In 1993, Volvo presented a concept car called 850 Hybrid Concept. Compared to a normal 850, this one stood out with its new kind of mechanics. In place of the original block, there was… an airplane turbine, which acted as a generator powering an electric motor!
An imposing nickel-cadmium battery was installed in the boot and this could also be recharged by regenerative braking, as in current electric and hybrid cars. Unfortunately, the turbine was very energy-intensive (what a surprise!), the autonomy was not convincing and the overall reliability was uncertain to say the least.
This is why this project fell into oblivion. Presented 4 years before the Toyota Prius, this forgotten Volvo changed hands for the tidy sum of €62,100! The story doesn’t say if it’s still rolling…
Source: 20minutes
