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2007 Volvo ReCharge Concept

Think Volvo and you think safety. Think Volvo in more recent times, and you

Volvo hops on board the series hybrid train with the C30-based ReCharge concept. (Photo: Volvo)

think of good looking cars that are also very safe. But most people don't think of Volvo in the same green light that they might think of Toyota or Honda, companies that often hype their environmental pledges to the masses. Volvo has long pursued the premise of being conscious to environmental concerns, having made huge progress with its Lambda Sond emissions control system. Its V8 engine found in the top-line XC90 and S80 is the cleanest in the world, and it's dedicated to building cars that can run on alternative fuels such as biomethane, hythane (hydrogen and methane blend), bioethanol and biodiesel. It's even done a pure electric vehicle, the 3CC, which it successfully entered in the Michelin Bibendum competition a few years back. Most recently, Volvo put its efforts into making its most efficient production car yet, the C30 Efficiency which reduced drag and wind resistance to make the most fuel efficient Volvo ever. Volvo is backing that particular car with a brand new concept vehicle that it will be debuting in Frankfurt this year, the ReCharge Concept.

The ReCharge is the first attempt by the Swedish automaker at a series hybrid vehicle that looks like a Volvo C30 hatchback. If you're not familiar

The use of in-wheel electric motors means that Volvo doesn't have to significantly alter the structure of the vehicle. (Photo: Volvo)

with what a series hybrid vehicle is, in essence it is the same system that General Motors has been touting with the Chevrolet Volt, and Ford with the HySeries. Like any other hybrid on the road, a series hybrid features some internal combustion engine or fuel cell, but unlike a Prius or Civic Hybrid (or any other hybrid currently on sale for that matter), cars with series hybrid powertrains do not have any physical connection between the fossil-fuel burning engine and the road. Under all circumstances, the electric motor is what powers the vehicle, powered by the battery pack. Should the battery pack run low, the fossil-fuel burning motor starts up, and like an on-board generator recharges the car's battery.

Another key differentiating factor between mainstream hybrid vehicles and the ReCharge has to do with its electric motors. The Volvo features in-wheel electric motors (developed by PML FlightLink, the folks that made the crazy 640-hp electric Mini), similar to what Mitsubishi has been experimenting with for its MIEV series concept cars. This method

Ichiro Sugioka, project manager for the ReCharge. (Photo: Volvo)

was selected for various reasons, including its all-wheel drive capability, and for the fact that Volvo didn't need to significantly alter the vehicle's structure to integrate them.

Under the hood of the ReCharge is a small 1.6-liter flexifuel engine that can run on gasoline or any blend of ethanol and gasoline up to E85. One of the unique features of the ReCharge is that the driver can switch the gasoline engine on and off as he or she sees fit. For instance, in times of low energy drain (e.g. when cruising along on the highway) the engine can be used to top up the battery with juice, enabling the car to better function as a ZEV operating on electricity alone at its next stop. Meanwhile, some of the cargo area has been replaced with the battery packs. If Volvo chose to use a different sort of electric motor system, the ability to base it on the C30 with existing engines would have been considerably more difficult.

Volvo has said that the ReCharge is equipped with a Lithium-Polymer battery that will last longer than the life of the car, something we find a little, well, optimistic. Currently, General Motors is working with various battery

Groundbreaking technology for the preservation of the environment melds with Volvo safety and slick Scandinavian styling. (Photo: Volvo)

companies to develop the first lithium-ion batteries for use in cars, let alone ones that can last the entire life of the vehicle. You never know with Volvo though, as they may have something innovative up their sleeve.

This all sounds very good – a safe, attractive luxury compact hatchback that's kind to its owners' wallets as well as to Mother Nature, but what does this really mean to the average consumer? Volvo mapped out an average scenario; if a fully charged battery lasts roughly 62 miles between charges, and one were to drive 90 miles, the ReCharge would use a little more than 0.7 gallon of gasoline, giving the car an equivalent fuel consumption rating of 124 mpg. For people who commute less than 62 miles to and from work, there's a high probability that owners will be visiting their local refueling stations less frequently as the vehicle can be recharged at night, or during the day when not in use. To fully charge the ReCharge, three hours are needed, though in the timespan of one hour up to 50-percent of the battery can be charged, which is good for about 30 miles. When the engine is on and running for greater periods of time (such as recharging the battery while on the highway), the constant speed of the 1.6-liter yields a fuel consumption of about 45 mpg.

Is there any chance that we'll ever get to see a vehicle like the ReCharge? Volvo has proved that it can adapt existing vehicles to be environmentally friendly in the form of a series hybrid thanks to in-wheel electric motors, but we believe it'll be at least another three to four years before the Swedish company can get such a vehicle to market if indeed it chooses to. Nevertheless, it's good to see that this is a trend that many automotive manufacturers are keen to jump on, and what's more is that the idea of the series hybrid is quickly spreading.

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