Volvo enjoys a long-established reputation as an automotive innovator, and this illustrious track record is embodied in the XC60 Plug-in Hybrid, showcased at the 2012 North American International Auto Show in Detroit.
This unique concept vehicle is an electric car, high-performance SUV and economical hybrid all in one, with the driver deciding whether the wheels are powered by batteries or fossil fuels.
Dispatching the 0-60 dash in less than six seconds, the XC60 Plug-in has 350bhp available from the combined efforts of an electric motor and a brand new four-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine.
Electric energy alone can power a 28-mile journey, while the optimal setting is the unsurprisingly titled Hybrid mode, providing a 600-mile range with fuel economy in excess of 100mpg. As yet, the XC60 Plug-in Hybrid is only a concept car, but its technology might be appearing in mainstream Volvos sooner rather than later…
