| |
Volvo XC60 Plug-in Hybrid
The new Volvo XC60 Plug-in Hybrid debuted in 2012 at the North
American International Auto Show. The company has described
its car as being a high-performance vehicle, as well as an economical
hybrid. You can switch between Hybrid mode, Pure electric mode
and Power mode at the touch of a button. In Power mode, the
XC60 utilizes its 70 hp electric motor and its 280 hp gas engine
to go from zero to 60 miles per hour in less than six seconds.
The CX60 is a Volvo crossover that is fitted with a more advanced
electric and gas powertrain.
|
|
Volvo XC60 PHEV |
The transmission on the CX60 is an eight speed that was only
recently developed. Volvo has stated that the CX60's VEA 4-cylinder,
2 liter engine will give you the type of performance you expect
from a 6-cylinder engine, with a fuel consumption lower than
most current 4-cylinder engines.
The CX60 can be driven nearly 35 miles in Pure mode, using
its electric motor as much as is possible. The car starts in
Hybrid mode, and the gas engine and electric motor work together,
giving a driving range of about 600 miles. It gets an impressive
102 mpg in US figures. When you need to get somewhere faster,
you may opt for using Power mode, which also combines power
from the engine and the motor.
The CX60 does not have a conventional starter motor, nor an alternator. The starter motor and the generator are integrated
to deliver more horsepower when you accelerate. It also charges
your battery when you are braking. You can even save some battery
power in reserve, during which time the generator can top up
your battery.
An electric-powered 4-wheel drive system is used in the CX60,
and this distributes power between the rear axle which is electrically
driven, and the front wheels which are gas-driven. The 4-cylinder
gas engine is also turbocharged, and the top speed is reported
at 130 mph. You can even tow 3300 pounds behind the car. The
CO2 emissions from the CX60 are lower than 53 grams per kilometer,
and you may need between 3.5 and 7.5 hours to recharge the car,
depending on whether you are using a 110 or 220 volt source.
It has been speculated among fans of electric-powered vehicles
that Volvo waited until it perfected the actual cord and connections
before it debuted the CX60. Other electric cars are harder to
charge, but the CX60 makes the process a bit more manageable.
The cord is quite simple, and it plugs into standard types of
outlets. In this way, it's a lot like plugging anything else
in, and more work will be done on the mechanism that stores
the cord. Such a piece might actually not even be in the car
itself, but in your garage, where you would normally charge
the car.
For electric-powered cars like the CX60 to become more routinely
seen on American roads, other companies will have to take a
lesson from Volvo, and make their electric and hybrid cars less
intimidating and more user-friendly.
|
|
