After Volvo’s announcement that the V60 Plug-in Hybrid goes into production Volvo is coming to Detroit 2012 Motor Show with a similar concept based on the SUV XC60.
Car launches this year will be very numerous and among the tens of new car models on the market the plug-in hybrids seem to be the most innovative kind of new car models.The obvious advantage this kind of car bring is that compared to a classic hybrid car these models have superior autonomy offered by the high capacity batteries that can be charged when the car is stationary at a normal electricity outlet.

After it marked a premiere in the range with the presentation of the V60 Plug-in Hybrid(equipped with a 2.4 liter diesel engine coupled with an electric one), Volvo now comes with the same technology solution to adapt on the XC60 SUV.

Volvo XC60 Plug-in Hybrid Concept will make its triumphal entrance at the 2012 Detroit Motor Show where its aimed to appeal not the European buyers but only the American customers just like the V60 its aiming for the Americans bank account.A difference from the V60 its the combustion engine which is a gas engine now not a diesel one.So under the hood of the XC60 Plug-in Hybrid we’ll find a 2.0 liter turbo gas engine that is part of the future family of Volvo’s Environmental Architecture engines.This turbo will make 280 HP sent to the front wheels while the back wheels will receive 70 HP from a Lithium-Ion battery with a 12Kwh capacity.

The total power of the Volvo XC60 Plug-in Hybrid will reach 350 HP this being available in three driving modes just like on the case of the V60 Plug-in Hybrid.So there is the Pure mode which uses exclusively electricity guaranteeing an autonomy of almost 30 miles while the hybrid mode guarantees an autonomy of almost 600 miles.Volvo claims that the XC60 Plug-in Hybrid will get an almost fictional 102 Mpg.Of course nobody actually believes them.

The last driving mode is the one named Power which allows the drive to use the car as its full speed potential but still using both engines.The optimized setting will allow a firm driving behavior giving 380 NM of torque.This driving mode allows this car to get from 0 to 60 in 5.6 seconds a value typical to sports cars.

The charging of the batteries at an 220V outlet takes only 3.5 hours but for a complete cycle its recommended the use of an 110V outlet during which a complete charging cycle takes 7,5 hours.The 8 speed automatic transmission allows even an AWD but its duration depends on the reserves of the batteries.According to Volvo officials its just a matter of time until the new model will reach American showrooms.