture on wheels, nice Volvo SUV, i’d love to put one in my bedroom.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
 

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