2010 Volvo C30 T5 Hatchback 2-door 2.5l on 2040-cars

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Volvo EX30 due out in June 2023 as entry-level electric crossover

Volvo will expand its range towards the bottom when it presents an entry-level electric crossover called EX30 in June 2023. The company isn't ready to show us the soft-roader's full design yet, but it released a preview video that gives us a better idea of what to expect from it. "Something small is coming," Volvo wrote in a statement. While that's not a lot to go on, it suggests — but doesn't confirm — that the EX30 will slot below the XC40 in terms of size. We've seen it parked next to the EX90 and it looks considerably smaller; it rides on a much shorter wheelbase and features a relatively small rear overhang that creates a boxy silhouette characterized by an almost upright rear end. Many of the styling cues that define Volvo's current design language seem to appear on the EX30. Its front end wears T-shaped LED daytime running lights (called Thor's Hammer in the company jargon) inspired the EX90's, while its rear end features a new interpretation of the upright lights that Volvo has fitted to many of its cars over the past few decades — including the C30, which was its last 30-branded car. Technical details haven't been announced. All we know is that the EX30 will be all electric, all the time; it won't be available with a gasoline-powered engine. An unverified report claims that the city-friendly model will share its Sustainable Experience Architecture (SEA) platform with the Smart #1, among other models, and Volvo boss Jim Rowan said the crossover will deliver a "decent range." Using the SEA platform will allow Volvo to offer rear- and all-wheel drive as well as several battery options, though the lineup will vary from market to market. The Volvo EX30 will make its debut on June 7, 2023, at 1:30 p.m. European time, which is 7:30 a.m. in New York and — sorry, West Coast folks — 4:30 a.m. in California. We'll learn more about it in the coming weeks, and sales will start on the day of the unveiling. If the report is accurate, the EX30 will be built in China. Volvo confirmed to Autoblog that the model will be sold in the United States. Related video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

Ford, Volvo, Google, Uber and Lyft form self-driving alliance

Five companies arguably leading the worldwide effort to develop autonomous cars said Tuesday they're forming an organization to lobby the federal government to better prepare America's roads for self-driving technology. The founding members include some of the biggest companies in the automotive, autonomous, and ride-sharing realms – Ford, Google, Lyft, Uber and Volvo. Operating as the "Self-Driving Coalition for Safer Streets," they aim to work with lawmakers and regulators to clarify a disparate set of rules and regulations at both the state and federal levels that could hinder the deployment of autonomous cars. "The U.S. risks losing its leading position due to the lack of federal guidelines for the testing and certification of autonomous vehicles." – Hakan Samuelsson David Strickland, a former administrator of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration who issued the first set of autonomous-related policies in that role (pictured below), will serve as the group's counsel and spokesperson. "The best path for this innovation is to have one clear set of federal standards, and the Coalition will work with policymakers to find the right solutions that will facilitate the deployment of self-driving vehicles," he said in a written statement. In January, Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx said his department would accelerate efforts to craft such federal standards. Those efforts include holding two public hearings on standards, the second of which is scheduled to be held Wednesday in Palo Alto, California. Foxx signaled the intent to deliver them by June. Google has been leading the efforts to ensure such standards are national in scope, warning their cars could run afoul of state-specific laws should they cross state borders or if standards varies between the federal efforts and regional ones. The complexity of such efforts was underscored recently, when NHTSA agreed that Google's software could be considered the driver of a vehicle for the purpose of meeting federal motor vehicle standards, an interpretation that would conflict with preliminary California rules that mandate a licensed driver operate a self-driving car that comes equipped with human controls like a steering wheel and brakes. At South By Southwest last month, Jennifer Haroon, Google's self-driving car business leader, said the company couldn't accomplish its goals under those regulations.

Volvo credits China, Europe for first-half profitability

If everything goes to plan, Volvo might be showing the first signs of a turnaround after several years coping with old products and a staid image. The Swedish brand is imminently launching its next-gen XC90 SUV on a completely revised, modular platform and using a cutting-edge family of engines, and it has even more products to take advantage of the fresh components on the drawing board. "We are excited about the launch of the all-new XC90, which marks the beginning of the re-launch of the Volvo brand," said CEO Håkan Samuelsson in the company's announcement. In the meantime, the business is moving back to profitability and is even forecasting growth through the rest of 2014.
In Volvo's recently released financial and sales results for the first six months of the year, volume was up 9.5 percent to 299,013 cars. On top of that, operating income reached 1.21 billion Swedish krona ($175 million) after posting a loss in the same period in 2013. Net income was also improved to 535 million Swedish krona ($77.4 million), which was also a reversal from a negative last year.
With these great results, Volvo is now forecasting 10 percent sales growth worldwide by the end of the year, and the key to it is a booming market in some regions. China, home to parent company Geely, was up 34.4 percent first half of the year. It's now Volvo's biggest market in the world and helped by exclusive models like the S60L (pictured above) and S80L. "We are growing our presence in China and we expect to sell at least 80,000 cars there this year," said Samuelsson in the company's forecast.