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."
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