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Volvo C30 DRIVe EV To Enter Production In 2011

Volvo's all-electric C30 DRIVe will enter production in 2011, joining in Volvo showrooms the diesel-powered C30 DRIVe (that launched in Australia this year following its European launch).

Speaking at the Paris Auto Show this


Volvo's all-electric C30 DRIVe will enter production in 2011, joining in Volvo showrooms the diesel-powered C30 DRIVe (that launched in Australia this year following its European launch).

Speaking at the Paris Auto Show this week, Volvo CEO Stefan Jacoby confirmed the C30 DRIVe's production future, starting with test fleets before moving to a wider consumer launch.

“We will not rush,” Mr Jacoby told industry paper Automotive News. “We need feedback from the fleets before we offer this to end customers.”

Mr Jacoby added that the electric C30 DRIVe, wearing updated C30 styling, will make its debut in the European market, with launches in China and the US to follow. 

The electric C30 stores its power in a 24kWh lithium-ion battery mounted in the centre tunnel and (former) fuel tank area, giving it a driving range of up to 150km on a single charge.

Recharging the battery takes eight hours using a 230v household outlet. Performance promises to be quite high. Volvo claims a 0-100km/h sprint time in just under 11 seconds and a top speed around 130km/h.

The DRIVe lineup isn't Volvo's only foray into exceptional fuel efficiency. Last year, Volvo announced its partnership with Swedish energy company Vattenfall to develop a plug-in hybrid that would hit the road in 2012 - a timeline that Jacoby confirmed again this week.

Speaking with TMR last year, Volvo Australia's Laurissa Mirabelli confirmed the company's interest in launching the plug-in hybrid in Australia.

"The Plug-in hybrid is a very exciting project. Volvo has partnered with energy company Vattenfall in a joint venture to develop the technology and to ensure we get the plug-in hybrid to market by 2012. It should launch in Australia very soon thereafter," Ms Mirabelli said.

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