Volvo C30
Encyclopedia
The Volvo C30 is a small family car
produced by Volvo Cars
. The C30 is a three-door, four-seat hatchback
powered by straight-4
and straight-5
engines. The car is a hatchback version of the S40
/V50/C70
range, and uses the same Ford C1
(or Volvo P1) platform. It is being marketed as a premium hatchback or a sports coupe specially designed for first-time Volvo buyers and the youth market. Production is expected to be 65,000 units a year, 75% for sale in the European market. The production car was officially unveiled at the 2006 Paris Motor Show
.
The exterior design of the C30 is based on the 2001 SCC
concept car, which was inspired by the 1800ES
, the estate adaptation of the P1800 Coupe. It also shares many design cues with the Volvo 480
, particularly the 'sportback' body style and glass tailgate. According to Simon Lamarre, chief studio designer, "the 1800ES has become one of the icons for Volvo," inspiring the design of the Volvo C30. The interior design is similar to the S40
and V50; the majority of parts including the instrument panel, 'floating' centre stack and steering wheel are shared by the three cars.
dual-clutch automatic
with the 2.0 L petrol and diesel engines, a 1.8L E85
flex-fuel engine, and 1.6L "DRIVe" diesel engines with improved efficiency and optional start/stop
capability. Trim lines include SE and SE Lux in the UK, and Kinetic, Momentum, and Summum (from fewest to most features) in most other European nations. The R-Design package adds interior and exterior accessories including aluminum inlays on the dashboard, R-Design emblems on the steering wheel, seats and floor mats, a rear spoiler and body kit.
In Canada, the 2.4i was offered until 2011, while the T5 remains available. In the United States, the only engine available has been the T5. For 2008, the US C30 debuted with two trim lines, Version 1.0 and Version 2.0. R-Design was added later in the model year, featuring unique badges and interior trim. Since 2009, the US C30 has been offered in T5 or R-Design trim.
featuring Dolby Pro Logic II Surround, and 10 loudspeakers from Danish Dynaudio
.
The 2008 model year brings some minor changes, mostly adapting the interior to the facelifted S40/V50 and including as standard an Aux audio socket.
The 2009 model year moved the VOLVO badge from the hatch handle to the glass area above it, enlarged the font and increased the space between the letters. It also brought other small changes such as including the hard load cover as standard.
as a primary concern. This is demonstrated through some recently developed safety features, including a method of overcoming the "blind spots" in the driver's view to the rear through a system known as BLIS (Blind Spot Information System
).
The C30 also features a four-wheel anti-lock braking system
(ABS), electronic stability program (ESP), traction control system
and front, side and curtain airbags, front and rear crumple zones, and a stiff occupant cell.
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety
(IIHS) awarded the Volvo C30 their Top Safety Pick award. The C30 was granted its highest rating of "good" in front, side, rear and roof strength tests and has Electronic Stability Control
as standard equipment to receive the award.
The Volvo C30 has a patented front and rear structure using four different grades of steel to absorb and redistribute impact energy around the body of the coupe. Volvo's Whiplash Protection System
and Side Impact Protection System
with side airbags and Inflatable Curtain are also standard. The seat belts have pretensioners to protect the occupants against unexpected accidents.
The car also uses Volvo's Intelligent Driver Information System (IDIS) which continuously monitors the car's preemptive systems such as steering wheel angle, pedal depressions, and overall factors that help the vehicle's computer to decide if the driver is busy or distracted merging or turning, and will then accordingly delay certain data or alerts that are unimportant.
The C30 has been criticized because in an effort to make it more responsive in curves it has become less reliable on ice or snow where the rear end can more easily lose its grip compared to other Volvo models.
show:
Another concept car that was not unveiled at SEMA is the C30 PCP ("Performance Concept Prototype"). It was revealed in 2010 and was developed by Swedish company Polestar. It had all wheel drive, a body kit similar to the one found on the STCC cars and it borrowed the T5′s turbocharged 2.5 engine, albeit pushed to 405 hp. It was finished in a striking shade of blue. While the car was only a concept, as of July 2011 Volvo is considering producing a limited run of them.
C30 prototype in September 2009. An updated prototype was shown at the 2010 North American International Auto Show
in Detroit. The concept car
was exhibited in the 2010 Paris Motor Show
and presented as the C30 DRIVe. The C30 DRIVEe was one of the five finalists to the 2011 Green Car Vision Award
.
Field testing of about 50 C30 electric cars have been conducted in Sweden since the fourth quarter of 2010, mainly internally at the Volvo Car Corporation. A Volvo C30 Electric was also part of the One Tonne Life project in which a family was given the task of living as climate-smart as possible for a period of six months. In November 2011 an agreement was made to run a demonstration program with two Volvo C30 Electric cars in the Jiading District
in Shanghai
.
The electric C30 has a lithium-ion battery, supplied by US manufacturer EnerDel
. Top speed is estimated by Volvo at 130 km/h (80.8 mph), with acceleration from 0–50 kph (0–31 mph) in 4 seconds. The C30 Electric can be recharged from a regular household power socket and a full charge takes about 7 hours. The all-electric range
is up to 150 kilometres (93.2 mi). The batteries are installed where the fuel tank normally sits and also in a special compartment in the C30's central tunnel, and as a result, the luggage compartment is unchanged.
The Volvo C30 Electric is equipped with three climate systems: one supplies the passengers with heating or cooling; one cools or warms the battery pack as necessary; and the electric motor and power electronics are water-cooled. The climate control in the passenger cabin features a bioethanol-powered heater, a solution chosen by Volvo to get heating without compromising the battery driving range, but the driver has the option to run the climate unit on electricity from the batteries. Ethanol is the default mode and the ethanol
tank can carry 14.5 litres (3.8 US gal) of bio-ethanol. Volvo has Tested the C30 in winter conditions in temperatures as low as −20 °C (−4 °F).
Production of the C30 Electric began in June 2011. The Volvo C30 Electric body is built on the regular assembly line in the factory at Ghent, Belgium, and then the glider
is transported to Göteborg for installation of the motor, batteries and other model-specific electronics.
Volvo plans to lease the Volvo C30 Electric to corporate customers, mainly companies, authorities and government agencies. Initial deliveries are scheduled for the third quarter of 2011 throughout Europe, including in Sweden, Belgium, the Netherlands and Norway. Volvo expects to build about 250 cars by the end of 2012, and possibly more if market interest takes off.
A total of 100 Volvo C30 Electrics will be slated for the US, half will be allocated on the West Coast
and the other half on the East Coast
. Volvo is targeting the leases to corporate and government fleet users at a price of around per month in the U.S. and per month in Europe. As this pricing is much higher than other electric cars available in the market by 2011, Volvo explained that their prices reflect the actual cost of the limited-production car.
Compact car
A compact car , or small family car , is a classification of cars which are larger than a supermini but smaller than or equal to a mid-size car...
produced by Volvo Cars
Volvo Cars
Volvo Car Corporation, or Volvo Personvagnar AB, is a Swedish automobile manufacturer founded in 1927, in Gothenburg, Sweden. It is owned by Zhejiang Geely Holding Group. Volvo was originally formed as a subsidiary company to the ball bearing maker SKF. When Volvo AB was introduced on the Swedish...
. The C30 is a three-door, four-seat hatchback
Hatchback
A Hatchback is a car body style incorporating a shared passenger and cargo volume, with rearmost accessibility via a rear third or fifth door, typically a top-hinged liftgate—and features such as fold-down rear seats to enable flexibility within the shared passenger/cargo volume. As a two-box...
powered by straight-4
Straight-4
The inline-four engine or straight-four engine is an internal combustion engine with all four cylinders mounted in a straight line, or plane along the crankcase. The single bank of cylinders may be oriented in either a vertical or an inclined plane with all the pistons driving a common crankshaft....
and straight-5
Straight-5
The straight-five engine or inline-five engine is an internal combustion engine with five cylinders aligned in one row or plane, sharing a single engine block and crankcase...
engines. The car is a hatchback version of the S40
Volvo S40
The Volvo S40 is a small family car produced by Volvo. It introduced the first generation S40 and V40 cars in 1995...
/V50/C70
Volvo C70
The Volvo C70 is a luxury automobile manufactured by Volvo Cars in two generations: the first from model years 1997-2002 as coupé and from 1999 to 2006 as a softtop convertible...
range, and uses the same Ford C1
Ford C1 platform
The Ford C1 platform is Ford's global compact car automobile platform. It replaces Ford C170 platform and Mazda's BJ platform. The C1 platform debuted with the European Ford Focus C-Max compact MPV in early 2004...
(or Volvo P1) platform. It is being marketed as a premium hatchback or a sports coupe specially designed for first-time Volvo buyers and the youth market. Production is expected to be 65,000 units a year, 75% for sale in the European market. The production car was officially unveiled at the 2006 Paris Motor Show
Mondial de l'Automobile 2006
The 2006 Paris Motor Show took place from September 30 to October 15, 2006, in Paris Expo, Porte de Versailles.- Introductions :* Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione* Audi A3 1.8 TFSI* Audi A4 2.8 FSI* Audi R8...
.
The exterior design of the C30 is based on the 2001 SCC
Volvo SCC
The Volvo Safety Concept Car is an ESV concept car which was first shown at the 2001 North American International Auto Show in Detroit, Michigan.The car was the first and, to date, the only car to have an experimental criss-cross seatbelt...
concept car, which was inspired by the 1800ES
Volvo P1800
-History:The project was started in 1957 because Volvo wanted a sports car, despite the fact that their previous attempt, the P1900, had been a disaster, with only 68 cars sold. The man behind the project was an engineering consultant to Volvo, Helmer Petterson, who in the 1940s was responsible for...
, the estate adaptation of the P1800 Coupe. It also shares many design cues with the Volvo 480
Volvo 480
The Volvo 480 is a car with an unusual 4-seat, 3-door hatchback body, somewhere between liftback and estate in form, though marketed as a coupé...
, particularly the 'sportback' body style and glass tailgate. According to Simon Lamarre, chief studio designer, "the 1800ES has become one of the icons for Volvo," inspiring the design of the Volvo C30. The interior design is similar to the S40
Volvo S40
The Volvo S40 is a small family car produced by Volvo. It introduced the first generation S40 and V40 cars in 1995...
and V50; the majority of parts including the instrument panel, 'floating' centre stack and steering wheel are shared by the three cars.
Europe
In late 2006, the C30 was launched in Europe. Engines choices range from a 1.6L inline-4 (petrol or diesel) to a 2.5L inline-5 turbo (2.4L diesel). 2009 added the choices of a 6-speed PowerShiftFord PowerShift transmission
The Ford PowerShift is a six-speed dual clutch automatic gearbox produced by the Ford Motor Company. The Ford PowerShift gearboxes are built by Getrag Ford Transmissions, a joint-venture with Getrag...
dual-clutch automatic
Automatic transmission
An automatic transmission is one type of motor vehicle transmission that can automatically change gear ratios as the vehicle moves, freeing the driver from having to shift gears manually...
with the 2.0 L petrol and diesel engines, a 1.8L E85
E85
E85 is an abbreviation for an ethanol fuel blend of up to 85% denatured ethanol fuel and gasoline or other hydrocarbon by volume. E85 is commonly used by flex-fuel vehicles in the US, Canada, and Europe. Some of the benefits of E85 over conventional gasoline powered vehicles include the potential...
flex-fuel engine, and 1.6L "DRIVe" diesel engines with improved efficiency and optional start/stop
Start-stop system
In automobiles, a start-stop system or stop-start system automatically shuts down and restarts the internal combustion engine to reduce the amount of time the engine spends idling, thereby improving fuel economy and reducing emissions...
capability. Trim lines include SE and SE Lux in the UK, and Kinetic, Momentum, and Summum (from fewest to most features) in most other European nations. The R-Design package adds interior and exterior accessories including aluminum inlays on the dashboard, R-Design emblems on the steering wheel, seats and floor mats, a rear spoiler and body kit.
North America
The C30 went on sale in Canada in March 2007 as a 2007 model, and in October 2007 in the United States as a 2008 model.In Canada, the 2.4i was offered until 2011, while the T5 remains available. In the United States, the only engine available has been the T5. For 2008, the US C30 debuted with two trim lines, Version 1.0 and Version 2.0. R-Design was added later in the model year, featuring unique badges and interior trim. Since 2009, the US C30 has been offered in T5 or R-Design trim.
Specifications
An upgraded sound system includes a digital 5×130 watt ICE Power amplifier from AlpineAlpine Electronics
is traditionally known as an aftermarket car audio and navigation systems manufacturer, famed for their high quality, premium in-car audio units commonly known as headunits. It is a subsidiary of Alps Electric Co. and its registered head office is in Tokyo, Japan. However its main offices, or the...
featuring Dolby Pro Logic II Surround, and 10 loudspeakers from Danish Dynaudio
Dynaudio
Dynaudio is a Danish loudspeaker maker, founded in 1977. Originally Dynaudio built speakers using their own crossover but relying on OEM drivers, but later they started to make their own drivers...
.
The 2008 model year brings some minor changes, mostly adapting the interior to the facelifted S40/V50 and including as standard an Aux audio socket.
The 2009 model year moved the VOLVO badge from the hatch handle to the glass area above it, enlarged the font and increased the space between the letters. It also brought other small changes such as including the hard load cover as standard.
Engines and transmissions
| Petrol engines | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Model | Engine type, code | Displacement | Max power @ rpm | Max torque @ rpm | Transmissions |
| 1.6 | I4, B4164S3 Ford Sigma engine The Ford Sigma is a small straight-4 automobile engine sold by Ford Motor Company. First evolution of engines were sold as the "Zetec-SE" . After the upgrade Ford renamed Sigma to Duratec. Last upgrade of engine is named Duratec Ti-VCT... |
1596 cc | 100 PS@6000 | 150 newton metres (110.6 ft·lbf)@4000 | 5-speed manual (Ford IB5) |
| 1.8 | I4, B4184S11 Mazda MZR engine MZR is the brand name of a generation of Straight-4 engines engineered and built by the Mazda Motor Corporation between 2001 and 2011. The MZR generation includes gasoline and diesel powered engines ranging in displacements from 1.3L to 2.5L. All gasoline-powered MZRs feature an all-aluminum block... |
1798 cc | 125 PS@6000 | 165 newton metres (121.7 ft·lbf)@4000 | 5-speed manual (Ford MTX-75 Ford MTX-75 transmission The Ford MTX-75 , is a 5-speed transmission developed by Ford Motor Company for its larger-engined front wheel drive models. "75" refers to the distance in millimeters between the main and lay shafts.... ) |
| 2.0 | I4, B4204S3 Mazda MZR engine MZR is the brand name of a generation of Straight-4 engines engineered and built by the Mazda Motor Corporation between 2001 and 2011. The MZR generation includes gasoline and diesel powered engines ranging in displacements from 1.3L to 2.5L. All gasoline-powered MZRs feature an all-aluminum block... |
1999 cc | 145 PS@6000 | 185 newton metres (136.4 ft·lbf)@4500 | 5-speed manual (Ford MTX-75), 6-speed PowerShift (Ford MPS6) |
| 2.4i | I5, B5244S4 Volvo Modular engine The Volvo Modular engine is a family of straight-4, straight-5, and straight-6 automobile piston engine produced from the first year Volvo 960 appeared with the B6304F engine . It has an aluminium engine block and aluminium 4-valve DOHC cylinder heads and uses SFI fuel injection and has... |
2435 cc | 170 PS@6000 | 230 newton metres (169.6 ft·lbf)@4400 | 5-speed manual (Getrag M56), 5-speed Geartronic Geartronic Geartronic is Volvo Cars' name for its manumatic transmission, similar to Porsche's Tiptronic. It is available in 5 and 6 speed models, and is controlled by a microprocessor. The microprocessor automatically shifts to the next gear if a forgetful user in manual mode red lines the engine. Manual... (Aisin AW55-51) |
| T5 (2006–2007) | I5 turbo, B5254T Volvo Modular engine The Volvo Modular engine is a family of straight-4, straight-5, and straight-6 automobile piston engine produced from the first year Volvo 960 appeared with the B6304F engine . It has an aluminium engine block and aluminium 4-valve DOHC cylinder heads and uses SFI fuel injection and has... |
2521 cc | 220 PS | 320 newton metre@1500–4800 | 6-speed manual (Getrag M66), 5-speed Geartronic (Aisin AW55-51) |
| T5 (2007–) | I5 turbo, B5254T7 Volvo Modular engine The Volvo Modular engine is a family of straight-4, straight-5, and straight-6 automobile piston engine produced from the first year Volvo 960 appeared with the B6304F engine . It has an aluminium engine block and aluminium 4-valve DOHC cylinder heads and uses SFI fuel injection and has... |
2521 cc | 230 PS@5000 | 320 newton metre@1500–5000 | 6-speed manual, 5-speed Geartronic |
| Diesel engines | |||||
| Model | Engine type, code | Displacement | Max power @ rpm | Max torque @ rpm | Transmissions |
| 1.6D, 1.6D DRIVe | I4 turbo, D4164T Ford DLD engine The Ford DLD engine is an automobile engine family - a group of compact straight-4 Diesel engines developed jointly by Ford Motor Company and the PSA Group . The Ford/PSA joint-venture for the production of the DLD was announced in September, 1998... |
1560 cc | 109 PS@4000 | 240 newton metre@1750 | 5-speed manual Manual transmission A manual transmission, also known as a manual gearbox or standard transmission is a type of transmission used in motor vehicle applications... (Ford MTX-75) |
| 1.6D DRIVe S/S | I4 turbo | 1560 cc | 109 PS@4000 | 240 newton metre@1750 | 5-speed manual (Ford MTX-75) |
| 2.0D | I4 turbo, D4204T | 1997 cc | 136 PS@4000 | 320 newton metre@2000 | 6-speed manual (Getrag MMT6), 6-speed Powershift (Ford MPS6) |
| D5 (automatic) | I5 turbo, D5244T8 Volvo D5 engine The Volvo D5 is a type of turbocharged diesel engine developed by Volvo Car Corporation for use in its passenger cars.It is an all aluminium five-cylinder engine with 20 valves and double overhead camshafts... |
2401 cc | 180 PS@4000 | 350 newton metre@1750–3250 | 6-speed manual (Getrag M66), 5-speed GearTronic |
| D5 (manual) | I5 turbo, D5244T13 Volvo D5 engine The Volvo D5 is a type of turbocharged diesel engine developed by Volvo Car Corporation for use in its passenger cars.It is an all aluminium five-cylinder engine with 20 valves and double overhead camshafts... |
2401 cc | 180 PS@4000 | 400 newton metre@2000–2750 | 6-speed manual (Getrag M66) |
| Petrol/E85 engines | |||||
| Model | Engine type, code | Displacement | Max power @ rpm | Max torque @ rpm | Transmissions |
| 1.8F | I4, B4184S8 | 1798 cc | 125 PS@6000 | 165 newton metre@4000 | 5-speed manual (Ford MTX-75) |
2010 update
Volvo introduced a refreshed C30 at the 2009 Frankfurt Motor Show. It has a redesigned front end with new headlights, grille, and front body panels. The rest of the body has only minor changes, and the engine and transmission choices remain the same. A new sport chassis is available. Many new interior and exterior color choices have been added, including "Orange Flame Metallic" paint. The updated C30 went on sale in early 2010, as a 2011 model in North America and Australia.Safety
The C30 continues Volvo's marketing strategy to put safetyCar safety
Automobile safety is the study and practice of vehicle design, construction, and equipment to minimize the occurrence and consequences of automobile accidents. Automobile safety is the study and practice of vehicle design, construction, and equipment to minimize the occurrence and consequences of...
as a primary concern. This is demonstrated through some recently developed safety features, including a method of overcoming the "blind spots" in the driver's view to the rear through a system known as BLIS (Blind Spot Information System
Blind Spot Information System
BLIS, an acronym for Blind Spot Information System, is a system of protection against collisions in the vehicle blind spot developed by Volvo. Volvo's previous parent Ford Motor Company has since adapted the system to its Ford, Lincoln , and Mercury brands.This system was first introduced in the...
).
The C30 also features a four-wheel anti-lock braking system
Anti-lock braking system
An anti-lock braking system is a safety system that allows the wheels on a motor vehicle to continue interacting tractively with the road surface as directed by driver steering inputs while braking, preventing the wheels from locking up and therefore avoiding skidding.An ABS generally offers...
(ABS), electronic stability program (ESP), traction control system
Traction control system
A traction control system , also known as anti-slip regulation , is typically a secondary function of the anti-lock braking system on production motor vehicles, designed to prevent loss of traction of driven road wheels...
and front, side and curtain airbags, front and rear crumple zones, and a stiff occupant cell.
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety
Insurance Institute for Highway Safety
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety is a U.S. non-profit organization funded by auto insurers, established in 1959 and headquartered in Arlington, Virginia. It works to reduce the number of motor vehicle crashes, and the rate of injuries and amount of property damage in the crashes that...
(IIHS) awarded the Volvo C30 their Top Safety Pick award. The C30 was granted its highest rating of "good" in front, side, rear and roof strength tests and has Electronic Stability Control
Electronic Stability Control
Electronic stability control is a computerized technology that may potentially improve the safety of a vehicle's stability by detecting and minimizing skids. When ESC detects loss of steering control, it automatically applies the brakes to help "steer" the vehicle where the driver intends to go...
as standard equipment to receive the award.
The Volvo C30 has a patented front and rear structure using four different grades of steel to absorb and redistribute impact energy around the body of the coupe. Volvo's Whiplash Protection System
WHIPS
WHIPS, or Whiplash Protection System, is a system of protection against automotive whiplash injuries introduced by Volvo in 1999 in the Volvo S80....
and Side Impact Protection System
Side Impact Protection System
A Side Impact Protection System is a system of protection against injury in side collisions, developed by Volvo.SIPS was released in the Volvo 700, 900 and 850 series in 1991....
with side airbags and Inflatable Curtain are also standard. The seat belts have pretensioners to protect the occupants against unexpected accidents.
The car also uses Volvo's Intelligent Driver Information System (IDIS) which continuously monitors the car's preemptive systems such as steering wheel angle, pedal depressions, and overall factors that help the vehicle's computer to decide if the driver is busy or distracted merging or turning, and will then accordingly delay certain data or alerts that are unimportant.
The C30 has been criticized because in an effort to make it more responsive in curves it has become less reliable on ice or snow where the rear end can more easily lose its grip compared to other Volvo models.
Concept cars
Three C30 concepts were unveiled at the 2006 SEMASEMA
Specialty Equipment Market Association of the automobile aftermarket was formed in 1963 by Roy Richter, Ed Iskenderian, Willie Garner, Bob Hedman, John Bartlett, Phil Weiand, Jr., Al Segal, Dean Moon, and Vic Edelbrock, Jr...
show:
- The EvolveEvolve CarsEvolve Cars, Inc. is a manufacturer of aftermarket parts, specifically designed for Volvo Cars. Its parts are intended to enhance performance and styling, with improved brake pads, air intakes, and interior upgrades. The company has now changed its named to Elevate....
C30 show car has a twin turbo engine, all wheel drive, suspension from Evolve's 2004 S40 concept from the 2004 SEMA show, and 4-piston brake calipers. - The IPDInternational Product DevelopmentInternational Product Development, more commonly known as IPD or IPD USA, is an automotive aftermarket company that manufactures and sells high-performance upgrade components for Volvo and Subaru brand automobiles....
C30 SEMA concept has a supercharged 5-cylinder engine with 6 psi (0.41368543758 bar) of boost, a nitrous tank, gull wing doors, and Alcantara seats. - The Volvo HS3 Thor Concept was built by Heico Sportiv. It includes a 2.5L turbo engine (B5254T) rated 300 PS and 420 newton metre, Haldex AWD, Heico Volution V 8x18-in sport-alloy wheels with Toyo tires, and 4-caliper disk brakes with 320 mm (12.6 in) front rotors.
Another concept car that was not unveiled at SEMA is the C30 PCP ("Performance Concept Prototype"). It was revealed in 2010 and was developed by Swedish company Polestar. It had all wheel drive, a body kit similar to the one found on the STCC cars and it borrowed the T5′s turbocharged 2.5 engine, albeit pushed to 405 hp. It was finished in a striking shade of blue. While the car was only a concept, as of July 2011 Volvo is considering producing a limited run of them.
Volvo ReCharge concept
The ReCharge concept is a plug-in hybrid electric version of C30, developed by Volvo's California development center. It was unveiled at the 2007 Frankfurt Motor Show. It features a 4-cylinder 1.6L flex-fuel engine and an electric motor on each wheel. It has an estimated battery range of 100 kilometres (62.1 mi). The batteries have 3 hours of full recharge time. The car has a top speed of 160 km/h (99.4 mph). Volvo plans to sell a production plug-in hybrid C30 in Europe in 2012.C30 DRIVe Electric
Volvo first presented a drivable electricElectric car
An electric car is an automobile which is propelled by electric motor, using electrical energy stored in batteries or another energy storage device. Electric cars were popular in the late-19th century and early 20th century, until advances in internal combustion engine technology and mass...
C30 prototype in September 2009. An updated prototype was shown at the 2010 North American International Auto Show
North American International Auto Show
The North American International Auto Show is an annual auto show held in Detroit, Michigan at Cobo Center, usually in January. It is among the largest auto shows in North America.-History:...
in Detroit. The concept car
Concept car
A concept vehicle or show vehicle is a car made to showcase new styling and or new technology. They are often shown at motor shows to gauge customer reaction to new and radical designs which may or may not have a chance of being produced....
was exhibited in the 2010 Paris Motor Show
2010 Paris Motor Show
The 2010 Paris Motor Show took place from 2 October to 17 October 2010, in Paris Expo, Porte de Versailles.For 2010, the theme of the special exhibition was "The Incredible Collection 2: automobile manufacturers collections and museums."- Production cars :...
and presented as the C30 DRIVe. The C30 DRIVEe was one of the five finalists to the 2011 Green Car Vision Award
Green Car Vision Award
The Green Car Vision Award is an annual award granted by the Green Car Journal. In contrast with its Green Car of the Year award, which only considers production vehicles that make the most significant environmental advancements, the Green Car Vision Award considers pre-production vehicles with...
.
Field testing of about 50 C30 electric cars have been conducted in Sweden since the fourth quarter of 2010, mainly internally at the Volvo Car Corporation. A Volvo C30 Electric was also part of the One Tonne Life project in which a family was given the task of living as climate-smart as possible for a period of six months. In November 2011 an agreement was made to run a demonstration program with two Volvo C30 Electric cars in the Jiading District
Jiading District
Jiading District is one of the 18 districts of Shanghai, People's Republic of China. It has a population of 1,471,100 .-Geography:...
in Shanghai
Shanghai
Shanghai is the largest city by population in China and the largest city proper in the world. It is one of the four province-level municipalities in the People's Republic of China, with a total population of over 23 million as of 2010...
.
The electric C30 has a lithium-ion battery, supplied by US manufacturer EnerDel
Ener1
Entrepreneur Mike Zoi and Scientist Peter Novak founded Ener1 in 2001 to develop energy storage technology company that develops compact, lithium-ion-powered battery solutions for the transportation, utility grid and industrial electronics markets. Headquartered in New York City, the company has...
. Top speed is estimated by Volvo at 130 km/h (80.8 mph), with acceleration from 0–50 kph (0–31 mph) in 4 seconds. The C30 Electric can be recharged from a regular household power socket and a full charge takes about 7 hours. The all-electric range
All-electric range
All-electric range is the driving range of a vehicle using only power from its electric battery pack to traverse a given driving cycle. In the case of a battery electric vehicle, it means the total range per charge. For a plug-in hybrid , it means the range of the vehicle in charge-depleting mode...
is up to 150 kilometres (93.2 mi). The batteries are installed where the fuel tank normally sits and also in a special compartment in the C30's central tunnel, and as a result, the luggage compartment is unchanged.
The Volvo C30 Electric is equipped with three climate systems: one supplies the passengers with heating or cooling; one cools or warms the battery pack as necessary; and the electric motor and power electronics are water-cooled. The climate control in the passenger cabin features a bioethanol-powered heater, a solution chosen by Volvo to get heating without compromising the battery driving range, but the driver has the option to run the climate unit on electricity from the batteries. Ethanol is the default mode and the ethanol
Ethanol fuel
Ethanol fuel is ethanol , the same type of alcohol found in alcoholic beverages. It is most often used as a motor fuel, mainly as a biofuel additive for gasoline. World ethanol production for transport fuel tripled between 2000 and 2007 from 17 billion to more than 52 billion litres...
tank can carry 14.5 litres (3.8 US gal) of bio-ethanol. Volvo has Tested the C30 in winter conditions in temperatures as low as −20 °C (−4 °F).
Production of the C30 Electric began in June 2011. The Volvo C30 Electric body is built on the regular assembly line in the factory at Ghent, Belgium, and then the glider
Vehicle glider
In automobiles, a glider is a vehicle without a powertrain . It is generally a brand new car, but a second-hand car can also be used...
is transported to Göteborg for installation of the motor, batteries and other model-specific electronics.
Volvo plans to lease the Volvo C30 Electric to corporate customers, mainly companies, authorities and government agencies. Initial deliveries are scheduled for the third quarter of 2011 throughout Europe, including in Sweden, Belgium, the Netherlands and Norway. Volvo expects to build about 250 cars by the end of 2012, and possibly more if market interest takes off.
A total of 100 Volvo C30 Electrics will be slated for the US, half will be allocated on the West Coast
West Coast of the United States
West Coast or Pacific Coast are terms for the westernmost coastal states of the United States. The term most often refers to the states of California, Oregon, and Washington. Although not part of the contiguous United States, Alaska and Hawaii do border the Pacific Ocean but can't be included in...
and the other half on the East Coast
East Coast of the United States
The East Coast of the United States, also known as the Eastern Seaboard, refers to the easternmost coastal states in the United States, which touch the Atlantic Ocean and stretch up to Canada. The term includes the U.S...
. Volvo is targeting the leases to corporate and government fleet users at a price of around per month in the U.S. and per month in Europe. As this pricing is much higher than other electric cars available in the market by 2011, Volvo explained that their prices reflect the actual cost of the limited-production car.
Sales
| Calendar year | United States | Canada | Global |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | 0 | 0 | 1,596 |
| 2007 | 2,103 | 1,143 | 46,726 |
| 2008 | 4,299 | 1,142 | 39,966 |
| 2009 | 4,266 | 906 | 32,409 |
| 2010 | 3,906 | 755 | 35,981 |