The Volvo Car Corporation has set its sights on 2012 for the commercial launch of a production plug-in diesel-electric hybrid (PHEV) model.

The vehicle manufacturer has selected lithium-ion battery systems designed and produced by Ener1 to power its V70 PHEV demonstration vehicles that are expected to be put through their paces this autumn across Europe. The demonstration project is a joint venture between Volvo and Vattenfall, one of Europe’s largest utility providers.

The V70 PHEVs could prove to be exciting additions to the growing number of PHEV concepts touted by a variety of car manufacturers. They combine a front-wheel drive diesel engine with a rear-wheel drive electric motor, which is powered by an 11.3kWh lithium-ion battery pack of which 8kWh is usable. It is expected to run for up to 31 miles on a single charge.

The battery packs will be produced by EnerDel and have been custom built for this programme. EnerDel has leveraged the technology it developed for the Think platform and enhanced the cell design to improve power capability.

The diesel engine will eventually run on biodiesel as well as standard blends but for now the cars will be used to gather information and experience about the driving habits and performance expectations of everyday motorists that use the new technology.