2006 Volvo S80 2.5t Sedan 4-door 2.5l on 2040-cars

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Volvo's latest export from Sweden: paid parental leave

STOCKHOLM — Volvo Cars will offer all its employees worldwide 24 weeks paid parental leave in a bid to support female executives and equal parenting. The carmaker, which is based in Sweden but owned by China's Geely Holding, has over 40,000 employees. From next month, all staff who have worked in Volvo plants and offices for at least a year will be entitled to the leave each time they have a child and will receive 80% of their base pay during the period, the company said on Tuesday. Sweden is one of few countries that already offers leave by law for either parent. "Some countries do not offer any paid leave to new parents, or exclude certain groups of parents – the latter is particularly true for fathers," the company, which previously did not have a global policy but adapted to local regulations, said in a statement. Around a third of Volvo's senior managers are currently female. The company aims to raise that share to 50%, a spokeswoman said, adding that Volvo's new policy will improve conditions for staff on parental leave not least in China and the United States. "When parents are supported to balance the demands of work and family, it helps to close the gender gap and allows everyone to excel in their careers," said Volvo Cars CEO Hakan Samuelsson. The global policy applies to either parent and the leave can be taken anytime within the first three years of parenthood. In Sweden, new parents are in general entitled by law to around a year of parental leave on up to 80% pay.  

Volvo EX90 exterior teased further, goes heavy on glass and aero

How about six more teasers of the battery-electric, seven-seat Volvo EX90 SUV? We've heard about the new interior materials, seen renderings of the minimalist instrument panel and read about a massive commitment to safety inside and outside the SUV. Now we have scraps about what it took to put everything together within the aesthetic Volvo sought and a mission statement of "confident, sophisticated, and seamless." The rounder grille-less front fascia flows over the hood to a greenhouse heavy on flush glass. A large, tinted panoramic glass roof lets in just enough light without superheating the cabin and without robbing headroom. The side glazing is flush with the pillars and nearly flush with the sides of the car to improve aerodynamic efficiency. Flush door handles emerge as the keyholder approaches. Volvo says the EX90 posts a drag coefficient of 0.29, a figure that compares to 0.26 for the Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV and 0.24 for the Tesla Model X that, admittedly, offers tiny optional third-row seats. Speaking with Motor Trend, lead Volvo exterior designer T. Jon Mayer said the other side of letting lots of light in the cabin is creating an inviting atmosphere when there's lots of dark in the cabin. "We’ve put a lot of effort into the illumination inside the EX90, trying to create a warm interior and a somewhat colder expression for the exterior," he said, making an analogy with the Swedish climate and Swedish people.  The Lidar sensor plays its part in a new level of safety and in aerodynamics. Placed at the leading edge of the roof, the Luminar sensor sits under a teardrop-shaped glass enclosure about 18 inches wide, under two inches tall. The laser system comes standard, helping provide 360-degree awareness so that the EX90 can always pay attention and take appropriate safe actions at those times when the driver isn't paying attention. Volvo says that tying exterior sensor safety logic to in-cabin cameras that can tell if a driver is focused on the task "can reduce the risk of death or serious injury by up to 20%." We've just seven days to go until Volvo mandarins gather in Stockholm to reveal the car to launch the automaker's next phase. Related video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

Daimler and Volvo could jointly develop internal combustion engines

BERLIN — Luxury German carmaker Daimler and Volvo, owned by China's Geely, are considering cooperating to cut the costs of developing combustion engines, a magazine reported on Sunday, citing unnamed company sources. The Automobilwoche weekly cited a Volvo manager as saying there were initial talks with Daimler, but no concrete plans, while a company spokesman said it was too early to talk about firm projects, although it was not excluding anybody. A Daimler spokesman said the company's cooperation with Geely, which owns a 10% stake in the German carmaker, was developing in a positive way, but declined to comment further. Global tariffs, accelerated by a trade war between China and the United States, as well as higher investment requirements for electric and autonomous vehicles, are forcing carmakers to seek new ways to cut and share costs. In October, Volvo said it would merge its engine development and manufacturing assets with those of Geely, creating a division to supply in-house brands and also potentially others with next-generation combustion and hybrid engines. Automobilwoche said this new division would start operating by the end of March, which could be a possible starting point for cooperation with Daimler, while a further step could be a partnership to develop electric power trains. Geely and Daimler have said they plan to build the next generation of Smart electric cars in China through a joint venture and the two companies are also cooperating on a premium ride-hailing service in China. Geely bought Volvo Cars in 2010 from Ford, allowing the Swedish brand to operate on an arms-length basis. But in recent years, it has deepened cooperation between the two brands. Volvo already supplies engines to some Geely-branded vehicles, sharing technology through Geely's Lynk brand. Both companies share and develop common vehicle platforms. Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.