Volvo Cars has started its production program to develop a lightweight 3-cylinder petrol engine.

The engine, wholly developed in Sweden, will join the class-leading 4-cylinder Drive-E engines in displaying Volvo’s engineering prowess and commitment to efficient power.

“We have come a long way in the last few years at Volvo. Investments from our parent company, Zhejiang Geely Holding Group, have enabled us to recapture our position as a leader in the field of powertrain engineering. The development program for the new 3-cylinder engine is very advanced and we have already begun prototype testing of the unit,” says Dr. Peter Mertens, Senior Vice President Research & Development at Volvo Car Group.
Volvo has a long history of developing its own unique 6, 5 and 4-cylinder engines and in-house expertise. The move to include a 3-cylinder in Volvo’s engine program is a natural next step in Volvo’s strategy of downsizing. The application of class-leading technology and analysis techniques enables more power and better fuel economy from smaller displacement internal combustion engines than ever before.

“We have learned a lot from the development of our 4-cylinder Drive-E engines and translated this into a highly responsive, compact and powerful premium-quality 3-cylinder engine.  The engine is being developed primarily with our new CMA architecture in mind but will also provide power for our 60 Series cars thanks to Volvo’s advanced turbo technologies, while also meeting Euro 7 emission targets,” says Michael Fleiss, Vice President Powertrain at Volvo Car Group.

Built with a keen eye on the future, the new Drive-E 3-cylinder engine is designed to support several different applications, in-line with the growing demand for a real-world blend of performance and efficiency.

“The beauty of the new 3-cylinder engine we are developing is that it can be built on the same production lines as our 4-cylinder engine, offering flexible production potential which can be adapted to suit business needs as we grow. This marks an important step forward for Volvo Cars. In terms of our power and efficiency, Volvo’s engineering excellence will shine through with the Drive-E 3-cylinder engine,” concludes Dr. Mertens.