Green Options » volvo

Test Drive: Volvo V70 and C30EV Show Battery-Powered Promise

Popular Mechanics — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 23:23:17 +0000

Volvo C30EV on the road.

This post was written by Andrew English and originally appeared on the Popular Mechanics website.

In this rough economic climate, it appears Volvo has weathered the storm. In September, Ford’s Swedish car-making arm, Volvo, showed a 16 percent sales increase over last year—one of only nine automakers to do so. And the Swedes are showing a firm embrace on the latest environmental technologies, even if the company doesn’t quite have the wherewithal to put them all into production right now.

What will be in European showrooms next year is the plug-in hybrid V70 wagon with the capability of traveling 31 miles in electric-only mode. We’re going to have to wait for the battery-electric C30EV coupe, but Popular Mechanics was given a preview drive of both recently.

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The Volvo ReCharge: A Different Kind of Hybrid

Christopher DeMorro — Wed, 06 May 2009 01:32:14 +0000

Sometimes when looking forward, you have to look back to really get inspired.

110 years ago electric cars were at their peak, representing over a quarter of all cars on the road in America, but Henry Ford and the mass-production gas motor changed all that. And while most of us have gotten used to the idea of an engine under the hood, a transmission, and sometimes a driveshaft as integral to our cars, Volvo is taking a nod from the first electric carriages and putting their motors where they are most needed: the wheels. The Volvo ReCharge is a plug-in hybrid concept that relys on four indepedant electric motors, one in each wheel, to move and power the C30-based concept.

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60 mpg Volvo Diesels to Debut at Paris Motor Show

Max Lindberg — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 22:37:51 +0000

Unique, clever and straight-forward engineering has resulted in three Volvo models ready for the road.

These fuel-sipping marvels feature a 1.6 litre diesel engine along with aerodynamicly reduced air resistance, new Michelin tires that lower rolling resistance, and the new European cyclGearbox with altered ratios for third, fourth and fifth gears. Volvo says the new gearbox configuration alone results in a 1.5% reduction in fuel consumption without affecting the driveability of the car.

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Volvo DRIVe Models with 60 MPG-Plus Fuel Economy to Debut at Paris Motor Show

Max Lindberg — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 22:11:23 +0000

Unique, clever and straight-forward engineering has resulted in three Volvo models ready for the road.

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Eco Friendly Family Vehicles: Urban Legend?

Kristen Chase — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 12:14:33 +0000

Adding a third child into our family presents a number of physical and emotional challenges — at least that will be the case unless I can grow an extra set of arms over the next few months. But along another round of sleepless nights, having child #3 definitely puts a strain on the wallet. We’re not so much worried about the baby gear, since at this point in our parenting lives, we know exactly what we need and what we don’t. And with plenty of consignment shops, thrift stores, and generous friends, we’ve already got more clothes and toys than we’ll probably need.

But nothing puts a hurting on a budget than a new car and an eco-friendly one at that.

Now don’t get me wrong. I’m not saying we need to buy a brand new car. I’m just saying that we’re going to need to invest in something big enough to fit two car seats and a booster. Well, legally anyway, because no matter how much my daughter begs me to ride on the roof, I just don’t foresee that in her future.

And we’re trying as hard as we can not to have kiss our freedom from car payments good-bye. It certainly helps when we’re paying $4/gallon for gas.

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