Volvo has long tried to be good environmental stewards. Even before its revolutionary Lambda-Sond system in the late 1970s, the Gothenburg-based automaker had been making efforts to tread lightly. Now comes word that Volvo has developed a hybrid version of the C30 hatchback. The drive system is reportedly a series hybrid, with the batteries being charged on the go by a diesel powerplant. There's plug-in charging capabilities, as well. The batteries alone can provide motive power for about 45 miles before the generator awakes. The electrified C30 will be part of the Michelin Challenge Bibendum, where engineers will presumably be trying to break stuff so that any production version has well-vetted hardware. No details are available about whether the hybrid hardware was developed in-house by Volvo or bequeathed by parent Ford, which developed a similar series hybrid drivetrain with a hydrogen fuel-cell generator for the Airstream Concept that debuted at the Detroit Auto Show this year. [Source: Autobild - in German]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
epilonious @ Jan 30th 2007 1:37PM
Oooooh, a series hybrid on the C1 platform.
It would be so neat if this were to make it to production and proliferate to all the other C1 cars (s40/v50, maz3, perhaps the euro-focus as well)
John L @ Jan 30th 2007 1:41PM
the best thing i heard form volvo in ages. i was hoping for a diesel or hybrid on this model after intro launch to placate auto press (rabbit should do the same). it has a lot of teeth from a marketing standpoint. having 2 volvo daily drivers -92-245(200k) and 02-v70 (100k) i would like a
higher gas milage small volvo now that kids are grown for safe around town and personal driving. my 63 alfa spyder in the barn is great but i need a modern utlity vehicle like a fit or c30 diesel would be ideal!
Tal D @ Jan 30th 2007 1:43PM
YES!! YES!!!YES!!!
This is the combination. Diesel/battery with generator/plug-in combo makes the most sense, economically, as long as no high additional premium
additions are tacked on to the sticker price.
It is my understanding diesel fuel is less expensive to refine from a barrell of crude oil than is gasoline.Diesel engines seem to be substantilly more fuel efficient than most gasoline engines that are equivilent in size/power rating and apparently are more durable.
Diesel fuel is a bit more expensive than regular gasoline but supposedly it is still cheaper in the long run than gasoline since you are burning less gallons.
Someone on AutoBlog made a statement recently explaining that the extra refining steps to remove sulfur is the reason diesel costs more at the pump than regular gasoline.This was not the case a few years ago; diesel was always cheaper per gallon than regular gasoline.These steps must be a part of refining the oil to make it a super clean fuel to meet Federal standards.
Hope others follow suit. Sooner the better as long as they are quality built, reliable, durable vehicles.
rrr @ Jan 30th 2007 1:57PM
I do not buy the whole diesel thing. As more and more cars will be introduced in US that consume diesel, many of which will be large cars, SUV/Cross overs....price of diesel will go up. It is already higher than gasoline and as demand grows it will only go up. The biggest problem with diesel by far is that US is a gasoline country, our refineries, stations and distributors are all part of a finely honed system that bring gasoline to the costumer.
They key here are refineries, historically it is a bad business to be in, they make very little money. Only in last few years they started making money, because they make so little money it will be almost impossible to make them invest into new technology to refine diesel and not gasoline.
Glenn Hamilton @ Jun 2nd 2007 1:01PM
Diesel is easier and cheaper to refine than gasoline. That is a fact. Bio-fuels are also cheaper than gasoline with both diesel and bio having more energy than the same amount of gasoline. That is also a fact. Do you have a gasoline agenda?
DKB_SATX @ Jan 30th 2007 2:26PM
#4, rrr: So where do you think the fuel comes from that already powers semi trucks, many farm tractors, newer FedEx delivery trucks, etc? It's already refined here in the US. That's not to say that there's infinite excess refining capacity for diesel (nor is there for gasoline, for that matter.) Since a similar vehicle gets significantly more miles per gallon of diesel than one using gasoline, net fleet efficiency would go up as the refining load shifted more toward diesel than gasoline.
The real shortcoming of diesel is in emissions, but the beauty of series hybrids is that you can run the internal-combustion engine in its cleanest, most efficient operating range since it's just charging the batteries and the stored charge is what's used to deal with the varying speeds and loads of regular driving.
I'll believe this when I see it, since both diesel and hybrid come with price premiums, but it's at least a cool idea.
zverg @ Jan 30th 2007 3:07PM
diesel-electric hybrid FTW!
Donny @ Jan 30th 2007 7:11PM
This is what I've been waiting for. Hopefully they will migrate this to their larger models soon. I need a XC60, V70 or XC90 for my needs. I really wanted to see a diesel plugin hybrid as my next car.
LegacyB442 @ Jan 30th 2007 10:19PM
SIGN ME UP! I'm already considering one as my next car. Price will be the only question!!! Build it and I will deive it!!!
Daniel @ Jan 31st 2007 7:19PM
If Ford/Volvo actually offered these Diesel-Electric Series Drive hybrids for sale - the U.S. woul dnot need to import a single drop of foreign oil.
This should have been done a decade ago - Oh I almost forgot - it was done a decase ago by the Big 3 under the USDOE Partnership for a New Generatin of Vehicles Program (PNGV) inthe mid 1990s. They each developed a full size sedan with this technology and they got 70 MPG to 80 MPG.
What are they waiting for - another oil crisis?
CarExpert @ Feb 1st 2007 6:27AM
Truly a masterpiece!... I love to have one of those. I hope Volvo would me making a lot more designs. I just bought this Volvo caliper last week for my favorite car. Keep up the good quality!
CarExpert @ Feb 1st 2007 6:36AM
Truly a masterpiece!... I love to have one of those. I hope Volvo would me making a lot more designs. I just bought this Volvo brake caliper (http://www.swedishpartsshop.com/volvobrakecaliper.html)
last week for my favorite car. Keep up the good quality!
mike @ Feb 1st 2007 8:39AM
I really hope this thing will be out by mid 08. If it is, it is my next car.
Stuart Morrison @ Feb 27th 2007 7:28PM
I've been waiting for a Hybrid Volvo as I am a fan of their engineering prowess. When will it be available in Australia and any estimate of price?
Mere @ Mar 16th 2007 12:16PM
I am just waiting for for this Hybrid or any other volvo designed Hybrid to hit the market...i have been driving the same volvo for almost ten years, i love it so much...b/c of its reliability i am looking forward to my next volvo purchase, which is going to be the volvo hybrid, hopefully one will come into the market before my current volvo literally runs into the ground...so please please keep up the research!!!
Kalle Blomqvist @ Mar 24th 2007 9:28AM
Here is an excellent picture of the concept: http://www.aftonbladet.se/vss/bil/story/0,2789,988182,00.html
The headline of the swedish article is "Volvo shows electric car this autumn" (2007)
Roy Pereira @ Jul 19th 2007 7:57PM
I really, really want a XC70 hybrid !