A pioneering plug-in diesel-electric hybrid V60 is star of the Volvo stand at the 2011 Geneva Motor Show, proving decisively that the Swedish automaker can offer more than just safe, practical cars. It can now make fast, "green" ones, too.
Diesel and hybrid aren't usually two words you'd associate with excitement, but we'll make an exception in the case of the V60. It promises to be a fast car, with nearly 300 horses under the hood, and it emits only a paltry 49g/km of carbon dioxide. It's a conventional diesel estate and a zero-emissions electric car, and will most likely offer exciting performance, too. What more do you want?
More coverage from the Geneva Motor Show
Volvo V60 Plug-In Hybrid
Volvo V60 Plug-in Hybrid
Volvo V60 Plug-in Hybrid
Volvo V60 Plug-in Hybrid
What is it? Volvo's superfrugal, superlow-emission diesel plug-in hybrid
What makes it hot? The V60 Plug-in Hybrid is powered by Volvo's 2.4-liter 5-cylinder D5 turbodiesel engine, producing 215 horsepower and 324 lb-ft of torque. With the electric motors, power output rises to 285 horses and 472 lb-ft of torque. Under normal circumstances, drive from the diesel engine is sent to the front wheels through a conventional 6-speed automatic gearbox. When the two electric motors chip in, additional power is sent through Volvo's new Electric Rear Axle Drive to transform it to 4-wheel drive. Using both sources of power, the V60 Plug-in Hybrid will accelerate from zero to 62 mph in just 6.9 seconds. But the really impressive figures are the astonishing 49g/km carbon-dioxide emissions and ability to achieve 150 mpg with a range of 746 miles. For 32 of those miles, it can run on electric power alone, meaning zero-emissions driving around town, but it also has the range and power to cover big distances on regular diesel power.
What concerns us? Is hauling around a heavy, dormant diesel engine really an effective use of an electric drivetrain? Making it affordable is also going to be a huge challenge for Volvo.
How much and when? Pricing hasn't been announced, but the V60 is scheduled to be in dealerships in 2012.
Our verdict? Diesel-electric cars are the next chapter in the story of the hybrid, but it remains to be seen whether they are the answer to our driving needs or an overly complicated halfway house.
View Slideshow: The Best New 2011 Diesel Cars
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