2014 Volvo V60 Plug-in Hybrid

The Volvo V60 Plug-in Hybrid is a very special car for Volvo. This car sold out its initial production run before they ever reached the dealerships. The Volvo V60 Plug-in Hybrid is the world’s first diesel plug-in hybrid. As you would expect, the pairing of a already fuel efficient diesel engine with a plug-in hybrid drive train will yield some impressive fuel efficiency. Volvo introduced the V60 Plug-in Hybrid as a 2013 model year vehicle last year with an initial run of 1,000 vehicles. For the 2014 model year, Volvo is increasing that production number up to 4,000 to 6,000 units. The first year success is making Volvo confident that this new vehicle will be a success.

The only thing wrong with this model is it isn’t available in the United States. Europe loves their diesel vehicles and they love this plug-in hybrid version of the V60. Diesel vehicles in the United States can be hit or miss because a lot of people have bad impressions of diesel vehicles. That is starting to change as more and more diesel models are being offered up for sale in the North American market. If you check out the video section below you will see how the production process of this model works at the Torslanda plant in Gothenburg. They have managed to integrate the production of this special model on the same line as the company’s other models which is pretty impressive. What do you think about this model? Leave your opinion in the comment section below. I think they could sell around 1,000 units in the United States a year but that amount might not be high enough to justify importing them.

This model has three driving modes. In “Pure Mode” the vehicle is powered only by its electric motor and the range can be up to 50 km (31 miles). The “Hybrid Mode” is the standard setting where the diesel engine and electric motor work together to achieve a new benchmark in efficiency. In situation where the driver would like as much power as possible, “Power Mode” can be selected.

Performance

The Volvo V60 Plug-in Hybrid is equipped with a 2.4-liter five-cylinder turbocharged diesel engine that produces 215 horsepower and 324 pound-feet of torque. This diesel engine is mated to a six-speed automatic transmission. The rear axle is powered by an electric motor that develops 70 horsepower and 148 pound-feet of torque. When the vehicle is in “Power Mode” a zero to 62 mph time of 6.1 seconds can be achieved.