BRUSA supplying complete electric drivetrain for at least 250 Volvo C30 Electrics

BRUSA drive system for the C30 Electric. Click to enlarge.

Volvo Car Corporation has ordered more than 250 electric drivetrain systems to power the C30 Electric (earlier post) from BRUSA Elektronik AG; more may be built, based on market interest.

The 111 hp (83 kW) electric motor from BRUSA that will power the C30 Electric delivers an instant torque of 220 N·m (162 lb-ft) leading to an acceleration from 0 to 50 km/h (31 mph) in 4 seconds and to 100 km/h in under 11 seconds. The car has a top speed of 130 km/h (80 mph). BRUSA not only provides the hybrid-synchronous motor, but also supplies all other drivetrain components such as the motor controller and battery charger.

The Volvo C30 Electric is built on the regular assembly line in the Ghent factory and then transported to Gothenburg for installation of the motor, batteries and other model-specific electronics. Volvo’s electric car will be manufactured and delivered to leasing customers throughout Europe, including Sweden, Belgium, the Netherlands and Norway with first deliveries commencing late 2011.

The 3.7 kW charger charges the battery at household 230 V outlets in six to eight hours (at 16 Amp) or ten hours (at 10 Amp). The 24 kWh battery pack—of which 22.7 kWh is used to power the car—delivers a certified range according to the NEDC (New European Driving Cycle) of 163 km (101 miles). However, Volvo Cars specifies up to 150 kilometers (93 miles) as the car’s practical range.

In various crash tests, Volvo verified that the C30 Electric is as safe as any other Volvo car with a combustion engine. This high level of safety is achieved due to the fact that one of the batteries is installed where the fuel tank is normally located and the other is housed in a special compartment in the car’s central tunnel. In addition, the safety features of the BRUSA power electronics are designed to prevent malfunctions at any time.

Source: Green Car Congress