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Volvo joins Australia's V8 Supercars series [w/video]

It was just a rumor, but now it's official, mates: Volvo will be joining the V8 Supercars series in Australia with an official team for 2014. Volvo is partnering with Garry Rogers Motorsport and its own Polestar tuning firm to create Volvo Polestar Racing.
A V8 engine will be produced by the Swedish arm of the racing effort, and will be supplied to the Garry Rogers team, which will get the whole shebang ready for the track. The outfit will be running two V8 Supercars "based on the production S60 road car." Considering that the S60 uses a range of transversely mounted engines with four, five or six cylinders (powering either the front or all four wheels) while the new race car will employ a V8 sending about 650 horsepower to the rear wheels, make that very loosely based on the production S60...
Volvo claims this is the first factory-backed entry in the V8 Supercars series from a luxury brand. We should note, though, that Mercedes-Benz is represented in the series with an E-Class sedan, but that outfit isn't quite an official entry from the car's German parents. In any case, you're encouraged to watch the teaser video and read the press release below for all the details.

Volvo ditches leather in its EVs for 'Nordico' and wool blends

Volvo is putting its stake in the sand when it comes to leather in its EVs. Essentially, there will be none of it. This move comes out of concern around the environmental impacts of cattle farming, as livestock is responsible for a big slice of greenhouse gas emissions. The move away from leather was touched on when Volvo revealed its new C40 electric crossover, but now Volvo is telling us exactly what it’s replacing the cowhides with. The main replacement is something Volvo calls “Nordico.” ItÂ’s a material designed and created by Volvo, and the company hopes it becomes the “new standard for premium interior design.” WhatÂ’s Nordico made out of, you ask? Volvo says it consists of textiles produced from recycled PET bottles, recycled cork and “bio-attributed material” sourced from forests in Sweden and Finland. Nordico is set to make an appearance in the “next generation of Volvo models,” so expect to see it rolling into dealers on new Volvo EVs soon. In addition to Nordico, Volvo says it will continue to offer its wool blend interior options. Volvo specifically calls out that it uses wool that is certified to be sourced responsibly in the wool supply chain for the sake of animal welfare. Beyond that, Volvo is continuing to research even more materials it could use as seat and interior coverings to replace or simulate leather — weÂ’re just not sure what those materials will be just yet. “Being a progressive car maker means we need to address all areas of sustainability, not just CO2 emissions,” says Stuart Templar, director of global sustainability at Volvo Cars. “Responsible sourcing is an important part of that work, including respect for animal welfare. Going leather-free inside our pure electric cars is a good next step towards addressing this issue.” Volvo isnÂ’t calling the entire interior “vegan” at this point, though. ItÂ’s planning on reducing the use of products from livestock in its plastics, rubber, lubricants and adhesives, but the cars arenÂ’t totally devoid of reliance on animals yet.  Related video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

Volvo Concept Recharge full of sustainable materials

In June, Volvo showed us the conceptual exterior of its future vision in a swoopy wagon-like package called the Concept Recharge. The Swedes are now ready to show us the vision's interior and tell us what it's made of, calling it "a manifesto for Volvo Cars' future." With the context being Volvo's aim of selling only EVs by 2030 and being carbon neutral by 2040, the battery-electric Concept Recharge is a way for the automaker to get there and look stylish while doing it. It starts and nearly ends with employing sustainable, recyclable materials everywhere. Outside, the front and rear bumpers and the rocker panels are fashioned from flax composite. Only six percent of the materials in the specially developed Pirelli tires come from fossil resources, the rest from recycled and renewable materials like natural rubber, bio-silica, rayon and bio-resin. Every aspect of the bodywork has been shaped to increase aerodynamic efficiency, from the wheel design to the compact, upright rear end. Efficiency will also be a key development for the batteries. Volvo hasn't mentioned those yet in regard to the concept, but we know the company doesn't simply want to add more cells to increase range, since that adds weight and increases a vehicle's carbon footprint. Volvo is working with Swedish firm Northvolt on more energy-dense battery packs with shorter charging times. Inside, the Concept Recharge takes an evolutionary leap from the sustainable cabin now available in the C40 Recharge. The seat backrest and top of the instrument panel are dressed in "responsibly sourced Swedish wool" woven into a breathable, additive-free cloth. The seat bolsters and door panels areas that will see a lot of contact are covered in Tencel, a soft-touch yet durable cellulose fiber product. The floor and lower doors are wrapped in 100% wool. The seatbacks, the fronts of the headrests, and part of the steering wheel are covered in a material Volvo developed called Nordico. The company's being secretive about the composition, only telling us that Nordico's been created out of recyclable ingredients found in sustainable forests. And flax composite shows up again inside in the storage pockets, the back of the headrest, and the footrests. The automaker says that if the Concept Recharge's battery is charged using renewable energy, it would contribute less than 10 metric tons of CO2 over the wagon's lifespan. The U.S.