2008 Volvo C30 T5 on 2040-cars

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Volvo planning an electric sedan prototype perhaps called ES90

The Automotive News future product pipeline indicates Volvo's planning to begin production of an electric version of the S90 sedan in late 2024, with sales to begin in 2025. The car is definitely coming, and could be here on the early side. Swedish outlet Teknikens Varld (translated) got eyes on a post from Volvo's internal website celebrating the completion of a verification prototype (VP) of a car internally called the V551, publicly expected to be the ES90. Workers at Geely's Cixi Assembly Plant south of Shanghai marked the arrival of the car in a photo under a banner reading, "Volvo Cars V551 First VP Car Celebration," in front of a vehicle covered by a tarp stamped with "Confidential Top Secret." We don't know the production model will be called ES90, but the naming scheme fits if using the EX90 as a guide. Volvo applied to trademark the name, the potential hitch being that Lexus has indicated its displeasure with Volvo putting an ES model on the market since Lexus has its long-lived ES-followed-by-a-number sedan.     Volvo documents leaked online last year point to a body sized between the short- and long-wheelbase versions of the gas-powered S90 (pictured above), sitting on the same SPA2 platform as the recently introduced EX90. Dimensions come in at 196.4 inches long, 76.6 inches wide, and 60.9 inches high on a 122-inch wheelbase. This would make it four inches shorter than the current S90 long-wheelbase, the only version sold anymore, 1.7 inches wider, and 3.2 inches taller, with a wheelbase 1.5 inches longer. If this is how it turns out for production, the ES90 will be 1.5 inches shorter than the EX90 but have a wheelbase 2.5 inches longer — a chauffeur special for the Chinese market, perhaps. A 111-kWh battery pack (107 kWh usable) would be the same spec that powers the EX90, the ES90 in rear-drive trim expected to be good for nearly 600 kilometers (373 miles) on China's CLTC vehicle regimen. We need clarity on other rumored specs like a powertrain making 455 horsepower and 523 pound-feet, a curb weight of 5,511 pounds for an RWD trim and 5,732 pounds for dual-motor AWD.

Volvo, Kia and BYD duke it out in the finals for World Car of 2024

Three electric vehicles — none produced by an American manufacturer — will compete next month for the title of 2024 World Car of the Year, it was announced Monday. The finalists are the Kia EV9, the Volvo EX30 and the BYD Seal (shown above). The latter two are built in China. The three top finalists in five other categories were also named at the Geneva Motor Show in Switzerland. The winners in all six categories will be revealed live during an awards ceremony at the New York International Auto Show on March 27. This year marks the 20th year of the World Car Awards and the partnership with the New York show. Besides car of the year, the other finalists are: Electric vehicle: BMW i5, Kia EV9, Volvo EX30; Luxury car: BMW 5 Series/i5, Mercedes Benz E-Class, Mercedes Benz EQE SUV; Performance car: BMW M2, BMW XM, Hyundai Ionia 5 N; Urban car: BYD Dolphin, Lexus LBX, Volvo EX30; World Car Design: Ford Bronco, Ferrari Purosangue, Toyota Prius. Only Ford among U.S. companies has an entry in the final selections, and only in one category, design, for the Bronco. BMW has four vehicles in the finals, Volvo has three, Kia and Mercedes have two each. BYD from China has two entries as well. The Seal went on sale in in its home market in 2022 and is now available in most of the rest of the world. The BYD Co. (which stands for Build Your Dreams) has surpassed Tesla to become the worldÂ’s biggest maker of electric vehicles, and has its sights set on the U.S. The selection process for World Cars involves 100-plus automotive journalists from 29 countries who vote, as they review and test-drive the eligible vehicles for the 2024 awards. Their journey is captured virtually on World Car TV. Design/Style Geneva Motor Show BMW Ferrari Ford Hyundai Kia Lexus Mercedes-Benz Toyota Volvo Best Cars World Car of the Year

Trade war tactics: How Volvo will land a cheap Chinese EV on U.S. shores

A made-in-China electric vehicle will hit U.S. dealers this summer offering power and efficiency similar to the Tesla Model Y, the world's best-selling EV, but for about $8,000 less. The EX30 from Volvo Cars, the Swedish luxury brand owned by China's Geely, foreshadows the fierce competitive threat U.S. automakers could face from Chinese EV manufacturers that have surged far ahead of global rivals, especially on affordability. The $35,000 window sticker of Volvo's compact SUV hits a sweet spot in the U.S. market, where most buyers cannot afford most EVs. The competitive price reflects an unusual combination of Geely's China-specific cost advantages and Volvo's ability to skirt U.S. tariffs on Chinese cars because it also has U.S. manufacturing operations, according to interviews with four sources familiar with Volvo and Geely strategy and several U.S. trade policy experts. Chinese EV makers can undercut global competitors largely because of the nation's domination of battery minerals mining and refining, as well as its long-standing commitment to EV development, including heavy government subsidies. In addition, Geely has slashed manufacturing costs by merging supply chains and sharing platforms and parts with Volvo and other Geely brands, according to two senior Geely managers, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they are not authorized to speak publicly. Despite its aggressive price, Volvo is targeting hefty profit margins on the EX30 of between 15% and 20% globally, said a third Geely source. China's EV dominance will be on display this week at the nation's premier auto show in Beijing. In the China market, the world's largest, dozens of domestic EV brands are fighting it out in a price war while foreign automakers have steadily lost market share. The intense competition has driven China's biggest EV makers, led by BYD, to accelerate exporting of EVs that can capture higher prices and profits in less competitive overseas markets. The EX30 will be among only a handful of China-made cars sold in the United States, none of them from Chinese brands. Vehicles from China currently face a 27.5% tariff and increasingly strident calls for higher trade barriers from U.S. automakers and their political allies. But Volvo is eligible for tariff refunds under a law that awards them to firms with U.S. manufacturing operations — such as VolvoÂ’s South Carolina plant — that also export similar products, according to U.S.