Volvo Cars pushes in-house electric motor development
The company has opened a new laboratory for electric motors in Shanghai, thus expanding its global network of facilities where components for electric vehicles are developed and tested.
The new laboratory in Shanghai has recently commenced operations. It focuses primarily on drive development for all-electric and hybrid vehicles based on the next generation of the scalable SPA 2 vehicle platform. It forms the basis for future Volvo models in the 90 and 60 series and includes hybridisation as a standard while allowing for the installation of fully electric drives as well.
The now established lab is part of a growing development network for electric motors and batteries in Sweden and China, Volvo says. Currently, the company is working on electric drives in Gothenburg and also operates battery development laboratories in Sweden and China.
According to the Swedes, in-house development of electric motors enables them to further brand and optimise the entire electric powertrain in new Volvo models. “Through in-house design and development, we can fine-tune our e-motors to ever better levels,” said Henrik Green, chief technology officer at Volvo Cars. “By constantly improving their overall performance levels in terms of energy efficiency and comfort, we create an electric driving experience that is unique to Volvo.”
Volvo, which belongs to China’s Geely, aims for electric vehicles to account for 50% of its sales in 2025 with hybrids making up the other half thus turning away from pure combustion vehicles. By 2040, the company wants to be completely climate-neutral across its operations.
Apart from the SPA2 platform, Volvo electric cars such as the XC40 Recharge also utilise the smaller CMA platform, which they share with Polestar. Most recently, CEO Håkan Samuelsson had announced that Volvo would also use the new SEA (Sustainable Experience Architecture) EV platform recently presented by the fellow Geely brand Lynk & Co. The incoming compact model below the XC40 will be the first Volvo based on this platform as reported.
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