Electric motors produce maximum torque at zero RPMs, which means they snap to life at the touch of the accelerator.

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Siemens electric motors developed for Volvo have a peak power output of 108 kilowatts with a maximum torque of 220 Newton meters.

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This allows the vehicle to run at maximum torque all the time, and could thus reduce fuel consumption by up to 30%, according to Peter Augustsson, the company's president.

ECONOMIST: Fuel economy

Carefully-managed turbocharging ensures that the maximum 384 lb-ft torque is available across most of the twin-turbo V6's operating range.

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