Volvo V70 Plug-in Hybrid

Volvo has been slow to jump onto the vehicle electrification bandwagon, but that is about to end. The Swedish automaker is showing a plug-in hybrid electric concept vehicle at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit.Why did Volvo chose a PHEV as its first electrified model rather than a pure electric vehicle? “Pure electric is going to be, in my view, a very small part of the market," Maloney told PluginCars.com. "I don’t think people want a car that has compromises.”

Volvo describes its V60 diesel plug-in hybrid as its most technically advanced vehicle ever and refers to the plug-in wagon as the world's first diesel plug-in hybrid. It's electric, hybrid and muscle car "all rolled into one." Selling north of $75,000 in Europe, we now have a hint that Volvo's plug-in hybrid coming to the United States will be impressive, but quite pricey.

Although Sweden's Saab faces bankruptcy, and Norway's Think just barely escaped it, the Nordic regions are ripe for electric cars, and they're starting to roll out. As proof of momentum, Volvo announced a new strategic alliance with Siemens.