Volvo has started a production program for the development of a lightweight 3-cylinder petrol engine.
The Drive-E 3-cylinder engine is expected to join the 4-cylinder Drive-E engines of the company and will be developed in Sweden.
Volvo Car Group Powertrain Vice President Michael Fleiss said: "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."
The car maker previously concluded in-house production of 6, 5 and 4-cylinder engines and according to Volvo the next step was to create a 3-cylinder engine.
Volvo has already started prototype testing of the new lightweight 3-cylinder petrol engine which is expected to deliver more power and better fuel economy.
The new engine is expected to support different applications with its blend of performance and efficiency.
Volvo Car Group Research & Development Senior Vice President Dr. Peter Mertens, said: "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."
Image: Volvo Cars' new three-cylinder engine. Photo: courtesy of Volvo Car Group.
