Friday 15th October 2004

Volvo unveils electric prototype

Lithium-battery-powered prototype is the future, says Volvo

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Volvo says it's "rewriting the rulebook on how it will use its cars in the future" with the 3CC prototype, as it unveiled the car for the first time at the Michelin Challenge Bibendum in Shanghai this week.

The Volvo 3CC has a tapered shape that, says Volvo, "is designed to make a dynamic statement that nonetheless is unmistakably Volvo". Under the bonnet is an electric powertrain that quietly propels the Volvo 3CC to a governed top speed of over 85 mph and delivers zero to 62 mph acceleration in about 10 seconds with zero emissions at the exhaust pipe.

Dimensions are 3.9 m long, 1.6 m wide and 1.3 m high, which is similar says Volvo to a classic 2-seater sports car. However, the vehicle uses a unqiue two-plus-one configuration -- the reverse image of the McLaren F1's layout -- that provides seating for two adults in the front and a rear seat for an additional adult or two children.

Volvo claims this seating configuration "provides a unique experience with regards to the occupants' communication, unprecedented rear occupant's comfort and all-around visibility for all passengers."

"With the Volvo 3CC, Volvo Cars is pioneering a new way of looking at mobility so future generations can enjoy the same freedoms the car has given my generation. We believe it is necessary to show new ways to reduce pollution and congestion," said Volvo chief Lars Erik Lundin.

The Volvo 3CC is the brainchild of the designers, engineers and business people at the Volvo Monitoring and Concept Center think-tank in California. Their task was to create a `future-proof concept´ that would enhance sustainable mobility. A car not only fuel-efficient, versatile, comfortable, and safe, but also exciting to drive and look at.

"We want to connect in a positive way with consumers so that they say ‘I want to be seen in this car’," Lars Erik Lundin said. "We want to add emotional value to people’s lives by offering an environmentally compatible car that appeals to all the senses, and which people want to drive."

Though compact on the outside, Volvo said the 3CC "has been designed to feel spacious through organic lines, and light colours. Inside, the fixed eye plane ergonomics and low profile A-pillar create a sense of openness aided by three transparent panels in the roof. As the doors open by swinging upwards, a floating dash panel slides forward to ease ingress and egress. A unique sliding seat system also assists access to the rear seat. The pedals also adjust for individual requirements."

Volvo's aim was to deliver on overall sustainable mobility goals by providing excellent efficiency, ands says it has achieved this objective through good aerodynamics on a compact footprint, lightweight body materials, and an electric powertrain.

Volvo opted to give the Volvo 3CC a high strength steel space frame, composite sandwich floor panels for safety and light weight and an outer body which is a bonded one piece carbon fibre shell. Volvo said "the resulting chassis rigidity together with its innovative suspension give the car great handling characteristics."

"The double floor used to house the electric energy storage makes the concept future-proof in that the layout can be adapted for the most appropriate powertrain in the future, whether it be petrol, diesel, biogas, or hybrid electric," said Ichiro Sugioka, Science Officer at VMCC in California. "In Shanghai, we are demonstrating the electric powertrain, one of the most challenging to package into a vehicle, to highlight its potential where there is abundance of renewable energy that can be converted to electricity."   

Meticulous wind tunnel tests resulted in an enhanced aerodynamic efficiency that is 30 per cent better than the new S40 saloon.

With a potential driving range of over 180 miles under certain driving conditions, the torque-to-weight ratio is roughly comparable to the powerful T5 model, but available over 0-3,500 rpm. In typical driving conditions, about 20 per cent of the energy can be recovered by regenerative braking.

This performance is achieved using a drivetrain specifically designed for the Volvo 3CC, although it too is a prototype. The electric power comes from lithium-ion cells, identical to those used in modern laptop computers, that are packaged in the thin sandwich floor.

Front wheel driven, the Volvo 3CC at Shanghai has double wishbone front and rear suspension. The front suspension includes horizontally mounted adjustable coil over shocks that give a low bonnet line, whilst the rear suspension includes vertically mounted adjustable coil over shocks. Due to the vehicle's light weight and the power of the regenerative electric braking, unassisted brakes provide good stopping power. The 3CC uses Michelin Pilot Sport 215/45 ZR18 tyres, which are normally found on supercars, to maximise performance. 

The interior of the Volvo 3CC offers ergonomic positioning for both driver and front passenger. Unique solutions include replacing instrument panel toggles with proximity sensors that are activated by a finger, as it gets to within 5 mm, to adjust lights, climate, and audio system.

"Rather than refining existing cars and technologies for new markets, Volvo has listened, questioned and speculated about the future and developed this all new concept," says Lex Kerssemakers, Senior Vice President of Brand, Product & Business Strategy. "We think the Volvo 3CC opens a door into that future and we will develop the concept further."

[rambofanso]

Well done Volvo! Glad that more manufacturers are taking this environmental issue seriously. When they can come up with the noise & performance of a guzzling Cerbera I might buy one!

[squirrelz]

Hmm.... and where does the electric power come from?

Power stations.

... and where do they get their power from?

Fossil fuels.

Remind me of the benefit here??

The only improvement I can see is that you're not paying 80%+ tax on electricity like you are with petrol/diesel/LPG

[zebedee]

not yet anyway...

To be fair, with renewable energy comes greater acknowledgement for cars like this - if it was powered by a windmill somewhere I'd be impressed. But windmills can't power our houses, so they can't power our cars either!

I would also expect pedestrian deaths and injuries to go through the roof once we get near silent electric cars on the road in large numbers

[victormeldrew]

Plutonium is not fossil fuel.

[Witchfinder]

Potential driving range of about 180 miles. How long does it take to recharge once you reach your destination?

Electric cars have a looooong way to go. I still think that cars like the Connaught hybrid, or cars running on bio-fuels are a better short term prospect.

[fivehundred]

"...In typical driving conditions, about 20 per cent of the energy can be recovered by regenerative braking..."

Just what we need - more incentive for volvo drivers to break for no apparent reason!

[swilly]

That rear view of the car looks like a plug.

Does that mean you just reverse the car in to a garage-sized socket and recharge it?

[v8thunder]

Great concept though it is, I have a feeling that this is the point where legislative mechanical speed nannying will be inserted. IMO companies should concentrate on converting the fuel tanks and engines of what we've already got, rather than phasing it in on cars like this. I like the idea of being able to buy any old car, take it to a garage and have it run on something environmentally friendly - electric cars have way too much potential for expensive government control - it'll be like Scalextric if they had their own way.

Having said that - in that case I'll have Fittipaldi's Lotus 72, and I'll take the magnet off the back for bigger tailslides

[squirrelz]

victormeldrew said:

Plutonium is not fossil fuel.

Indeed it is not, but more than 3/4 of electricity generated in the UK is from fossil fuel, and when you factor in the 20-30% energy loss from charging and discharging the batteries, you really aren't any better off.

Oh, and don't UK reactors use Uranium?

[anonymous-user]

Plus I believe all (perhaps bar one) of the UKs nuclear power stations are to be shut down in the next 10-15 years with no plans to build replacements.

[jam1et]

I wouldnt be surprised if that decision is reversed, what with the increase in oil prices, and the uncertainty of its future supply.

[chrisjl]

squirrelz said:

Hmm.... and where does the electric power come from? Power stations. ... and where do they get their power from? Fossil fuels. Remind me of the benefit here??

A power station will/should be running at optimum efficiency all the time (and doesn't have to be fossil powered) - car engines aren't. But there will be other losses to factor in, so I'm not sure which option wins overall.

[pumpkin]

How much will it cost.......

[lightningghost]

cleevr but, eeeee yuk

[golem]

Even with a 20-30% loss in energy from the station to the car, petrol engines work at about 70% loss of energy from the fuel to flywheel alone or something like that. Got the figure from some site talking about those big marine diesels used to move supertankers. (You know, ladders to move up through valve ports and stuff.)

Let's not forget the amount of fuel it takes to distribute the petrol from the depots to the stations. (equiv: powerlines)

Electrics are more efficient in making use of generated energy as far as I can tell. But the range, refuel and so on problem kill them. Though I reckon the simple solution to this, is instead of refuelling by plug is do what we've done on rechargable batteries for yonks.

Just pull out the battery, put it in a charger and drop in a freshly charged one. Make each battery about 15kg, and then if you're half down on fuel you can pull out 3 of your 6 batteries, exchange at servo for 3 more full ones.
It'd take a while to get it sorted but it'd be one way.

Overall though, would Diesel-hybrids seem like a logical next step?

[SunDiver]

Personally I think this is pretty cool. I'm a massive car nut, always have been but I'm also informed enough to appreciate that oil's running out and will likely do so in my lifetime. When that happens, we're not going to be running petrol cars nor making plastics too easily. We'll need electricity and there'll be a slide from oil into the stop-gap natural gas and from there into nuclear and alternative sources of power. Zero-emission electric cars should be applauded. Sure, we need bigger ranges and we need more poke, 0-60 in ten seconds isn't going to cut it for me either but they'll get there. It just takes time. It was recently posted online that because electric cars are so quiet people may be able to add the equivalent of "ringtones" to their vehicle such that they make a noise. So you may well be able to add you TVR Cerbera V8 audio plugin...;-)

[wedgeman]

From the look of the photograph taken on the track it appears that Volvo have at last had the common sense to turn off those damn annoying daytime lights..

Now that's what I call progress!!!

[neon_fox]

Nope, sorry: electric motors just don't do it for me, I'll have the zero-emmision hydrogen powered AC Cobra that was on here a couple of weeks ago instead here

Fox
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964C2


>> Edited by neon_fox on Monday 18th October 13:45

[victormeldrew]

squirrelz said:

victormeldrew said: Plutonium is not fossil fuel. Indeed it is not, but more than 3/4 of electricity generated in the UK is from fossil fuel, and when you factor in the 20-30% energy loss from charging and discharging the batteries, you really aren't any better off. Oh, and don't UK reactors use Uranium?

LexSport said:

Plus I believe all (perhaps bar one) of the UKs nuclear power stations are to be shut down in the next 10-15 years with no plans to build replacements.

I'm sure there was news recently of plans to build more nuclear power plants, or was I dreaming? Whatever, quoting what the current position is is irrelevant. It won't necessarily be the case in the future, which is when these will become available. Without wanting to sound lentilist, you can't stick your head in the sand and expect fossil fuels to go on forever. The life of the internal combustion engine is finite, and something will have to replace it.

Edited to add some references:

[url]British Energy Association calls for clear route map to reach the objectives of the UK energy White Paper
|www.worldenergy.org/wec-geis/news_events/member_news/UKPR260303.asp[/url]
Time for Blair to go nuclear?

>> Edited by victormeldrew on Tuesday 19th October 10:32

[Witchfinder]

Let the French build nuclear plants, and then we can buy the electricity off them. As a bonus, they mutate, not us