Volvo makes history as it unveils the XC60 Plug-in hybrid during the NAIAS in Detroit. The XC60 gasoline plug-in vehicle is a concept car which is specifically developed for the United States and China. It will be rolled out to the US market in a few years time.
The vehicle is practically a hybrid car, an all electric car, and a high performance vehicle rolled into one. The XC60 plug-in hybrid is also the first vehicle which can be plugged in into a wall outlet without needing any converter, making it really viable for home use or if the owners are on the move.
The PHEV of Volvo in the US might be marketed as an XC60 in the US or an S60 according to the topman of the company Stefan Jacoby. He also hinted that the XC60 represents the future Volvo’s we will see on the road.
The XC60 can go for 35 miles on pure electric power alone while its charging time is around 3.5 hours if you plug it into a 220 volt outlet or double that time if you use a 110V outlet which is more common. Volvo foresees the fuel economy on US roads to hit around 105 mpg and around 50 mpg when its battery runs out. The vehicle can go from 0 to 60 miles per hour in just 5.8 seconds going to its top speed of 130 mph. The automatic transmission by the way has eight gears.
The gasoline depended portion of the drive train makes use of a 2.0L 4-cylinder engien with direct injection, turbocharger, and a stop-start technology. The gas engine outputs around 280 horsepower and transfers its power to the front wheels. The car has a 70 horsepower electric motor to move the wheels at the back. The PHEV makes use of a lithium ion battery pack with 12-kWh and it only uses around 66% of it when it runs.
The driver can easily switch from one mode to another to go Pure, Power, or Hybrid. We might be able to see this Volvo on the round by 2014 or 2015 and it could well be worth the wait.