If you got excited at Volvo's electric vehicle prototype at the Frankfurt Motor Show last September, you should definitely check out the Detroit Auto Show where the carmaker displays a further development of the battery-powered electric C30. This car in Detroit has a full interior with instrumentation and its battery packaging is enhanced. Volvo plans to create a test fleet of 50 battery-powered C30s for a two-year trial starting in 2011. Like the conventional car, the electric C30 will seat four. On the instrument panel, you only see the road speed and energy consumption. There's also a new gauge for the status of the battery charge. The car has no gears and the driver can access full power right away. Its lithium ion batteries can either be charged in a household socket or at a roadside station. For a full charge, the car has to be plugged in for eight hours. Under the hood, you will find the electric motor. Meanwhile, the batteries are installed in the propshaft tunnel and in the space typically occupied by the fuel tank. The car has a range of up to 150km (93 miles), which Volvo claims would cover the daily driving needs of about 90% of European motorists.
2010 Detroit Auto Show: Volvo C30 EV (Electric Vehicle)
by Andrew Christian, Email, 26 Aug, 2010
Volvo C30 EV (Electric Vehicle)
