Volvo V60 Plug-in Hybrid at Geneva

The Volvo V60 Plug-in Hybrid

Yes, it’s yet another eco car, this time from Volvo. But as eco cars go the Volvo V60 Plug-in Hybrid does seem to have quite a lot going for it.

Volvo confirmed back in 2009 that they would bring a plug-in hybrid to market by 2012, and it looks like they are very much on track as we learn they are planning on taking the V60 Plug-in to Geneva in March in what they say is almost production-ready form. Which means we could well be seeing a production plug-in V60 by the end of this year.

The V60 Hybrid has been developed in co-operation with Swedish energy supplier Vattenfall. It features Volvo’s five-pot, 2.4 litre turbodiesel producing 215bhp and driving the front wheels. Out back there is a 70bhp electric motor driving the rear wheels and powered by a 12kWh lithium-ion battery pack. And it gets a proper six-speed auto.

Volvo say the V60 Plug-in Hybrid offers the best of three different cars in one. We guess they mean the mix and match of the diesel engine and electric motor offering a wide choice of performance and economy options. For example, motor and engine together theoretically produce 285bhp (heading up in to T6 territory), but the V60 Plug-in can also do 32 miles just on the electric motor.

How fast you could go just on the electric motor, Volvo don’t say. But with just 70bhp to play with we don’t expect that means you’ll be first away from the lights, but if your daily commute is the urban crawl that probably doesn’t matter much.

Emissions and economy figures are the usual disingenuous rubbish. That’s not Volvo’s fault – they’re playing by the rules – but it’s time we had a system that gave realistic figures for cars with hybrid and EV capabilities. Still, for now we get the ‘Perfect Ride’ figures for the V60 Plug-in Hybrid of 50g/km CO2 and 150mpg. I know, daft in the real world.

What we do approve of immensely is Volvo’s desire to make the V60 Hybrid fun. Yes, you read that right. A hybrid that can play fuel miser but can also give back to the enthusiastic driver. Stefan Jacoby, Volvo head honcho, said:

“In order to get true car enthusiasts to think green, you have to offer them the opportunity to drive with low carbon dioxide emissions without taking away the adrenaline rush that promotes genuine driving pleasure. The V60 Plug-in Hybrid has all the traditional properties of a genuine sports wagon. What we’ve done is to spice it up with spearhead technology.”

A very promising Volvo Hybrid.

By Cars UK