Volvo has unveiled an innovative plug-in hybrid. The ReCharge Concept is a specially designed Volvo C30 with individual electric wheel motors and batteries that can be charged via a regular electrical outlet.   

Volvo’s plug-in hybrid car claims to be able to travel 100km before the petrol engine kicks in or a re-charge is needed. The car’s battery can be charged from a conventional domestic plug point.

When fully charged the Volvo ReCharge Concept can be driven approximately 100km (62 miles) on battery power alone before the car’s four-cylinder 1.6 Flexifuel engine1 is needed to power the car and recharge the battery. The concept car also retains the Volvo C30’s lively drive thanks to an acceleration figure of 0-100km/hr in 9 seconds and a top speed of 160km/hr.

Volvo claims that this plug-in hybrid car, when used as intended, should have about 66% lower emissions of carbon dioxide compared with the best hybrid cars available on the market today.  Emissions may be even lower if most of the electricity comes from CO2-friendly sources such as biogas, hydropower and nuclear power. 

“A person driving less than 100km (60 miles) per day will rarely need to visit a filling station.  Also, thanks to the excellent electrical range from a fuel consumption angle, the Volvo ReCharge Concept is exceptionally kind to the car owner’s wallet,” commented Magnus Jonsson, Senior Vice President Research & Development at Volvo Cars.

Operating costs are estimated to be about 80 percent lower compared to a similar petrol-powered car when using battery power alone and even drivers who cover more than the battery-only range will benefit from the ReCharge Concept.  For a 150km (93 mile) drive starting with a full charge, the car will require less than 2.8 litres of fuel, giving the car an effective fuel economy of 1.9 l/100km (124mpg).

The only extra cost will be the electricity used during charging.

During a journey the combustion engine starts up automatically when 70% of the battery power has been used up. However, the driver also has the option of controlling the four-cylinder Flexifuel engine manually via a button in the control panel. This allows the driver to start the engine earlier in order to maximise battery charge, for instance when out on a motorway in order to save battery capacity for driving through the next town.

The Volvo ReCharge Concept combines a number of the latest technological innovations into a so-called “series hybrid” where there is no mechanical connection between the engine and the wheels.

The battery pack integrated into the boot uses lithium-polymer battery technology. The batteries are intended to have a useful life beyond that of the car itself.

Four electric motors, one at each wheel, provide independent traction power. Four-cylinder 1.6-litre Flexifuel engine drives an advanced generator that efficiently powers the wheel motors when the battery is depleted.

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