Volvo ReCharge

Volvo Recharge Built for The Future

Type: Plug-in series hybrid
Class: Hatchback
Manufacturer: Volvo Car Corporation

Specifications:

Propulsion system: Four in-wheel electric motors, 4-cylinder 1.6 litre. Flex-fuel engine
Top Speed: 100 mph
Zero-to-62: 9 seconds
MPG: 124 mpg (1.9 l/100km)
Vehicle range: Battery 62 miles
Fuel(s): Electricity, gasoline, E85
Battery pack: lithium-polymer (full recharge: 3 hours)
Tailpipe emissions: Yes

The Volvo ReCharge is a concept car built into a specially designed Volvo C30 and it had its premiere in the fall of 2007 at the Frankfurt Motor Show. The Volvo Recharge is a series hybrid, meaning there is no actual connection between engine and wheels (the Chevy Volt is also considered a series hybrid). With the aide of British electromagnetic specialists PML Flightlink, Volvo has put together a dynamite powertrain that offers enough mileage on the battery alone to make the gas engine little more than a security blanket—the perfect means of weaning us all off of gasoline and other fossil fuels.

The successful premiere of the Volvo ReCharge might be responsible for kicking their plug-in program into high gear. The company recently laid out some plans to put a few plug-ins into the Swedish government fleet, but it is unlikely that these vehicles will possess much of the technology or specs found in the ReCharge.

Nonetheless, with the Volvo Recharge, the company has grasped the true value of the plug-in for the wary, gasoline-dependent consumer: a rechargeable, functional electric car with a solid range that features a ‘token’ gas engine. Why? Not so much to extend its range, but to ease our transition off gasoline and towards alternative fuels such as electricity.

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TH!NK city

TH!NK city is a modern urban car. With zero local emissions and an energy efficiency three times that of a traditional combustion engine car, it is a car for the environment. And it is a fun car for you. A choice of sodium or lithium batteries allows you to accommodate your car to your driving style, travelling up to 180 kilometres* in one charge, with a top speed of 100km/h. Driving a silent car will give you a totally new experience.

Specification

· Top speed 100km/h · Acceleration 0-50km/h 6.5 seconds · Acceleration 0-80km/h 16.0 seconds · Typical charge time – standard electric socket: 0-100% SOC (state of charge) approx. 13 hours, 230VAC / 14A 0-80% SOC (state of charge) approx. 9,5 hours, 230VAC / 14A · Range IEC* 170km (summer tires, heater off) · Range FUDS** 180km (summer tires, heater off) · Range EU UDC*** 203km

Norway-based manufacturer Think successfully previewed the Think City at the 2008 Geneva Auto Show, and having recently been on the receiving end of a few million dollars from GE, the vehicle shows no signs of slowing down. Currently there are about 1200 Think vehicles driving the streets of Norway.

The materials. According to the company web site, the Think City is made of 95% recyclable material, and “the car itself is designed to be recycled”. You don’t see that claim very often.

The clever, and honest, marketing copy. The Think City says what few others do—that, as an electric car that plugs into the grid, it is not a zero emissions vehicle when you consider the source of that energy. Instead, the Think City is a “zero local emissions” vehicle

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Tango T600

Type: 100% all-electric vehicle

Class: Tandem 2-seater

Manufacturer: Commuter Cars Corporation

Tango T600 Specifications:

Propulsion system: 2 Advanced DC FB1-4001 9" motors
Top Speed: 150 mph
Zero-to-60: 4 seconds
Vehicle range: 80 miles with standard (lead-acid) battery pack
Fuel(s): Electricity
Battery pack: Lead-acid (80% charge: 10 minutes; full charge: under 3 hours)
Pack options:

• 19 Hawker Odyssey's
  
• 25 Exide Orbital XCD's
  
• 25 Optima Yellow Tops.
  Tailpipe emissions: No

Faster than a speeding bullet
The Tango's ability to maneuver through traffic is second to none. Like a motorcycle, it can change lanes to gain advantage in traffic better than any car in history. Where lane splitting is permitted (i.e., driving between lanes of stopped or slow-moving traffic), the advantage can be staggering. In extremely heavy traffic, a Tango or motorcycle can travel in 20 seconds the distance that cars travel in 20 minutes.

Acceleration and top speed
With over 1,000 ft-lbs. of torque, the Tango can accelerate from zero to over 130 mph in one gear. Without an energy-robbing transmission or differential, it accelerates from zero to 60 mph in about 4 seconds and finishes the standing 1/4 mile in about 12 seconds at over 100 mph.

Safety and Stability
The Tango's racecar-style roll cage design, its 4-point harnesses, its low center of gravity, and a weight comparable to a midsize sedan combine to make the Tango extremely safe. And with 2,000 lbs. (mostly batteries) under the floor, the Tango's static rollover threshold is equivalent to a 5-star NHTSA rating, placing it in company with the lowest slung sports cars.

Conclusion
The best thing the Tango has going for it is its clever approach. The manufacturer has not only addressed ‘green’ concerns with the vehicle’s powertrain, but also some of the irritating aspects of driving that few other such cars do, such as parking. The Tango is a step in the right direction, but in order for her to have any real impact—on the market and the environment—the cheaper models need to go into production, and soon.

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