Volvo plug-in diesel hybrid races into Europe

Volvo's V60 plug-in hybrid gets outstanding mileage but still has some spunk.

The company today said that the diesel electric "sport wagon" will be available early next year priced at 57,000 Euros, or $75,500 . It expects that 80 percent of the buyers will be companies, rather than individual consumers.

Volvo has taken a unique path in building a plug-in electric vehicle with a diesel engine. The car will drive about 30 miles in pure electric mode and then the 215 horsepower diesel engine, which powers the front wheels, will kick in.

The combination yields mileage of 1.9 liters of diesel per 100 kilometers, or 124 miles per gallon, and very low CO2 emissions of 49 grams per 100 kilometers.

The rear-wheel electric motor and front diesel engine combine for a maximum of 285 horsepower, enabling acceleration from zero to 60 miles per hour in 6.2 seconds. The driver can choose between Pure, Hybrid, and Power mode.

After making about 1,000 cars next year, Volvo expects to increase production to between 4,000 and 6,000 for model year 2014. Development of the V60 was financed by both Volvo and Swedish utility Vatenfall.