All-electric Volvo C30 BEV shown at Frankfurt

Volvo has unveiled its C30 BEV (Battery Electric Vehicle) at this week’s Frankfurt Motor Show. The Swedish company, which is working towards launching its first plug-in hybrid car by 2012, is currently evaluating the commercial and technological viability of the all-electric C30 BEV, which is fitted with a lithium-ion battery that can be fully charged in eight hours. The car has a range of 150km.

Volvo has built a few prototype units of the C30 BEV this year, which it has been testing extensively. In addition to focusing on performance and safety, a lot of attention has also been paid to integration of the electric propulsion system with the rest of the car.

‘The C30 is the first model we will try out with electric power. This car's excellent properties in city traffic and its relatively low weight make it particularly suitable, since electric cars are primarily expected to be used in and around cities and for daily commuting,’ says Lennart Stegland, Director of Volvo Cars Special Vehicles.

The C30 BEV is limited to a top speed of about 130km/h and it can accelerate from zero to 100km/h in less than 11 seconds. ‘The consumer must feel that this type of car is attractive both to drive and own. In order to ensure this, we feel that electric cars will have to be as comfortable and safe and offer similar levels of performance as cars with other power sources. The learning from the C30 BEV project will help us to fulfil all these criteria and showcase Volvo's determination to drive developments in the field of electrification,’ says Paul Gustavsson, Director of Electrification Strategy at Volvo Cars.