Volvo to Cut Down its U.S. Lineup, V50 Among the First to go

With its U.S. sales steadily declining for 7 years now, Volvo has no choice but to radically rethink its strategy. The Swedish automaker is currently offering nine models in the States or about as many as Volkswagen does, but it sold almost five times fewer cars than the Germans in 2010.

Consequently, the Swedish brand, which is now owned by China's Geely, has decided to significantly reduce the number of models in its North American lineup and concentrate on best-selling vehicles in an effort to increase sales.

“Five or six is probably a good number”, said Doug Speck, head of Volvo’s operations in the U.S., in a telephone interview for Bloomberg. “We have to focus on the key segments with significant volume potential”.

Mr. Speck confirmed that the V50 estate is sure to go, although didn’t specify exactly when, saying that dealers will be notified first. The manufacturer hasn’t decided yet which other models will be phased out, but it will definitely keep the S60 sedan and the XC60 and XC90 crossovers, he added.

Volvo will also try to boost sales with more advertising and expects “double-digit” percentage growth in the U.S in 2011.

As for the near future, Mr. Speck said that Volvo will introduce hybrids and all-electric cars, but declined to say if it will bring diesels to America.

By Csaba Daradics

Source: Bloomberg

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Volvo V60 Diesel-Electric Plug-in Hybrid Returns 125 MPG, will Debut at Geneva Show

* Standard 2011 Volvo V60 shown in photos

The 2011 Geneva Motor Show will host the world premiere of the Volvo V60 Plug-in Hybrid, a near production-ready model that is said to return a very impressive 125 mpg US (1.9 lt/100 km), with CO2 emissions under 50 g/km. In order to achieve this, engineers entered a new variable into the plug-in hybrid equation: a diesel engine.

The V60’s front wheels are driven by a 2.4-liter 5-cylinder turbo diesel powerplant capable of 215HP and 440 Nm (325 lb-ft) of torque, mated to a six-speed automatic transmission. At the back, there's a 70HP electric motor that powers the rear wheels and a 12kWh lithium-ion battery pack.

According to Volvo, the V60 Plug-in Hybrid “features the very best properties from three different car types in one sports wagon”, including an all-electric driving mode with a range of up to 32 miles (52 km).

“In order to get true car enthusiasts to think green, you have to offer them the opportunity to drive with low carbon dioxide emissions without taking away the adrenaline rush that promotes genuine driving pleasure. The V60 Plug-in Hybrid has all the traditional properties of a genuine sports wagon. What we've done is to spice it up with spearhead technology”, said Stefan Jacoby, President and CEO of Volvo Cars.

Jointly developed by Volvo and Swedish energy supplier Vattenfall, the V60 Plug-in Hybrid is scheduled to enter series production in 2012.

By Csaba Daradics

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U.S.-spec 2012 Volvo S60 T5 Gets Lower Base Price, Special Introductory Lease Rate

Volvo's US division has dropped prices for the S60 T5 FWD model, which starts at $30,795, excluding an $875 destination fee. That’s $450 less than the previous base price. The updated offer is also accompanied by a special introductory lease rate plan of $299/month, available until February 28, 2011.

The T5’s standard equipment includes among other things, power driver seat with memory, power folding rear head restraints, front and rear sport seats, leather steering wheel with metal inlays, dual-zone air conditioning, infotainment and 8-speaker sound system, Bluetooth hands-free phone interface, T-Tec textile upholstery and 17-inch alloys.

There’s no shortage of safety systems as well, such as Corner Traction Control by torque vectoring, Advanced Stability Control, Dynamic Stability and Traction Control (DSTC), Whiplash Protection Seating System (WHIPS) and a host of airbags.

Furthermore, the S60 includes Volvo’s Safe+Secure Coverage Plan, which means owners pay nothing to repair or maintain their vehicles for 5 year or 60,000 miles, minus when replacing the tires.

The coverage plan specifically comprises:

5 years/60,000 miles of New Car Warranty

5 years/60,000 miles of Complimentary Factory Scheduled Maintenance

5 years/60,000 miles of Wear and Tear Coverage

5 years/Unlimited miles of Volvo On Call Roadside Assistance

The S60 T5 is motivated by a turbocharged 2.5-liter 5-cylinder engine, delivering 250HP and 266 lb-ft (361 Nm) of torque – or 295 lb-ft (401 Nm) in “over boost” mode. Power is sent to the front wheels through Volvo’s second-generation 6-speed automatic Geartronic transmission. The 0-to-60 mph (96 km/h) sprint takes just 6.8 seconds, while the top speed is electronically limited to 130 mph (209 km/h).

By Csaba Daradics

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Vehicle Platooning Could be the Future of Commuting [with Video]

Imagine safely enjoying your morning coffee and reading the newspaper behind the steering wheel, while your car is traveling at highway speeds. Well, this could be a reality in as little as ten years time, thanks (or no thanks...) to the European Union-funded SARTRE (Safe Road Trains for the Environment) project, which successfully tested the concept of vehicle platooning at the Volvo Proving Ground close to Gothenburg, Sweden.

The idea was to create intelligent convoys of vehicles with a professional driver in the lead vehicle leading the rest of the cars. Each car measures distance, speed and direction and adjusts to the car in front, while being totally detached. Vehicles can leave the platoon at any time, but once in, drivers can relax and do other things, without having to worry about actually driving their cars.

Tests carried out involved a lead vehicle and single car that was able to steer itself as it was trailing the lead truck around the test track.

According to SARTRE, platooning is designed to improve a number of things, such as road safety and fuel consumption. It also allows drivers to concentrate on other matters than driving and, since vehicles in a platoon travel just a few meters apart, it may relieve traffic congestion.

The program is lead by Ricardo UK with other six companies contributing, including Volvo Car Corporation. The technology development is said to be well underway and could go into production in a few years. However, public acceptance and legislation issues will prolong the process, thus the announced 10-year timeframe.

“We are very pleased to see that the various systems work so well together already the first time”, said Erik Coelingh, engineering specialist at Volvo Cars. “After all, the systems come from seven SARTRE-member companies in four countries. The winter weather provided some extra testing of cameras and communication equipment”.

“This is a major milestone for this important European research program”, said Tom Robinson, SARTRE project coordinator, of Ricardo UK. “Platooning offers the prospect of improved road safety, better road space utilization, improved driver comfort on long journeys and reduced fuel consumption and hence CO2 emissions. With the combined skills of its participating companies, SARTRE is making tangible progress towards the realization of safe and effective road train technology”.

For a more in-depth look at the SARTRE project check out the video below.

By Csaba Daradics

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Volvo wants in on the EV Business, Starts Developing C30 DRIVe Electric with Fuel-Cell Range Extender

With even the likes of Porsche going green – not to mention the Chevrolet Volt or the Nissan Leaf, it's no surprise that Volvo wants a piece of the "Look at me, I'm saving the planet!" action.

They partnered up with Powercell Sweden AB (with backing from the Swedish Energy Agency) and hope that the Volvo C30 DRIVe Electric will be ready for testing on the road by 2012.

"This is an exciting expansion of our focus on electrification. Battery cost and size means that all-electric cars still have a relatively limited operating range. Fuel cells may be one way of extending the distance these cars can cover before they need to be recharged" Volvo Cars President and CEO Stefan Jacoby said. "What is more, the project gives us increased knowledge about fuel cells and hydrogen gas".

The project is in its early stages, the focus being on the range of the car. And it's no surprise, as no EV can stand a chance these days if it can't go at least 40-60 miles on one charge.

To achieve this, Volvo is cooking up -wait for it- a Range Extender. A reformer, tasked with breaking down liquid fuel and creating hydrogen gas. This gas then goes into the fuel cell and gets converted to electrical energy powering the motor.

The advantage of the process is that it's creating electricity without any emissions of carbon oxide (CO), nitrogen oxides (NOx), sulphur oxides (SOx) and particles whatsoever. On other thing is that the reformer can just as easily break down renewable fuels, like ethanol.

Volvo expects the Range Extender to, well, extend the range of the car by up to 250 kilometers (155 miles), in addition to the range provided by the battery pack.

By Csaba Daradics

LA Auto Show Design Contest Part 2: Mercedes, Nissan, Smart, Toyota and Volvo Concepts

Here's our second part on the 2010 Los Angeles Auto Show's "Design Challenge" with futuristic-looking lightweight concept models from Mercedes, Nissan, Smart, Toyota and Volvo. For the first group of concept studies, click here to check out our previous post.

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Mercedes-Benz Biome

Symbiosis: Light Technologies from Nature

The Biome:
The Mercedes-Benz Biome is an ultralight vehicle that utilizes technologies from nature to achieve unparalleled efficiency and seamless integration into the ecosystem.

Mercedes-Benz Symbiosis:
Mercedes-Benz Symbiosis is a system in which the vehicle becomes part of the ecosystem like the leaves of a tree. Symbiosis vehicles collect energy from the sun and store it in chemical bonds, in the form of a fluid called BioNectar4534. Mercedes has also developed technology to retrofit trees with receptors which can harvest their excess solar energy into BN4534. This creates an incentive to plant more trees and collect more energy, while also helping the ecosystem. The vehicle can be composted after its lifespan is complete or used as building material.

Partnership With Nature:
The Symbiosis vehicle forms a seamless part of the ecosystem through green technologies. Most of the energy used to power the vehicles comes from the sun. It is stored in a lightweight grown material called BioFibre. It is much lighter than metal or synthetic composites, but stronger than steel when mature. It is grown in the Mercedes-Benz Nursery through proprietary DNA. The customer's specific desires are genetically engineered into the Star and the vehicle grows when this combines with the Seed capsule.

Mercedes-Benz Nursery:
All Mercedes-Benz Symbiosis vehicles are grown in an ecologically sustainable nursery, using primarily organic materials.

Growth from Two Seeds:
The interior of the Biome grows from Mercedes-Benz DNA in the front star, when it fuses with the seed. The exterior grows from the rear star, creating the shape. The wheels are grown separately from four unique seeds.

Technologies from Nature:
Mercedes Benz Symbiosis vehicles release pure oxygen into the environment, helping urban areas to meet air quality standards.

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Nissan iV

In 2010, the innovative Nissan LEAF is introduced as the first mass-market electric vehicle (EV), planting seeds for Nissan's vision of a zero-emissions future. Fast-forward to 2035: EVs and the green energy infrastructures that power them have matured into a fully sustainable system, bringing this dream to life.

A NATURAL PERFORMER
Infused with Nissan's heritage of sports and performance, Nissan iV is a high-performance EV inspired by nature's intelligent beauty and crafted by human ingenuity. The iV is a super-lightweight sports tourer that showcases "organic synthetics," a revolutionary manufacturing technique in which automotive parts are cultivated like agriculture in a 100% sustainable, carbon-neutral process.

ALL GROWN UP
Less is more. Every detail of the Nissan iV is engineered toward renewable, lightweight strength and maximum efficiency. Featuring an interwoven organic frame, iV's chassis material is synthetically grown and formed into a stunning, aerodynamic shape. Derived from fast-growing ivy and re-enforced with spider silk composite, the biopolymer frame is flexible and ultra-light, yet extremely robust. The spacious, panoramic cabin comfortably seats four adults and is constructed from an innovative photovoltaic material that weighs 99% less than traditional glass. While the canopy collects solar energy, it also provides protective safety and unique, open-air views of the outdoors. Underneath it all, a slim bio-battery provides stability and a near limit-less range made possible by regenerative super-capacitor technology that recoups 60% of kinetic energy spent.

WHEEL 'N' DEAL
Nissan's patented concentric hub-less in-wheel motors not only propel iV, they do triple-duty by functioning as the vehicle's steering as well as its suspension system, via magnetic levitation and propulsion. Concentric magnetic rings amplify rotation with each outer ring to boost high-speed performance and provide independent wheel control for ultimate handling and maneuverability. Inspired by schools of fish and their fluid movement, Nissan's pro-active Safety Shield™ renders collisions a thing of the past and reduces weight by eliminating the need for heavy structures (bumpers, beams, airbags, etc.).

ZERO-HERO
Through industry-leading technology, Nissan iV maximizes the driving experience by eliminating excess. Nissan fulfills a deep nostalgia for the joy of driving with a strikingly beautiful EV that can deliver electrifying, agile performance with zero-guilt.

Our mantra: Innovation For All.

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Smart 454 WWT

The Smart 454 by Weight Watch Technologies from Germany.
(454kg is about 1000lb)

West coast fun and innovation meets German technology, design and grannies' hand knit socks.

Manufactured by incredibly high-tech robots that look as friendly and cuddly as our grandmothers, the Tridion-frame (chassis) is knit by our "Smart Granny Robots" (otherwise know as SGRs) out of carbon fibre. The knitting can create complex shapes and forms, enabling the geometry to be optimized in strength and weight.

We use different materials for each individual part to give every piece of the car its own specific properties and look. Each part is manufactured with the exact material necessary for an optimal balance between weight and function. Windows, fenders and bumpers are all made of recyclable plastics with ingrained colors. The roof is a thin, but highly durable recycled textile that comes with different prints and weavings.

Construction of the WWT carbon fibre wheels with integrated suspension are very lightweight and make it also impossible to run a flat tire. Our unique SGR technology allows for truly unique looking rims and the best lightweight technology in a rim.

The modular "clip-on" construction principal allows easy and endless customizing: a typical WWT of Sindelfingen and smart signature. The doors, roof, engine and drive-train are also very easy to remove or exchange, allowing for perfect functionality, looks, fun and the best tuning for any occasion.

Lightweight, fun and clever: Smart, the WWT from Germany.

Hand knit socks and grannies have never been so much fun…

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Toyota NORI

NORI Concept:
Building on Toyota's leadership role in creating eco-sensitive vehicles, the NORI concept challenges us to look ahead and create a clever vision that addresses fuel economy, emissions, green materials, new design and manufactured technology, and transforms it into an emotionally appealing design solution.

As the majority of current generation automobiles consist of a chassis covered by attached body panels, the NORI concept presents the idea that the body and chassis are one, as a PODULAR form, designed to be strong, light and beautiful. Bioplastics technology is created using "nori" (the Japanese word for seaweed) combined with a carbon fiber weave for strength. Woven into the PODULAR form are solar cells that capture and generate supplemental solar energy. As a holistic solution and new design aesthetic, NORI reduces weight and the number of parts while capturing and generating energy.

At the onset of the DESIGN process for each PODULAR form is a collaboration between designers and engineers, utilizing a "real time" design envelope to ensure the perfect balance of strength, light weight and design aesthetics. This process eliminates traditional design and engineering conflicts of form vs. function, and allows the design/engineering process to come to fruition at the same time.

MANUFACTURING:
The PODULAR forms are grown at factories located nearby the sea. Seaweed grows prolifically, and using it as a bioplastics source is an effort to minimalize the impact on the food chain (corn/soy etc) that has previously been used for bioplastics. The solar cells are embedded as part of the growing/manufacturing process.

PERSONALIZATION:
PSI's (partial shape insets) are utilized to shield or expose passengers to the elements and address vehicle regulations (such as covered wheels), while serving as a new form of personalization. The color/graphics of NORI can be changed through an electronically generated data charge sent into the surface. There are no doors: ingress/egress is achieved by stepping over and into NORI's PODULAR form.

DRIVETRAIN:
NORI utilizes four electric wheel motors and a removable battery pack.

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Volvo Air Motion

Imagine…

A vehicle lighter than a Formula 1 racing car... Experiencing the adrenaline rush of carving through the canyons with up to three friends… Not using a drop of gasoline... Now just imagine if these dreams could be brought together in a single vehicle.

Tipping the scales at under 1,000 lbs. the Volvo Air Motion Concept makes these dreams a reality and delivers this in a beautiful Scandinavian body. Designed like a clam shell and sculptured from ultra light carbon fiber.

Minimizing weight and complexity, while maximizing driving enjoyment, is the philosophy behind this vehicle. Thousands of fewer components are employed than in a traditional car, thanks to the powerful, yet simple, compressed air motors that replace a heavy internal combustion engine. The motors cool down under load rather than heat up, thus removing the need for heavy cooling systems. An integrated approach to designing the chassis, interior and suspension also contribute significantly.

To compress the air needed for the centrally mounted air tank, Air Replenishment Sites are used. Powered by air turbines floating 1,000 ft. in the air, they harness the power of the wind and convert it to electricity to provide the compression.

Aimed at the driving enthusiast, by a company synonymous with safety and environmental care, the Volvo Air Motion demonstrates the beauty and purity of Scandinavian design and delivers a guilt-free, raw driving experience.

Introducing a new form of exhilaration. The Volvo Air Motion Canyon Carver.