1965 Volvo P1800 S on 2040-cars

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Volvo to convert all SUVs and sedans into EVs, develop electric luxury van

Volvo Cars is gearing up for an electric blitz to convert all its mainstay models — three SUVs and two sedans — into electric vehicles and to introduce a luxury electric van aimed at boosting sales in Asia, two people with knowledge of the plans said. The Swedish carmaker, 82%-owned by ChinaÂ’s Zhejiang Geely Holding Group, is expected to launch at least six new battery electric vehicles through 2026, the two people told Reuters. Volvo has announced an objective to make its entire lineup fully electric by 2030. The companyÂ’s Australia unit has said it plans to sell only EVs in that market by 2026. The previously unreported product plans amount to the largest revamp of VolvoÂ’s model line-up since Geely acquired the brand from Ford in 2010. Under Geely, Volvo initially started to share technologies such as car platforms with Geely. The makeover for Volvo, a Swedish brand that built a reputation for safety and utilitarian design, follows from a greater focus on customer trends in Asia and a push to win sales there, the people said. The two people with knowledge of VolvoÂ’s planning asked not to be named because details have not been announced by the company. Geely declined to comment. Among the new battery electric cars being planned for the next four years is a Volvo-branded MPV or van that would be based on a vehicle GeelyÂ’s Zeekr brand sells in China. Called the Zeekr 009, the hulking, battery-electric van pictured above, which starts at about 500,000 yuan ($74,179), offers three rows of seating. The vehicle competes against the likes of the Toyota Alphard, a business or family van, with airplane business class-like seats for passengers that has proven popular in Asian markets such as China and Japan as a limousine alternative. Volvo has moved development work on sedans and the coming people-mover model to its Shanghai research and development hub, they said. That center, which has tripled its design staff to about 60 people, has recently moved to a new and larger building in Shanghai, one of the sources said. The first of VolvoÂ’s new planned electric models, the EX90 sport-utility crossover, was unveiled late last year. It is expected to hit showrooms in early 2024. Other battery electric cars in the pipeline include electric versions of VolvoÂ’s mainline products – the XC90, XC60 and XC40 crossover vehicles and the S60 and S90 sedans, the sources said.

This Volvo truck is for the birds... literally

If you were mentally scarred by the Alfred Hitchcock thriller The Birds, you may not want to watch this video. For everyone else, this is a rather perplexing event. It appears that thousands of pigeons are released from a Volvo truck at the command of a whistle. It looks visually stunning, but for what purpose? Well, we're not entirely sure, but it looks to be the simultaneous release at the start of a major pigeon race.
Now, we don't suspect that Volvo has eschewed its self-titled Volvo Ocean Race for a more avian-inspired competition. We're also not quite sure where this competition is being held, but it may be an annual event, as we also found a similar video with a different MAN rig on YouTube that was posted in 2011. but if you have even the slightest case of Ornithophobia, you best steer clear of this feathered mob. Otherwise, check out the video of this massive flock on the move in the video below. We've even thrown in a video of the gas station scene from Hitchcock's 1963 classic to get you in the mood.

Volvo Recharge plug-in hybrids get big range and power bumps

Volvo's plug-in hybrid powertrain is getting a significant upgrade for 2023, resulting in all its 90- and 60-series Recharge models effectively doubling their electric range and becoming eligible for the full $7,500 federal tax credit.  A new rear electric motor now delivers 143 horsepower from 87 hp, resulting in a combined output of 455 hp and 523 pound-feet of torque. That's a significant bump from the previous 400 hp and 472 lb-ft. These changes apply to the Recharge versions of the XC90, S90, XC60 and S60, plus the Polestar Engineered trim levels of XC60 and V60.  Below are the new electric ranges for each of the Volvo Recharge models. Their previous ranges are in parentheses. S60 Recharge: 41 miles (22) V60 Polestar Engineered: 41 miles (22) XC60: 35 miles (19) XC60 Polestar Engineered: 35 miles (19) S90 Recharge: 38 miles (21) XC90 Recharge: 35 miles (18) These range increases are the result of a new long-range battery pack featuring a third layer of cells. This brings total capacity from 11.6 kWh to 18.8 kWh.  There are other advantages, as well. The XC60 and S90 Recharges will now be capable of one-pedal driving, whereby regenerative braking is so strongly applied that the car effectively does most of the braking for you. This is already available on Volvo's fully electric models, and although it will initially be available only on the XC60 and S90, Volvo told Autoblog that the others will eventually get it. When exactly? Volvo did not elaborate.   Volvo says the increased battery capacity will improve performance in extreme cold and heat. It will also allow for pre-heating and pre-cooling the car, even when unplugged, without reducing all-electric range.  Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. 2020 Volvo S60 T8 driver assist systems