The current generation of Volvo engines will be the last

26 February 2018

The company will accelerate development of hybrids and electric cars

A week ago, Volvo introduced the first three-cylinder engine in its history. It appeared to be a-liter gasoline turbo series Drive-E. As with other powertrains in the range, it is made in modular technology, so that many of its components are compatible with two-liter "four", which for several years installed on the cars of the company. The power of the new product is estimated at 156 horsepower, and it will be applied to the compact crossover Volvo XC40 version of T3 and hybrids based on it.

The first engines from Volvo's Drive-E was announced relatively recently — in 2013. To the current moment, they almost completely replaced the previous Volvo engines and engine Ford EcoBoost, which were installed on Swedish cars even after the U.S. company sold the brand to the Chinese. All this should indicate that in the future Volvo will long continue to use the Drive-E engines and gradually improve them.

But the reality would be somewhat different. During the presentation of universal Volvo V60 in one of the suburbs of Stockholm President and CEO of Volvo Cars Hakan Samuelsson (Håkan Samuelsson) answered questions from the press and, inter alia, has declared that the current generation of Drive-E engines will be the last.

Volvo continues to increase the emphasis on the hybrid model. The same Volvo V60 received two modifications, which along with internal combustion engines used motor. Earlier the company promised that, beginning in 2019, will be releasing electric models only.

But internal combustion engines still too early to retire. For 2021 is scheduled to debut next-generation modular platform SPA, which will continue to be provided for the Drive-E engines, though somewhat modernized. It is expected that in addition to turbochargers and superchargers forced they have electric compressors, which will further raise the efficiency.

Second generation SPA the basic rate will continue to be made on the maximum level of passive safety. Because of this, the architecture remains relatively heavy compared to some competitors, though, and will be lighter than the current version of SPA.

But what about promises to present beginning in 2019 only all-electric model? Apparently, some foreign editions of wishful thinking. In fact while we are talking about that next year each model will to some extent electrified, which involves the use of hybrid and toppings.