Volvo ReCharge C30 Concept: Plug In Electric Car

Motoring Channel Staff - 7/September/2007

Trollhattan, Sweden — You plug it in to a wall socket, it takes three hours to recharge fully, then you're off and driving with a 100 kilometre (62 mile) range. Volvo's new ReCharge Concept is a promising 'plug in' hybrid electric car that provides a glimpse at the future of low emissions motoring when used in conjunction with green electricity.

Launched at the 2007 Frankfurt Motor Show, Volvo's new plug-in hybrid is one of the many low emission vehicles on display at the larger-than-life German auto show. The theme is very much 'green'.

"This is a ground-breaking innovation for sustainable transportation. A person driving less than 100 kilometres a day will rarely need to visit a filling station. In the USA, this may apply to almost 80 percent of drivers," said Magnus Jonsson, the senior vice president of research and development at Volvo Cars.

The Volvo ReCharge Concept does feature a small 4-cylinder FlexFuel engine using ethanol/petrol, which will then charge up and power the vehicle's four electric motors once the 100km 'battery only' range has been exceeded.

These four electric motors are located in the wheels - one inside each wheel. While they have consequences in terms of unsprung weight (that add lots of weight to each wheel) which will affect handling, everyday driving in the Volvo ReCharge Concept will be kind to both your purse and the planet, explains the Swedish car maker.

Volvo's release document states that when "driving on electric power only, operating costs are expected to be about 80 percent lower than that of a comparable petrol-powered car," and that when drivers go beyond the 100km battery range, "fuel consumption may vary from 0 to 5.5 litres per 100km depending on the distance driven using the engine".

The second in charge at Volvo's R&D department, Mr Magnus Jonsson, said the new car would emit two thirds less pollutants that the best hybrids on the market at the moment. "This plug-in hybrid car, when used as intended, should have about 66 percent 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 in intended markets comes from CO2-friendly sources such as biogas, hydropower and nuclear power."

Mr Jonsson forgot to add wind and geothermic energy sources, but we'll let those two slide.

"A certain proportion of electrical vehicles will be necessary to meet the CO2 emission demands of the future," continued Mr Jonsson. "Since the Volvo ReCharge Concept combines an excellent battery range with a backup combustion engine, it is a very interesting concept."

The ReCharge Concept has been developed at the Volvo Monitoring and Concept Center (VMCC), the Volvo Car Corporation's think-tank in Camarillo, California. 

Unlike the current hybrid cars on the road, Volvo calls this vehicle a "series hybrid" because there are no mechanical connections between the engine and the wheels. Because there is one electric motor inside each wheel, Volvo claims that a true 4WD traction system is attained, adding to the car's safety levels.

Different to most cars, the ReCharge Concept's power isn't delivered to an axle - instead each individual in-wheel motor is provided with power. So even when the combustion engine switches on, it powers an auxiliary power unit that transfers engine power into electricity and then delivers it to the quartet of in-wheel electric motors. Volvo says that this method of power transfer is much more efficient than sending power directly to an axle, as is the case with current combustion engine cars and hybrids.

Ichiro Sugioka, the project manager for the Volvo ReCharge Concept, said "There is a considerable difference between our plug-in hybrid and today's hybrids. Today's hybrids use the battery only for short periods to assist the combustion engine. Our solution is designed for most people to run on electric power all the time, while providing the extra security that comes with having a combustion engine as a secondary source of electrical power.

"What is more, our C30 with plug-in hybrid technology retains its lively and sporty driving properties. Acceleration from 0-100 km/h takes 9 seconds and top speed is 160 km/h," Mr Sugioka claimed.

Using four in-wheel motors means that all the frictional losses involved in using gears and axles are reduced. Volvo partnered with British electromagnetic specialists PML Flightlink to develop both the in-wheel motors and the auxiliary power unit. French tyre company Michelin designed the special tyres needed to work with the heavier wheelmotors.

Economy

Volvo claims that 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 1.9L/100km (124 mpg).

"The only requirement is that the car owner has access to electrical outlets at convenient places, such as at home or at the workplace. A full recharge takes 3 hours. However, even a one-hour quick charge should provide enough charge to drive about 50 kilometres," added Magnus Jonsson.

Related articles:
- PML Flightlink (Official Website)
- Volvo V70 (2007)
- Volvo XC60 (concept)
- Volvo Bioethanol 'Flexifuel' Cars (2007)
- Volvo C30 - The Turbocharged Troika (2006)
- Volvo C30 (2007)
- Volvo S80 (2006)