Imprint Contact 868 Videos
900.000 Callings



Formulary
Exercises

Wheel change
Save Energy
History


Video Volvo

Video Volvo history
Video 2015 XC 90 Twin Engine
Video 2014 XC 90
Video 2014 Engines
Video 2013 V40 Cross Country
Video 2013 XC 60
Video 2013 V60 Plug-In-Hybrid1
Video 2013 V60 Plug-In-Hybrid2
Video 2012 V60 Plug-In-Hybrid
Video 2012 C30 Electric
Video 2012 V 40
Video 2011 S 80
Video 2010 V 60
Video 2008 XC 60
Video 2007 C 30
Video 2006 C 70
Video 2004 XC 90
Video 2002 S 60
Video 1997 C 70
Video 1987 440
Video 1985 480 Turbo
Video 1985 760
Video 1985 780
Video 1982 340
Video 1976 P 262 C
Video 1977 P 244
Video 1968 P 1800 ES
Video 1968 P 164
Video 1967 P 145
Video 1960 P 1800
Video 1958 PV 544
Video 1956 PV 121 Amazon
Video 1956 P1900
Video 1947 PV 444
Video 1937 PV 52
Video 1927 ÖV 4



          A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

  Volvo V60 Plug-In Hybrid







Part 1

The focal point of the various bits of information shown, is the display behind the steering wheel. As a special feature, it accents only a range of about 40 km/h, to either side of the needle. Thus, your attention is drawn directly to what's being shown. Unfortunately it doesn't offer this spread-range when travelling at around 30 km/h.

Watch the speedometer display in the video below …


The display at the left of the speedometer shows the amount of electric power that is still available and on the right the power-mode can be seen. On the far left is the fuel gauge. All in all, one can't grumble about the prescribed preparation before pulling off. The combustion engine doesn't start anyhow. What one does, is, press the brake pedal when the selector is in the 'P' position, then pull the selector right to the rear into the 'D' position and then drive off. However, in this position, the brake pedal can be pressed almost to the floor, a fearsome experience for technologists.

One learns afterwards, that this effect is probably related to the 'Brake by Wire'. When only lightly applying the brakes the car should not brake, but the energy should flow back into the system. The Volvo-engineers will probably have left enough room, so that if one brake circuit should fail, the other can still be activated.

By the way, the recuperation while driving, is quite unpredictable. Certainly, when braking the center-display shows, how energy is taken in, indeed I was assured that when taking ones foot off the gas pedal, the same thing happens. I couldn't witness this. Otherwise, on the right of the display it is shown just how much gas one can give and still stay in the electric mode.

No, modern cars can no longer be towed, and definitely not hybrids. It's also difficult, even in perfectly normal cars with a manual gear-change, to provide enough current for the anti-theft system when the battery is pretty low. Don't even attempt it in the first place. The V60 hybrid protects itself additionally, by not allowing the hand-brake to be released if there's not sufficient current.

Just a little joke on the side: If you sell the car, don't forget to remove the programming which opens the garage door.


For those who don't already have it, they will learn to appreciate the displaying of the respective speed limit. Sometimes one really can't remember, what the current limit is. What the system can't do however, is read the signs showing the beginning and the end of urban areas. The signs however are large enough and they don't appear that often. Alledgedly, the additional signs, e.g., 'when wet', will be recognised, of course, only when the windscreen wipers are active. What did you think?

Even without the display, at least a warning sound is given when the allowed speed is exceeded. As far as the distance warning is concerned (tail-gating), there is even a head-up display with four red points. I'll leave the evaluation of the sensitivity of this feature to you. Watch the the below video. Is it possible that I was driving too close so often?

Interestingly enough, as far as cruise-control is concerned, the people at Volvo often think the other way around. Not only can the minimum speed be set but also the maximum. You can put the thumbscrews on yourself, but please, not too tightly. There are several ways to override the setting, e.g., by flooring the gas-pedal.

If there is already the distance warning, then it's not far to the adaptive cruise-control. It will adhere to the speed-setting of the cruise-control. The distance is also quite simple to adjust by using an illustration of the real-life situation.

There are already experimental vehicles which drive themselves automatically. If the set speed is exceeded when approaching the end of a tail-back, then it's time to stop reading the newspaper. If ignored, It will punish you by stopping dead, possibly even if you're in the middle lane!

In the most favourable case, the charging process will take approx. 4 to 5,5 hours using a 16-amp. household wall plug. Interestingly, an extension cable may not be used. Instead, when you buy the the car, you can get, for €50, insted of the original 4,5 meter cable, one that's 8 meters long. The successful charging process is indicated by a blinking or continuous green light (see above picture).

The charging cable is protected against theft or stupid pranks, by locking it together with the car so that it can't be pulled out. In the meantime of course, there is temparature supervision when charging. Picture 9 above, shows the battery compensation tank. Of course, more cooling means a higher loss and longer charging times.

The advantage that this hybrid is, e.g., that in difficult weather conditions, it can be turned into an all-wheel drive by pressing a button, this more than outweighs the small disadvantage that if this car has to be towed, it has to be completely loaded onto a towing vehicle. The huge generator up front of the Diesel engine (see picture), apparently supplies enough current to power the all-wheel drive, even if the high-voltage battery is discharged. 07/13


cartecc.com               Top of page               Index
2001-2015 Copyright programs, texts, animations, pictures: H. Huppertz - E-Mail
Translator: Don Leslie - Email: lesdon@t-online.de

Our E-Book advertising