Volvo ECC
Encyclopedia
The Volvo ECC was a concept car
built by Volvo
in 1992. It was a design exercise in using recycled material. It was powered by a hybrid electric
and gas turbine
engine. Much of the lines were reused in the Volvo S80
.
The Volvo ECC was built on the Volvo 850
platform. In contrast to most production hybrids, which use a gasoline piston engine to provide additional acceleration and to recharge the battery storage, the Volvo ECC used a gas turbine engine to drive the generator for recharging. This type of engine has a higher thermodynamic efficiency than the conventional internal combustion engine with pistons. Also in Volvo's design, the fuel is evaporated and mixed with air before ignition. This provides a very low NOx emission. The driver can also switch between gas turbine electric and hybrid by switches on the dashboard.
The maximum power available was 95 brake horsepower, with 75 available for continuous use. It had a drag coefficient of 0.23. With the vehicle weighing approximately 300 pounds more than a conventional Volvo 850, acceleration from zero to sixty miles per hour was in the twenty second range. Top speed was 110 mi/h. The vehicles range on batteries alone was 90 miles (144.8 km), and when combined with a full tank of fuel for the turbine, about 415 miles (667.9 km).
The Volvo ECC was debuted at a time when California was seeking Zero Pollution Vehicles (ZPV). With its gas turbine, the Volvo ECC was not a zero-emissions vehicle, and hence did not meet the needs of the time. With the focus now shifted away from true zero emissions vehicles
, many of the concepts tested in the ECC may prove of value in future concept and production vehicles.
Volvo C30 ReCharge Concept
Concept car
A concept vehicle or show vehicle is a car made to showcase new styling and or new technology. They are often shown at motor shows to gauge customer reaction to new and radical designs which may or may not have a chance of being produced....
built by Volvo
Volvo Cars
Volvo Car Corporation, or Volvo Personvagnar AB, is a Swedish automobile manufacturer founded in 1927, in Gothenburg, Sweden. It is owned by Zhejiang Geely Holding Group. Volvo was originally formed as a subsidiary company to the ball bearing maker SKF. When Volvo AB was introduced on the Swedish...
in 1992. It was a design exercise in using recycled material. It was powered by a hybrid electric
Hybrid electric vehicle
A hybrid electric vehicle is a type of hybrid vehicle and electric vehicle which combines a conventional internal combustion engine propulsion system with an electric propulsion system. The presence of the electric powertrain is intended to achieve either better fuel economy than a conventional...
and gas turbine
Gas turbine
A gas turbine, also called a combustion turbine, is a type of internal combustion engine. It has an upstream rotating compressor coupled to a downstream turbine, and a combustion chamber in-between....
engine. Much of the lines were reused in the Volvo S80
Volvo S80
The Volvo S80 is a mid-size executive saloon/sedan from Swedish automaker Volvo Cars, and was introduced in 1998 to take the place of the rear-wheel drive Volvo 960/S90 saloons in the model range. The Volvo S80 was built at the Torslanda Plant in Gothenburg, Sweden. Unlike most Volvo models, it...
.
The Volvo ECC was built on the Volvo 850
Volvo 850
The Volvo 850 is a compact executive car produced by Volvo Cars from 1992 to 1997 and designed by Jan Wilsgaard. Available in sedan/saloon and station wagon/estate body styles, the Volvo 850 was notable as the first front-wheel drive vehicle from this Swedish manufacturer to be exported to North...
platform. In contrast to most production hybrids, which use a gasoline piston engine to provide additional acceleration and to recharge the battery storage, the Volvo ECC used a gas turbine engine to drive the generator for recharging. This type of engine has a higher thermodynamic efficiency than the conventional internal combustion engine with pistons. Also in Volvo's design, the fuel is evaporated and mixed with air before ignition. This provides a very low NOx emission. The driver can also switch between gas turbine electric and hybrid by switches on the dashboard.
The maximum power available was 95 brake horsepower, with 75 available for continuous use. It had a drag coefficient of 0.23. With the vehicle weighing approximately 300 pounds more than a conventional Volvo 850, acceleration from zero to sixty miles per hour was in the twenty second range. Top speed was 110 mi/h. The vehicles range on batteries alone was 90 miles (144.8 km), and when combined with a full tank of fuel for the turbine, about 415 miles (667.9 km).
The Volvo ECC was debuted at a time when California was seeking Zero Pollution Vehicles (ZPV). With its gas turbine, the Volvo ECC was not a zero-emissions vehicle, and hence did not meet the needs of the time. With the focus now shifted away from true zero emissions vehicles
Zero-emissions vehicle
A zero-emissions vehicle, or ZEV, is a vehicle that emits no tailpipe pollutants from the onboard source of power. Harmful pollutants to the health and the environment include particulates , hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide, ozone, lead, and various oxides of nitrogen. Although not considered emission...
, many of the concepts tested in the ECC may prove of value in future concept and production vehicles.
External links
ECC- Trafikmagasinet visar Volvo ECC
- Om Volvo ECC på Volvocars.com
- Volvo Hybrid Environmental Concept Car
Volvo C30 ReCharge Concept