Volvo will build a fleet of 50 electric powered C30s, which will be used as daily drives from 2011, with a range of 150 kilometres on a full charge.
This is said to be sufficient for the daily transport needs of most Europeans.
Drivers of these especially green Volvos will simply use a home power socket rather than a petrol bowser for a fill.
Although a pure electric car, they will look no different to the current petrol or diesel powered Volvo C30s, but inside, it’s a whole different story.
The gauges and graphics facing the driver are different from that of a conventional car and the user-friendly instrument shows only speed and energy consumption.
New symbols within the instrument cluster will also include a gauge for the battery charge level.
Driver’s can expect a totally different experience behind the wheel, especially when you need to accelerate, which it will do, at least off the line, quicker than most conventionally powered cars.
The electrically powered Volvo has no gears, and yet drive is delivered seamlessly, with full power and torque delivered from the very instant you dab the throttle.
Travel inside a fully electric car, is like driving with a set of noise cancelling headphones on, a totally silent experience, which means the audio quality (iPod included) should be sensational.
Battery power for the electric C30 is courtesy of a lithium-Ion battery pack and a full charge from a standard household power socket will take eight hours.
Top speed with a full charge is said to be around 130km/h, while acceleration from a standing start to 100km/h will take just over 10.5 seconds.
Being a Volvo, you can count on this C30 being a safe bet (pardon the pun) too.
You’ll find the electric motor under battery pack (24kWh) under the bonnet while the batteries are stored in the propshaft tunnel and the space normally occupied by the fuel tank.
“What is more, they are well encapsulated and the structure around them has been reinforced. Electric cars represent yet another interesting challenge in our dedication to building the world’s safest cars. An electrically powered Volvo must be as safe as all other new Volvos. And the very same standards also apply to ownership, driving and protection in the event of an accident”, says Thomas Broberg, Senior Safety Advisor at Volvo Cars.
For fully electric cars to succeed in the market place, they need to be attractive and provide the same level of comfort, performance and convenience of other power driven cars.
Volvo’s C30 Coupe is certainly a good shape to start with when it comes to electric power and the company hopes that the authorities and the rest of society follows Volvo Cars in their “Drive Towards Zero” emissions.
Technical specification Electric C30
Car model:
Volvo C30 – full four seater
Main engine:
Electric engine 40/82KW
Power output:
Electric engine 82kW, 111 bhp
Acceleration 0-100 km/h (0-60 mph):
10.5 seconds
Charging duration:
Charging via standard power socket, 230 V, 16 ampere: < 8 hours
Range on electric power:
150 km (NEDC cycle)
Battery energy content:
24 kWh nominal energy, of which 22.7 kWh used to power the car
Battery weight:
280 kg
Carbon dioxide emissions (tailpipe):
none
