Volvo has confirmed that the V60 Plug-in Hybrid will hit the roads in 2012 beginning with Europe. The 2012 Volvo V60 Plug-in Hybrid is the result of the collaboration of the company that it formed with Vattenfall in 2007, the V2 Plug-in-Hybrid Vehicle Partnership HB.

The 2012 V60 Plug-in Hybrid will be equipped with a five-cylinder 2.4-litre turbodiesel capable of churning out 215 hp and 440 Nm as well as a 70 hp electric motor that is powered by a 12 kWh lithium-ion battery pack. The vehicle is all-wheel drive as the turbodiesel engine drives the front axle and the electric motor drives the rear.

The Volvo V60 Plug-In Hybrid is estimated to have an all-electric range of around 50 km, and 1,200 km with the diesel unit. Carbon dioxide emissions are anticipated to be an average of 49 grams per kilometer with fuel consumption at 1.9 liters per 100 km or around 150 mpg.

The hybrid vehicle can be charged via a regular household electricity socket at home or at other locations. It will take five hours for the V-60 Hybrid to attain full charge at home.

“With a plug-in hybrid the driver is entirely independent of recharging stations when driving long distances. The future electric-car market will feature a mixture of both all-electric cars and plug-in hybrids,” says Stefan Jacoby, President and CEO of Volvo Car Corporation.

Meanwhile, Volvo stated that the V60 Plug-In Hybrid is expected to cost more than the regular V60. However, the company said that running costs that are anticipated to be cut by roughly two-thirds will mitigate the more expensive price tag.