Volvo Car Corp. is unveiling its XC60 plug-in hybrid concept vehicle this month during the 2012 North American International Auto Show in Detroit. This gasoline/electric hybrid delivers 350 hp in a luxury platform, the company says.
‘This world-class gasoline plug-in hybrid technology, featuring a state-of-the-art four-cylinder engine from our upcoming Volvo Environmental Architecture engine family, will reach our American showrooms in a couple of years,’ says Stefan Jacoby, president and CEO of Volvo. ‘However, it is too early to say which model will be the first to feature this solution.’
‘Hybrid’ mode – the vehicle's default setting – puts the gasoline engine and electric motor to work in concert, yielding fuel economy that exceeds 100 mpg. In ‘Pure’ mode, the XC60 is powered solely by its electric motor, with an operational range of up to 35 miles. With ‘Power’ mode, the 280 hp gasoline engine is combined with the 70 hp electric motor to maximize performance (e.g., acceleration from 0 to 60 mph in 5.8 seconds), Volvo explains.
