Although European cities have a lot of the latest trends in urban mobility, there aren't many hybrid buses on their streets. Volvo thinks that this could be a good moment to introduce hybrid buses, and has recently introduced the 7700 model. Claimed to reduce fuel consumption by 30 percent, Volvo says the bus will pays for itself in 5 to 7 years. It produces 30 percent less CO₂ and 40 to 50 percent fewer particles and nitrogen oxides. Called I-SAM, the hybrid transmission is based on current I-Shift gearboxes mated to a lithium-ion battery that gets recharged by the engine or regenerative braking energy. Such is the power of the electric motor that the 7700 can use a 5-liter diesel engine instead of the standard 9-liters. The engine shuts down when the bus stops and the electric motor can move the bus until it reaches 15 to 20 km/h (10-13 mph), when the diesel engine kicks in. First deliveries are scheduled for 2010. Full press release after the jump.

[Source: Volvo]

Electronic fleet management is becoming a useful resource for operators keeping an eye on operational costs. Probably, the most important part of these systems is monitoring fuel consumption for all vehicles: it can point out which vehicles are burning more fuel than average and drivers who have a heavier right foot. Volvo's management offering is called Fuelwatch, and it's not only a device in the vehicles, but a full consulting system that the Swedish marque claims can cut fuel costs up to 10 percent. Ten percent might not sound like a lot of money, but imagine that for a fleet of trucks being driven around almost 24-hours a day.

Fuelwatch comprises several components: Advice on truck specifications, maintenance contracts, fuel saving accessories, driver training and use of a software called Dynafleet Online that monitors fuel consumptions. Saving 2 to 3 liters every 100 km (on a freight truck) means saving money and 2.6 kg of carbon dioxide emissions at the same time.

[Source: Volvo trucks UK]

Volvo has major plans for fuel-saving technology. The Swedish automaker will begin fitting its bricks shapely little sedans and coupes with stop/start in the next few months and plans to move the technology up through its entire line shortly thereafter. Of course, the automaker offers diesel engines in Europe and is strongly considering bringing them Stateside as well. What's most exciting, though, is news that the automaker will combine its diesel engines with an advanced hybrid system by 2012. The Volvo system will be a full hybrid with either oil-burning or electric power driving the vehicle without assistance from the other, or the two can be combined. Front wheels would be motivated by the traditional diesel engine while the rear wheels would be motivated by electricity.

Following the diesel hybrid would be a plug-in version of a large car or crossover. Once that's ready, the automaker will begin phasing the hybrid technology downward to its smaller cars.


[Source: Automotive News - sub. req'd]

We met Volvo's good-looking new DRIVe eco-models (so named because they emit less than 120 grams of CO₂ per kilometer) earlier this monthy and they now have a "preliminary" price tag. The three diesel models - C30 SportsCoupe, S40 Saloon and V50 Sportswagon - will be shown for the first time at the Paris Motor Show and prices start at £15,410 on the road. That's the price for the low-end Volvo C30 1.6D DRIVe S, while the highest end V50 1.6D DRIVe SE Lux goes for £21,660. Full price breakdown is available after the jump. Production starts in mid-November and customers can expect deliveries starting January 2. More details on the vehicles are availabe here.

The classic Volvo box car wasn't exactly aerodynamic. Safe for the vehicle occupants, sure, but not slippery. In the last few years, thought, the Swedes have been working to make their cars more efficient and have rebuilt their wind tunnel to further push down CO₂ emissions and fuel use. The new tunnel is supposed to better recreate the effects of wind on a car moving down the road by giving a better picture of the air flowing under the car.

The tunnel's new fan is made up of nine carbon fiber blades with a diameter of 8.15 meters. Total cost for the facility was 20 million euros, and has already helped reshape the new Volvo C30 DRIVe so it produces three fewer grams of CO₂ per kilometer. Volvo says that this difference means a driver who goes 15,000 km a year will use 45 fewer liters, about one tank, of fuel. That may not be huge on an individual level, but it's not bad for 20 mil. More manufacturer-approved details after the break.


[Source: Volvo]

Volvo is introducing a new array of engines next year. Volvo claims that these engines, called EEV (Enhanced Environmental friendly Vehicle), exceed the requirements for Euro V antipollution norms by means of reducing emitted particles and smoke. Not only that, but the new set of EEV engines also reduce fuel consumption. The first engine of the series is the D13 (pictured), which powers the FH (trailer) and FM (heavy) truck series. The D13 is a 12.8-liter I6 engine with power ranging from 400 to 520hp. This engine is the one that the Swedish motor company will use to develop its future Euro VI-compliant engines. Full release after the jump.

The Swedish arm of the Coca-Cola company has made another Volvo purchase, and it's a big one. Coca-Cola Drycker Sverige will soon take delivery of over 200 Volvos to use as company cars, with most of them being Volvo V70 2.0 Flexifuel models, along with some V70 2.0D models. On top of the new fleet vehicles, Coca-Cola employees who will driver the cars will go through Volvo's Eco-Safe driving course which aims "to make the drivers both safer and more energy-conscious behind the wheel." Step one, don't get all caffeinated on Coke and drive; a twitchy foot isn't good for gentle acceleration.

[Source: Volvo]

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Volvo will be coming to the Paris Motor Show with three low-CO₂ models that all beat the EU's important 120 grams per kilometer target. The new DRIVe (yes, the e is small) editions of the C30 SportsCoupe (53.4 mpg U.S.), the S40 saloon and the V50 Sportswagon (both at 52.3 mpg U.S.) make up what Volvo calls the "widest range of premium cars with low environmental footprint."

The decrease in CO₂ emissions comes from the by-now-pretty-typical eco-tweaks: a 10mm lowered ride height, a covered radiator grille for increased aerodynamics and "aerodynamically optimised wheels," higher gear ratios and underbody panels, among other changes. The fuel economy package will add between 150 and 450 Euros to the cost of the car. Full details are after the jump.

Volvo said that production of these new eco-models will start in November and UK residents can expect to see the vehicles on dealer lots in January. Volvo will bring the DRIVe line to other countries in Europe following the UK debut and expects to sell over 20,000 of them in 2009.


[Source: Volvo]

Click on the above image to enlarge

Back in July, Volvo hinted that it would be introducing small cars with diesel engines into the American market. This, of course, is an idea that we can get behind. In Europe, Volvo offers two four cylinder diesel engines displacing 1.6-liters and 2.0-liters as well as a five cylinder diesel of 2.4-liters. Here in the U.S.? Nada. Thanks to a sharp-eyed reader, though, we at least know that Volvo is testing diesels here in the States. Specifically, what we see here - according to the nameplate - is a C30 with a 2.0-liter diesel engine. We can't be certain why the new model was here, as the shot was taken in Arizona near Volvo's test track. The Phoenix area is often used by manufacturers testing their cars in extreme heat (and this is the dead of summer), so this could just be an engineering mule and have nothing to do with the U.S. market. On the other hand, Volvo says it wants to introduce diesel engines here by 2010, so we can always hold out home that a diesel-powered C30 is on its way. Thanks for the tip, Brian!

Click to view a hi-res gallery of the Volvo C30 Green Racer

In the campaign to make racing greener, the World Touring Car Championship has been a leader. Following the example set by its sister company Audi at Le Mans, Volkswagen's Spanish subsidiary Seat began taking race wins in the WTCC in diesel-powered Leons. But the series has announced it is beginning to phase in ethanol, and of all the carmakers in the world, Volvo has stepped up to the plate.

We brought you initial news of the C30 Flexifuel Green Racer when it was unveiled for the local Swedish Touring Car Championship, in which it has already been winning races against fossil-fuel regulars. Volvo has now revealed, however, that the Green Racer is heading to the top-tier World Touring Car Championship. The event will be a one-off demonstration for the time being, as the Volvo won't be eligible for points and will only compete in the one race, next weekend at Brands Hatch. For both Volvo and the WTCC, however, it should be an interesting exercise. Check out the press release after the jump and the images in the gallery below.

[Source: Volvo]

Late next year, Volvo will start field testing 14 trucks fueled with dimethyl ether, a biomass-derived fuel. DME is produced by gasification of biomass materials, with the syngas converted to a fuel through a catalytic process. The Volvo development program is being paid for in part by the Swedish Energy Agency and the European 7th framework program. DME evidently works well as fuel in diesel engines but offers much lower particulate and NOx emissions. There are however issues that need to be addressed. DME has poor lubricity compared to conventional diesel and is stored similar to liquified petroleum gas in low pressure storage tanks at about 5 BAR. The field tests are part of a European program that will also look at DME distribution and storage. The field testing in Sweden will occur over a three year period.

[Source: Newspress.co.uk]

Over at Auto Fiends they have some new camera phone pics of the Volvo XC60 crossover out on a test drive in the Los Angeles area. While in and of itself, that is no big deal, the photographer noticed something unusual about this particular vehicle. Above the fuel filler door was the the tag "Diesel Fuel Only." Since Volvo hasn't offered a diesel-powered car in North America since the mid-eighties, this is an unusual sight. Just because Volvo was testing a diesel in the U.S. doesn't necessarily mean they will sell one here, but we can certainly hope. Over in Europe, Volvo offers the XC60 with a 2.4L inline five cylinder diesel at two power levels, 163hp and 185hp. Either of those would be adequate for the XC60 if they choose to make one of the engines Tier 2 Bin 5 compliant. More importantly, perhaps, is that if they do federalize the diesel it could appear in some U.S. market Fords as well.

[Source: Auto Fiends]

click above image for high-res gallery of the Volvo C30 Efficiency

In what sounds like an extremely unsurprising move, Volvo is planning on introducing more small cars and more diesel engines. Certainly, timing could not be better as small cars are handily outselling their larger, less fuel-efficient older brothers. Diesel engines are beginning to make a comeback of sorts in the U.S. market as Volkswagen, long the only automaker still holding the inexpensive diesel flag in the states, has reintroduced its TDI engine and such automakers as BMW and Porsche are planning on offering oil burners to their customers shortly. We would absolutely be ecstatic to see a vehicle like the C30 Efficiency concept, which was shown off at the last Motor Show in Frankfurt, introduced to the U.S. market. That concept car, with its 1.6 liter diesel engine, posted extremely good fuel economy numbers of over fifty miles per gallon. Sounds like just what the doctor ordered, wouldn't you agree?

[Source: Just-Auto - sub. req'd]

Dealers for car companies have tried various carbon neutral offerings. A Land Rover shop in Oregon, for example, gave away carbon offsets for the first 50,000 miles of each new vehicle sold last year. But what did it take to make the new Volvo Trucks dealer in Verona, Italy totally carbon neutral? Solar cells on the roof.

Thanks to that eco-friendly update, the dealership produces more energy than it uses and the excess is fed back into the grid. Heat is generated from methane gas, but Volvo was clear that the solar panels above the building more than make up for this in carbon offset terms. The dealership was opened late last week, and Volvo is looking to make more of its dealerships carbon neutral. Not all will use the solar option, as local conditions will determine what renewable energy sources are used where.

[Source: Volvo]

Volvo is now offering a Getrag Powershift dual clutch transmission in its smaller cars - the C30, S40 and V50. The new gearbox is paired up with a 2.0L four cylinder turbodiesel. Volvo is using a six-speed wet clutch unit with a torque capacity of 332lb-ft. The diesel engine is rated at 136hp and 236lb-ft of torque and yields combined mileage ratings of 39.2mpg (U.S.) in the C30 and 39.9mpg in the sedan and wagon models. Those are improvements of about 8 percent in comparison to a conventional automatic transmission. The dual clutch transmission has an advantage over conventional automatics because it eliminates the losses inherent in a torque converter and provides greater flexibility in gear ratio selection. Compared to a conventional manual transmission, the faster shifts and electronic control provide efficiency increases as well. Unfortunately for American drivers, we can't get the diesel here (yet) but we will be getting the Powershift gearboxes in the not too distant future, perhaps in conjunction with the launch of the Fiesta.

[Source: Volvo]