The Volvo C30 Electric has now left the product development stage. Initial deliveries to leasing customers, mainly companies, authorities and governmental bodies, will take place immediately after the summer.
The Volvo C30 Electric will be manufactured and delivered to leasing customers throughout Europe, including in Sweden, Belgium, the Netherlands and Norway. Tests on a fleet of about 50 cars have been conducted since autumn 2010, mainly internally at the Volvo Car Corporation. About 250 C30 Electric cars will be built by end 2012, possibly more if market interest takes off.
The Volvo C30 Electric is built on the regular assembly line in the Ghent, Belgium, factory and then transported to Göteborg for installation of the motor, batteries and other model-specific electronics. The batteries are installed where the fuel tank normally sits and also in a special compartment in the car’s central tunnel. As a result, the luggage compartment is unchanged.
The Volvo C30 Electric is powered by lithium-ion batteries that can be recharged via either a regular household power socket or special roadside charging stations. Charging the battery fully takes about seven hours.
Top speed with a fully charged battery pack is about 81mph (130km/h). Acceleration from 0 to 62mph (100km/h) takes less than 11 seconds. The car’s range is up to 150km (94 miles). This covers the daily transport needs of over 90% of all motorists in Europe.[wzslider height=”400″ lightbox=”true”]
