Manufacturer Volvo V60 plug-in hybrid in the driving report
06/28/2012
A On November 12th the time has come . Then 1,000 trend-setting Volvo station wagons roll off the production line in Gothenburg. Painted in restrained Electric Silver, the first batch of the Volvo V60 plug-in hybrid will not lure a Swede out of his well-heated room on the Kattegat - but it will attract many test editors. Because the V60 plug-in hybrid can be moved in so many modes that it will drive every car tester out into the cold.
In any case, the basis of all joy is an old friend: the 2.4 Liter five-cylinder diesel with 215 hp. Coupled with an optimized six-speed automatic, the D5 delivers 440 Nm to the front wheels from 1,500 tours. In the Volvo V60 plug-in hybrid, there is now a 50 kW electric motor, which - fed by a lithium-ion battery with a capacity of 12 kWh (gross) - drives the rear axle. The water-cooled batteries can be recharged at any 230 V socket in 3.5 hours (16 A connection). This combination results in the diverse drive variants already mentioned, selected with five buttons.
Volvo V60 plug-in hybrid relaxed and economical
Classic and well-known: the hybrid mode. Here, the diesel and electric motor work together as efficiently as possible and support each other when starting, accelerating or recuperating. You can hardly tell whether the diesel is running and in which gear. This results in a relaxed and economical driving situation in the Volvo V60 plug-in hybrid, even if the stated consumption of 1.9 liters per 100 kilometers (49 g /km CO2) is naturally a NEDC fabulous value.
If, on the other hand, it is to proceed as quickly as possible, it is advisable to press the power button. Both units then deliver their maximum output (215 plus 70 hp) and accelerate the Volvo V60 plug-in hybrid with massive thrust in 6.2 seconds to 100 km /h.
When things get slippery, all-wheel drive is automatic
Pure mode is more moderate: Here the Volvo V60 plug-in hybrid becomes a 220 Nm, rear-wheel drive electric vehicle up to 50 km and 120 km /h fast. Ideal for all commuters who want to travel through their city quietly and with zero emissions. Clever addition: If you want to collect energy for the next day of commuting while driving on the motorway on Sundays, you can press the safe button in hybrid mode. Then only the diesel purrs and the batterycollects power for 20 kilometers of electric power.
Also clever: If the Volvo V60 plug-in hybrid gets into trouble due to the slippery road surface, the respective motors start despite the Pure or Safe button being pressed. Sometimes the D5 (Pure) in front or the electric motor in the rear. A 4WD button also enables permanent all-wheel drive.
A look into the 100-liter smaller and only moderately large trunk (304 liters) of the Volvo V60 plug-in hybrid and the price list: estimated 56,900 euros Volvo for this hybrid station wagon. Based on the well-equipped V60 D5 AWD Summum, around 5,000 euros more are to be paid, adjusted for equipment. The joy of saving has not yet been factored in.
