2012 Volvo S60 Fwd 4dr Sdn T5 on 2040-cars

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Volvo adds 48V hybrid system to a bunch of 2022 models

In 2019, Volvo announced an updated powertrain fitted with a 48-volt mild hybrid system. The integrated starter-generator and regenerative brake-by-wire refilling a small battery could increase fuel economy by up to 15% in real-world driving. There are three layouts, dubbed B4, B5, and B6 that the Swedish automaker's already been rolling out globally. Next year two of them, the B5 and B6, come to the U.S. for the first time under the 2022 Volvo S60, S90, V90 XC, and XC60. The EPA's fuel economy site shows all of those models making small fuel economy gains, too. The B4 and B5 powertrains contain both gas and diesel mild-hybrids, the B6 is gas-only. All of the gas options (Volvo doesn't offer diesels here) will start with a 2.0-liter four-cylinder, the B5 adding a turbocharger, the B6 adding a turbocharger and a supercharger.  Per the EPA, the front-wheel drive 2021 Volvo S60 returns 23 miles per gallon in the city, 34 on the highway, and 27 combined. The new 2022 Volvo S60 B5 betters that with 26 city, 35 highway, and 30 combined. The 2022 S60 B5 AWD bests the 2021 model with the both versions of the non-hybrid 2.0-liter engine by one to three miles per gallon in nearly every category. The only model that does better, for obvious reasons, is the 2021 S60 AWD PHEV, which has been renamed S60 T8 AWD Recharge. The 2022 Volvo XC60 comes in AWD B5 spec with the turbocharged 2.0-liter, and AWD B6 spec with the turbo- and supercharged 2.0-liter. Gains are smaller here, the EPA showing a one-mpg increase in the city when comparing the 2021 XC60 to the 2022 B5 model. With the B6 powertrain, the 2022 XC60 improves by one mpg in the city and combined compared to the 2021 model. The EPA site doesn't show a front-drive XC60 for next year, and the XC60 AWD PHEV is already referred to as the XC60 T8 AWD Recharge. It's possible horsepower ratings will change slightly for the mild-hybrid rigs next year, but not enough to change the driving experience. Related video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

Top 10 small cars with the longest total driving range

Editor's Note: Since this article was originally posted in the spring of 2015, much has changed in the automotive landscape, especially among those shopping for small car economy. With thanks to Volkswagen for their blatant cheating – and subsequent cover-up – on diesel emissions, the largest player in the diesel passenger car segment isn't playing – they're paying; billions are going for both car buybacks and federally-imposed penalties. And for a few VW execs there exists the very real possibility of jail. With the absence of a big player and the abrupt entrance – via Chevy's new Bolt – of an affordable EV with 200+ miles of range, we've limited the diesel listings to Jaguar's new XE. And for those wanting an updated look at efficiency and range, Autoblog has it – or the EPA has it. Long before electric vehicles were part of the mainstream conversation, car lovers and skinflints alike would boast about the total range of their vehicles. There's something about getting farther down the road on one tank of gas that inflames the competitive spirit, almost as much as horsepower output or top speed. Of course, the vehicles with the very best range on today's market are almost all big trucks and SUVs; virtually all have the ability to carry massive reserves of fuel. Top up a standard Chevy Suburban and you can expect to travel almost 700 miles (you'll need to stop before the Suburban stops...), while a diesel-fed Jeep Grand Cherokee manages almost as many. But what about vehicles that are smaller? The EPA has, essentially, three classifications for 'small' vehicles: Minicompact, Subcompact and Compact. All three are measured based on interior volume, meaning that some cars with rather large exterior dimensions and engines slot in next to traditional small cars. But even though impressive GT coupes from Porsche, Bentley and Mercedes-Benz may have much larger gas tanks to feed their powerful engines, that capacity is offset by higher rates of consumption... in most cases. We used the EPA's Fuel Economy Guide for model year 2017 cars as a start, calculating the official highway miles per gallon rating with each vehicle's tank capacity. The resulting numbers aren't necessarily real world, but they do offer a spectrum for total theoretical range. The eventual top ten surprised me on a few occasions, and comprised quite a varied list of vehicles. 10.

China's Geely to add $4.6 billion battery plant in EV push

BEIJING — Geely said on Monday it would build an electric vehicle battery factory with a planned annual manufacturing capacity of 42 gigawatt hours (GWh) in China's eastern city of Ganzhou, as it expands its EV lineup in the world's biggest car market. For comparison, the Tesla-Panasonic Gigafactory in Nevada announced an expansion last fall to just under 40 gigawatt hours. The total investment in the project by Geely's technology arm will be 30 billion yuan ($4.6 billion), according to a separate statement from the local government. Geely's technology group has previously invested in Ganzhou-based EV battery maker Farasis. The planned factory comes after Geely announced a flurry of tie-ups in January aimed at turning the automaker into a leading EV contract manufacturer and engineering service provider, as it fights the incursion of EV leader Tesla. Geely, which owns Volvo Cars and a 9.7% stake in Daimler AG, is competing with Great Wall and Nio, among others. China's government has heavily promoted new energy vehicles (NEVs) — such as battery-powered, plug-in petrol-electric hybrid and hydrogen fuel cell cars — in response to chronic air pollution, spurring interest from technology companies and investors alike. China forecasts NEVs will make up 20% of its annual auto sales by 2025 from around 5% in 2020.   Green Plants/Manufacturing Volvo Electric Geely