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Volvo to Develop Three Range Extender Technical Concepts

Range Extender Technical ConceptsRange Extender Technical ConceptsRange Extender Technical Concepts
By now, everybody must have realized we will rely on hairdryers and washing machines to drive us to work, as the switch to electric is becoming ever more apparent. The one major hurdle faced when marketing an electric vehicle is the so-called “range anxiety”. Chevy dealt with the problem by giving the Volt a range extender in the form of a combustion engine generator, and it looks like Volvo will do the same soon.

The Swedish carmaker is working on Range Extenders – electric cars that are fitted with a combustion engine to increase their effective range. The projects, supported by the Swedish Energy Agency and the EU, encompass three potential technology combinations, with tests scheduled to get under way in the first quarter of 2012.

“This is an exciting expansion of our increasing focus on electrification. Battery cost and size mean that all-electric cars still have a relatively limited operating range. With the Range Extender, the electric car has its effective range increased by a thousand kilometres – yet with carbon dioxide emissions below or way below 50 g/km,”
says Derek Crabb, Vice President Powertrain Engineering at the Volvo Car Corporation.

The first technical concept is based on the C30 Electric and gets a three-cylinder combustion engine producing 60 horsepower (45 kW) installed under the rear load compartment floor. The car also has a 40 litre fuel tank. The Range Extender increases the electric car’s range by up to 1,000 km (621 miles) – on top of the 110 km (74 miles) range provided by the car’s battery pack.

The second concept is also based on the C30, but adds a parallel-connected system in the form of a more powerful engine in the back. The turbocharged 190 horsepower engine primarily drives the rear wheels via a six-speed automatic transmission.

The third and last technical concept is also a parallel-connected Range Extender like the last one, but this time it’s for the V60 estate. Power from the combustion engine drives the front wheels via the gearbox and recharges the battery pack whenever needed.
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About the author: Mihnea Radu
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Mihnea's favorite cars have already been built, the so-called modern classics from the '80s and '90s. He also loves local car culture from all over the world, so don't be surprised to see him getting excited about weird Japanese imports, low-rider VWs out of Germany, replicas from Russia or LS swaps down in Florida.
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