VOLVO introducing Electric Car ??

Volvo is currently developing a plug-in hybrid version of the V70. But could the company also be working a battery electric car?. There has been Internet chatter that Volvo, which has already said it will make a plug-in hybrid vehicle, will also produce an electric version of its C30. Then the other day, a source who is pretty high up in the electric car industry and who has done some work with Volvo, told me that the electric C30 was more than a rumour. The source estimated that initial volumes of the two vehicles together could total 5,000 to 10,000.

When asked about the E.V., Daniel Johnston, a spokesman for Volvo, said, " I can't talk about it. Volvo is looking at quite a few alternatives." In July, Volvo said it was working with Ener 1, an American litium-ion battery supplier, on three plug-in hybrid demonstrator cars based on the V70. Ener 1 is also battery supplier to the Fisker plug-in hybrid sports car (to be built in finland) and to the Think Globla EV company (based in Norway). The Volvo plug-in hybrids will be 'put through their paces across Europe this year as part of a rigorous development programme leading up to the planned 2012 commercial launch of a production plug-in model," Ener1 said. The company also said that the production cars will "feature some what different technology" from the demonstrators.

Rachel Carroll, a spokesperson for Ener1, said it has been working with Volvo for three years and hoped that the company would be chosed to equip the 2012 production lug-in hybrid car. A battery-only vehicle, based on the small C30 coupe, could presumably share some technology with the plug-in hybrid. Since 2007, Volvo has had a joint venture partnership with one of Scandinavia's largest utilities, Vattenfall, which is designing both home-based and public fast charging systems. Lars G. Josfsson, president and cheif executive of 'Vattenfall, said in a press statement that his company and Volvo were " developing the next-generation technology based on plug-in cars and various charging alternatives."

The charging research would also benefit a Volvo battery-only car, if indeed one were in the works.