Volvo Will Launch 1st Plug-In Hybrid SUV For US Market
If you like SUVs and plug-in hybrids, you might be pleased to hear that Volvo will soon come out with a 7-passenger vehicle of that type for the US market. The all-electric range will be about 25 miles, which is not bad for such a large vehicle. Currently, the launch date for it is Spring 2015, and would make it the first plug-in SUV hitting the US market (thanks to several delays by Mitsubishi and Tesla).
The 2016 XC90 is supposed to be able to go from 0 to 60 in less than six seconds. This kind of speed in an SUV will certainly pull in some buyers. (If fuel efficiency is the primary goal, it won’t do to be punching the accelerator, however.) Perhaps the speediness is a good way to overcome the old saw that fuel efficiency also must mean “slow or boring.”
This one is probably incapable of being that, with a 400 horsepower engine. The diesel hybrid employs both turbo and supercharging. It is combined with an 8-speed automatic transmission.
One of the niftiest features of the vehicle is automated braking that activates if a driver turns in front of you.
The vehicle is intended to fit into the luxury category and will feature high-quality leather seats. A large touchscreen is embedded in the dash for access to information and controls. A 1,400 watt stereo system with 19 speakers will also be included.
Mileage has not been certified by the US EPA yet.
There is also a non-hybrid version with a list price of $48,000, though this vehicle apparently will not be available in the US, and the plug-in hybrid price will surely be a bit higher.
One of the most interesting aspects of this story is sort of a tangent. If or when the Tesla all-electric SUV is launched, it might be that it has more appeal for the majority of buyers than a gas engine and electric combination (… that is not coming from Tesla). “Range anxiety” (or anxiety about range anxiety) can’t be that much of an issue with the Teslas if they can go over 200 miles on a single charge.
Of course, hybrid vehicles are the middle ground choice between conventional and all-electric ones. So perhaps, emotionally, they appear less risky to some consumers. Plug-in hybrid SUVS might also become more popular, especially if they eventually can travel at least 40 miles on a single charge. The Mitsubishi Outlander Plug-in has certainly proved popular in Europe and Japan.
Image Credit: Volvo
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So where will Volvo store its batteries for this model? Last excitement that I got from them is that they were proposing to use the body panels for battery storage:
http://www.extremetech.com/extreme/168964-volvo-develops-battery-infused-carbon-fiber-body-panels
http://www.popularmechanics.com/cars/news/auto-blog/volvo-combines-body-panels-and-batteries
http://insideevs.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/150857_The_all_new_Volvo_XC90_Electric_AWD.jpg
Blue is the battery and electric motor. Green the ICE and gas tank.
And the big news is not really the expensive high end XC90 PHEV but the introduction of the new platform where every model and every motor option will be possible to get in a PHEV version.
where is the energy-harvesting flywheel?
I think 2020 is when Volvo says regenerative braking flywheels may be in production cars. This vehicle would have some form of regenerative braking either using a supercapacitor or the battery pack depending on battery chemistry and characteristics.
thanks
You touched on a key element – the enotional angle. Car buying – like house buying – is as much, or more, about emotions as anything else. Got to get people into the EV area while letting them stay close to their comfort zone.
Interesting offering and will likely be priced competitively with the Model X. Glad to see plugins finally making inroads into SUV territory.