Volvo has formed a joint-venture with Swedish utility Vattenfall to help develop its plug-in hybrid technology
Struggling Swedish automaker Volvo has announced that it will releasing a new plug-in hybrid vehicle by 2012 as the latest step under its ‘DRIVe Towards Zero’ eco-campaign. Today’s announcement also signals the formation of a joint-venture with Swedish energy supplier Vattenfall to help aid with the development of the automaker’s first production plug-in hybrid and future all-electric models.
The two companies have already an agreement in place since 2007 to develop the technology together, and early last year Saab also joined the team. Since then Volvo has shown us a plug-in hybrid concept based on its C30 hatchback and Saab unveiled its unique 9-X BioHybrid concept. Today, Volvo also announced that it will have three new V70 plug-in hybrids testing on public roads in Europe by the middle of the year.
The demonstration cars will be used to gather information about the wishes and demands that drivers may have on the new technology, to determine their driving habits and to establish how they want to charge their cars. Vattenfall will, among other things, test various concepts for high-speed home charging and also for charging stations in public places, where owners pay to fuel with electricity instead of petrol or diesel. The cars that are planned to go into series production in 2012 will feature somewhat different technology, but the launch of the demonstration vehicles is a step towards series-producing plug-in hybrid cars specifically tailored to market needs.
An important point to note is that Volvo's design will not be using the usual petrol-electricity combination, but instead will use diesel fuel to give its cars even greater efficiency over future rivals like the upcoming Chevrolet Volt and Toyota Prius plug-in hybrid. No other details about Volvo’s design, including its expected fuel-economy, have been revealed.
Considering its reputation for safety and environmental awareness, Volvo's decision to jump on the plug-in hybrid bandwagon couldn't have come sooner as the company is struggling to find a large enough market segment to sit in as sales for the brand continue to slide. How this will affect the automaker’s impending sale remains to be seen.
source: motorauthority
