Volvo's 3CC Concept Car

- 13/10/04

Spurred by the growing need to tackle congestion and pollution issues, Volvo Car Corporation has developed a radically new approach to sustainable mobility with the striking 3CC concept.

Volvo Car Corporation is committed to pursuing a sustainable mobility future with the same focus on energy and innovation that has made it the safety benchmark for the automotive industry. A commitment reflected in the futuristic Volvo 3CC personal transportation vehicle unveiled at the Shanghai Michelin Challenge Bibendum event, October 12-14.

The Volvo 3CC is a sleek, aerodynamic car designed to carry up to three adults, or two adults and two children, utilising a unique two-plus-one seating arrangement which provides comfort and space comparable to a larger car.

The Volvo 3CC competing in Shanghai is driven by a powerful zero emission electric powertrain, capable of propelling the vehicle up to a range of 300 kilometres (180 miles). Its low centre-of-gravity, lightweight and double wishbone suspension contribute to its nimble handling.

It's also a very different looking vehicle than the atypical modern sedan for instance, with just a hint of Audi TT in the front end, yet with a style all its own in the rear.

"We see the Volvo 3CC as a functional demonstrator from which clean, safe and efficient vehicles can be derived in the future," says Volvo Car Corporation spokesman Dan Werbin, director of Volvo Cars North America.

"It is clear that as densely populated nations like China become seriously mobile, we must address congestion and pollution if we want to offer future generations the mobility and freedom enjoyed today."

The Volvo 3CC is a further step towards a new mobility paradigm envisaged by Volvo Car Corporation, and epitomized by the recently revealed Volvo Tandem - a narrow, energy efficient, two-seater 'personal mobility vehicle' using 50 percent less space than a current car without compromising Volvo's traditional safety standards.

Both the Volvo 3CC and Tandem concepts were generated from the Volvo Monitoring and Concept Center (VMCC) think-tank in California.

VMCC believes the global market is changing from a one-car-fits-all notion to owning different cars for different needs. "Moving to a ‘family’ matrix of cars could change the way the world thinks about auto ownership the same way the Sony Walkman did for the audio industry," says Werbin.

Volvo has built its new mobility ideas on unique consumer and societal research carried out by VMCC in the US, Europe and Asia aimed at profiling future customer demands, expectations and latent needs. The research indicates the world is becoming more open to new transportation concepts on issues such as the environment, but solutions must be functional, 'cool', and smart.

The Volvo Car Corporation approach wins support from a four-year study on future mobility by the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD). The WBCSD says that to sustain the benefits of mobility, societies must seek new directions, including limiting greenhouse gas emissions, mitigating traffic congestion, ensuring best possible safety and preserving and improving existing mobility options.

Volvo Car Corporation believes it is moving in that direction with cars like the Volvo 3CC and Tandem – cars which are fuel-efficient with lower emissions. Cars that also use less space, are well proportioned, deliver excellent driving performance.

The Volvo 3CC is entered in the 6th Michelin Challenge Bibendum event because the car challenges the auto industry by showing how Volvo Car is delivering technical advances to preserve the environment and sustain mobility.

Bringing together automakers, policy makers, and the media to explore solutions to the threat posed by emissions and congestion, the Michelin Challenge Bibendum is the only event of its kind comparing vehicles powered by conventional and alternative energy and propulsion systems.

"Volvo Car ranks environmental care as a high corporate priority in equal importance to safety and quality," says Niklas Gustavsson, Environmental Manager Volvo Car Corporation Governmental Affairs.

"Our key role is to help society and individuals to move freely without sacrificing human or ecological factors. The Volvo 3CC, and the thinking behind it, has the potential to become a catalyst for change in the way people view car use."