Volvo’s V60 diesel hybrid: three cars in one

November 13,2011

Volvo is launching a hybrid version of the V60 wagon, touted as the world’s first diesel plug-in hybrid. The hybrid system is capable of all-electric range of up to 50 kilometers, while still maintaining respectable performance, when the driver chooses: 217+70 bhp and 440+200 Nm, good for 0-100 km/h acceleration of 6.9 seconds.

Here’s more from Volvo:

The front wheels of the V60 Plug-in Hybrid will be driven by a five-cylinder 2.4-liter five-cylinder turbodiesel, which produces 215 horsepower and maximum torque of 440Nm. The car features a six-speed automatic transmission.

The rear axle is powered by an electric motor producing 70 horsepower. The electric motor receives its power from a 12kWh lithium-ion battery pack, located under the load floor. The sophisticated and exceptionally compact battery pack consists of 10 modules with 20 cells in each module. It has an integrated computer that monitors and compares the temperature and charge level in each of the 200 cells. The battery pack also has an integrated water-cooling system, which is connected to the car’s climate control unit.

The driver chooses the preferred driving mode via three buttons on the instrument panel: Pure, Hybrid or Power. The interaction between diesel and electric power is handled via a control system.

In Pure the car runs only on its electric motor as much as possible. If the battery has been recharged using electricity from a renewable source, the driving range is up to 50km with zero emissions of carbon dioxide. Battery range varies with terrain, climate and driving style.

Hybrid is the default mode whenever the car is started. The diesel engine and electric motor interact to provide the optimal balance between driving pleasure and low environmental impact. Emissions of CO2 (NEDC, Combined driving cycle for certification) are 49g/km, corresponding to diesel fuel consumption of 1.9L/100 km. The car’s total range is up to 1200km. The driver has the possibility to key in the planned route’s distance (short, medium or long) in the car setup menu, The control system calculates the balance between diesel and electric power to obtain the lowest possible CO2 emissions for the given distance.

In Power the technology is optimized to give the car the best possible performance. The diesel engine and electric motor have a combined power output 215+70 horsepower and maximum torque of 440+200Nm. The electric motor’s lightning-quick torque delivery contributes to the car’s 0 to 100km/h acceleration time of 6.9 seconds.

Pushing the AWD (All Wheel Drive) button in the center stack activates electric four-wheel drive. Instead of the mechanical power transmission of the conventional AWD system, it is the central control unit that manages torque distribution to the diesel-driven front wheels and the electrically powered rear axle. The electric AWD is designed to offer the driver better traction when starting and driving on slippery road surfaces such as snow or mud.

However, due to the electric motor’s lower output, the torque level available for the rear wheels is limited and the AWD system is active in speeds up to 100 km/h. When AWD is activated the diesel engine is running continuously and the High Voltage Generator maintains a sufficient charge level on the battery pack that feeds the motor on the rear axle with power.
Since the electrical All Wheel Drive is active on driver demand only it is more fuel efficient than a conventional, permanent AWD system

The V60 Plug-in Hybrid offers the driver the option to save battery capacity in order to have enough charge for driving on clean electricity later, for instance in an urban low emission zone. When Save For Later is activated, the car makes sure that the battery has a sufficient charge level for another pure drive. If necessary, the High Voltage Generator recharges the battery in order to maintain a sufficient charge level for another “Pure” drive. The aim is that the Save For Later mode should secure enough battery capacity for approximately 20 kilometer drive on pure electricity.

The two-step braking system is another intelligent feature in the Volvo V60 Plug-in Hybrid. When the driver pushes the brake pedal, the system initially brakes the car by controlling the rear axle motor. This braking energy is used to regenerate the car’s battery pack.
The mechanical brakes are only activated when the situation requires more braking power than the rear axle can handle.

The Volvo V60 Plug-in Hybrid is recharged via a regular power socket (230V/6A, 10A or 16A) at home or in a parking lot. The charging time depends on the level of the current. A full 10A charge takes 4.5 hours. The time is shortened to 3.5 hours with 16A, while a charge in a 6A socket takes 7.5 hours.

To get a comfortable start of the journey, the car driver has the possibility to preheat or cool the passenger compartment during the recharging process. This also means that more battery capacity can be used for powering the car.

The pre-conditioning also includes the possibility to cool the batteries. The battery pack has an ideal working temperature of 20-30°C. This means that the pre-cooling is highly important for maximizing the charging capacity and thereby the driving range on each charge. The timing is programmed via the car’s setup menu or remotely via a smart phone application.

The V60 Plug-in Hybrid has two heating possibilities. When running on electricity a PTC (Positive Temperature Coefficient) air heater is used. The car also has a Fuel Operated Diesel heater.

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