Chauffeur company Tristar Worldwide has taken delivery of three Volvo V60 plug-in hybrids to trial as part of the Energy Saving Trust’s Plugged-In Fleet Initiative (PIFI).
Volvo V60 plug-in hybrids will be with Tristar for six to eight months covering over 20,000 miles each. Initially placed with key decision makers at Tristar, the vehicles will then be rolled out to chauffeurs to fully assess the operational benefits of a Plug-in Hybrid.
Volvo V60 Plug-in Hybrid works by the front wheels being powered by a five-cylinder 2.4-litre turbo diesel producing 215 hp and maximum torque is 440 Nm, while the rear axle is powered by an electric motor producing 70 horsepower, all while only producing 48g/km of CO2 on the combined cycle.
Funded by the Department for Transport and Transport for London, PIFI aims to demonstrate where plug-in vehicles can work practically to fulfil and maximise business needs, show where the vehicles work economically and provide vital insights into the fleet plug in vehicle market.
Chosen as part of 20 participating fleets in the initiative including Network Rail and the Environment Agency, Tristar’s trial is aimed at helping explore if the currently used Volvo diesels could be replaced with Plug-in Hybrids.
Throughout the course of the trial Tristar will monitor running costs, mileage data and overall driver and customer feedback before compiling a final PIFI report at the trial’s conclusion.
Despite only recently taking delivery of the vehicles, driver feedback has already been positive with drivers praising the ride quality and overall performance of the vehicle.
