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Volvo, Daimler, Traton join forces to build electric truck charging network

Volvo Group, Daimler Truck and Volkswagen's AG heavy-truck business the Traton Group announced on Monday a non-binding agreement to build a network of high-performance public charging stations for electric heavy-duty long-haul trucks and buses around Europe. The news was first reported by Reuters. The three major European automakers will invest ˆ500 million (~$593 million USD) to install and operate 1,700 charging points in strategic locations and close to highways. They intend to finalize the agreement by the end of this year and start operations next year, with the hopes of increasing the number of charge points significantly as the companies seek additional partners for the future joint venture. The venture is meant to be a catalyst to prepare for the European Union's goals of carbon-neutral freight transportation by 2050. One of the main deterrents for both individuals and freight companies for switching to EVs has historically been a lack of charging infrastructure. By building that infrastructure, Volvo, Daimler and Traton can also expect to boost their own sales of electric trucks and buses. “It is the joint aim of EuropeÂ’s truck manufacturers to achieve climate neutrality by 2050," Martin Daum, CEO Daimler Truck, said in a statement.  "However, it is vital that building up the right infrastructure goes hand in hand with putting CO2-neutral trucks on the road. Together with Volvo Group and the Traton Group, we are therefore very excited to take this pioneering step to establish a high-performance charging network across Europe.” The partnership between Volvo and Daimler isn't unprecedented. In May, the two competitors teamed up to produce hydrogen fuel cells for long-haul trucks to lower development costs and boost production volumes. This latest venture is another signal that major companies are banding together to solve climate-related issues in the industry. European car industry association ACEA has called for up to 50,000 high-performance charging points by 2030. Traton CEO Matthias Gruendler told Reuters that roughly 10 billion euros would be needed to build out Europe's infrastructure to be fully electrified by 2050. According to a statement released by Volvo, this venture is also a call to action for others with a stake in the industry, like automakers or governments, to work together to ensure the rapid expansion needed to reach climate goals.

Cyan Racing shows slightly tamer resto-modded Volvo P1800 GT

Cyan Racing, which was known as Polestar until Volvo purchased the rights to the name in 2015, has unveiled an evolution of its resto-modded P1800 that puts a bigger emphasis on comfort. Called GT, the coupe remains as attractive as its more track-focused sibling. If you need a refresher course, Cyan Racing branched out into street-legal cars when it unveiled a P1800 with classic good looks and modern performance in 2020. That was arguably the worst year to launch anything, let alone an expensive reboot of a relatively obscure classic, but Cyan was on to something: it didn't take long for the brand to receive its first orders.  Viewed from the outside, the GT looks a lot like Cyan's original P1800. It features two-piece bumpers, a front splitter, wheel arch flares and a racing-style fuel filler cap that pokes through the trunk lid. It's inside that you'll find some of the bigger changes: Cyan fitted more comfort-oriented front seats and installed a different roll cage, for example. The brand also notes that it installed more sound-deadening material. Power still comes from a turbocharged, 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine, though it has been tuned with a focus on drivability rather than on flat-out performance. How much power varies from car to car. The output of Cyan's previous P1800-based builds ranges from 350 to 420 horsepower. The turbo-four spins the rear wheels via a five-speed manual transmission, and the coupe weighs less than 2,200 pounds thanks in part to a carbon fiber body. The adjustable suspension system is specific to the GT and softer than the track-bound model's, too. Cyan notes that production of the P1800 GT will be limited, though it doesn't have a specific number of units in mind. Every build starts with a donor P1800, and production takes place in Gothenburg, Sweden. The process requires between 12 and 15 months of work per car. As for pricing, it depends on how the car is configured. Cyan told Autoblog that the average price of the cars built so far hovers around $600,000. That's a lot, but customers keep coming: Cyan notes the second car from the production run has already been shipped to the United States. Featured Gallery Cyan Racing's Volvo P1800 GT, official images View 9 Photos Aftermarket Design/Style Volvo Coupe Luxury Performance Classics

Volvo shows off 345-hp S60 and V60 Polestar

We showed you the hot, new Volvo V60 Polestar a few months back and raved about the fact that this long-roofed family car can hit 60 miles per hour in just 4.9 seconds. Now, we're seeing it and its four-doored brother, the S60 Polestar sedan, in person for the first time.
As we told you when the V60 Polestar was unveiled, both cars are motivated by a 3.0-liter, turbocharged six-cylinder that generates 345 horsepower and 369 pound-feet of torque, with peak twist arriving between 2,800 and 4,750. Power is channeled to a rear-biased all-wheel-drive system via a six-speed automatic transmission with paddle shifters and launch control.
Both Polestar models benefit from a suspension that features Öhlins shocks, while they ride on 20-inch "bespoke" wheels. Six-cylinder Brembo calipers clamp down on 14.6-inch rotors in front, meaning these Volvos should come to a stop as quickly as they get going.