Volvo unveil their latest contribution to 'sustainable mobility'

Volvo focuses on developing preventive safety systems to help the driver predict critical traffic situations. The first generation Collision Warning with Brake Support was recently launched in the new Volvo S80. Volvo Car Corporation is now working on a whole new generation of the system, which is designed to be activated at a very early stage.

"If the driver does not hit the brakes in time, the system brakes automatically to slow the vehicle down", says Ingrid Skogsmo, Safety Director at Volvo Car Corporation. This helps prevent collisions from happening or reduces their effects.

Volvo Car Corporation has chosen to preview the new generation Collision Warning at the Michelin Challenge Bibendum 2006 in Paris, as a sample of the company’s advanced system development.

Another development project that Volvo Car Corporation previews at the Michelin Challenge Bibendum is the Volvo Multi-Fuel - a whole new prototype car, optimised for running on five fuels; bioethanol E85, methane in the form of either natural gas or biomethane, petrol and what is called hythane - a blend of 10% hydrogen and 90% methane.

"It has a powerful engine that accelerates quickly and allows high performance on all five fuels", says Hans Folkesson, former Senior Vice President Research and Development at Volvo Car Corporation, now driving Environmental Technologies in Ford’s European Operations.

The Multi-Fuel meets virtually all known emission standards in the world, including the proposed Euro 5. Running on pure renewable fuels like hydrogen, biomethane and bioethanol means negligible net contribution of carbon dioxide to the greenhouse effect. The turbo charged engine has an effect of 200 bhp and accelerates quickly for a smoother and more responsive drive.

The Volvo S40 1.6D is the most fuel-efficient Volvo of all times. It has a four-cylinder 1.6-litre diesel engine (109 bhp) and a fuel consumption of 4.9 litres per 100 kilometres. Equipped with a particulate filter, particulate emissions are reduced to a minimum. Meanwhile, carbon dioxide emissions are 15-20% lower compared to petrol.

The Volvo V50 FlexiFuel has a four-cylinder 1.8-litre engine (125 bhp). It runs on bioethanol E85, which contains 85% ethanol and 15% petrol. Ethanol reduces net fossil carbon dioxide tailpipe emissions by 80% compared to petrol.

The Volvo S60 Bi-Fuel has a five-cylinder 2.4-litre engine (140 bhp). It runs on biomethane and natural gas, with petrol as a reserve and ignition fuel. Carbon dioxide emissions from natural gas drive are approximately 25% lower than those from petrol. Running on biomethane, the engine gives negligible net contribution of fossil carbon dioxide to the greenhouse effect.

Volvo Car Corporation believes that the road to sustainable mobility is not one but many. Local conditions vary and one renewable fuel can not yet replace the fossil ones. At present, fifty per cent of the Volvo car models can be equipped with an engine for renewable fuels.

"We are dedicated to continuously develop high-technological engines for different fuels with the environment’s best interests in mind - today and for the future", says Hans Folkesson.