Volvo XC60 Plug-in Hybrid Concept Details

Volvo XC60 Plug-in Hybrid Concept

Ahead of a launch at Detroit next week, Volvo releases details of the XC60 Plug-in hybrid concept and a raft of photos.

Despite calling the Detroit-bound Volvo XC60 hybrid a concept, it’s clear that the hybrid crossover/SUV is heading for a production model, probably sometime later in 2012. And what better place to showcase a petrol-engined hybrid (the XC60 Hybrid is a petrol-engined hybrid, unlike the diesel-engined V60 plug-in hybrid) than in the US, where diesel is still the fuel of Satan for most?

The XC60 plug-in gets a 2766bhp four cylinder turbo engine driving the front wheels and an electric motor which delivers an additional 69bhp to the rear wheels. Give the XC60 hybrid some serious wellie and it can scoot to 62mph in an impressive 6.1 seconds with both the electric motor and petrol engine giving their all.

The plug-in bit is an effective way of giving the XC60 some serious green credentials and an electric-only range of 28 miles – perfect for commuting and city running. Disappointingly, despite the modest bank of batteries, it takes a full 7.5 hours to recharge the batteries.

What we also get is the usual daft and disingenuous economy and emissions figures, which make assumptions about usage that buyers can’t relate to. So we are told the XC60 hybrid can do 100mpg with emissions of just 53g/km. Please, can we have figures that give a real world indication instead? Fine, tell us that in EV mode the XC60 costs almost nothing a mile and emits no CO2. But also tell us what the figures are on a mixed run with a sensible use of performance.

Moans about daft economy and emission figures aside, we like the look of the Volvo XC60 Plug-in hybrid. It will be able to do everything well, from urban commutes on EV power to muddy car parks and weekends away. But it won’t be cheap. We’d expect it to cost not too far short of £50k when it arrives later in 2012.