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Volvo finds a way to turn body panels into batteries [w/video]

One of the problems with designing an electric vehicle is figuring out where to fit the battery pack. Volvo - as a part of a European Union research project - is working on a way around this issue by replacing standard parts with lightweight components that double as batteries on both conventional and plug-in vehicles. The image above shows one such piece on a Volvo S80. While looking like nothing more than a carbon fiber plenum cover, the piece is actually a battery pack that can store and supply enough energy for the car's entire 12-volt power system.
The parts are made by sandwiching super capacitors (which can charge faster than standard batteries) in between layers of carbon fiber. They can then be formed to replace numerous body panels such as the decklid, roof or door panels. Volvo says that the replacing the body panels and batteries with these nano batteries can help reduce the vehicle's weight by as much as 15 percent. It has taken more than three years just to design the batteries, so there's no telling when, or if, we'll ever see this technology used on a production vehicle. Scroll down for a video and press release on Volvo's innovative battery technology.

Camaro SS facelift and dune-riding the new Mercedes-Benz GLS | Autoblog Podcast #579

In this week's Autoblog Podcast, Editor-in-Chief Greg Migliore is joined by Road Test Editor Reese Counts and Associate Editor Joel Stocksdale. First, they talk about the newly refreshed Chevy Camaro SS. Then they dish on the cars they've been driving, including the Lexus UX, Lexus GS F and Volvo V90, as well as riding in the new Mercedes-Benz GLS. After that, they ask the question, how many AMG cars is too many? Finally they turn to car buying, and suggest potential vehicles for a shopper on Reddit for the "Spend My Money" segment. Autoblog Podcast #579 Get The Podcast iTunes – Subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes RSS – Add the Autoblog Podcast feed to your RSS aggregator MP3 – Download the MP3 directly Rundown 2020 Camaro SS facelift Cars we're driving: 2019 Lexus UX 2019 Lexus GS F 2019 Volvo V90 Cross Country 2020 Mercedes-Benz GLS ride How many AMGs is too many? Spend My Money Feedback Email – Podcast@Autoblog.com Review the show on iTunes Related Video:

Volvo recalls another 195,000 vehicles for airbags after a death

Volvo has recalled 194,546 vehicles built between 2001 and 2007 due to airbag inflators that "may explode during deployment, due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, high temperatures, and high temperature cycling." The vehicles included in this recall are V70 and XC70 models that were built from Feb. 22, 2000 through May 4, 2007, but similar recalls have included other Volvo models for the same issue. In total, Volvo has recalled more than half a million vehicles worldwide to replace faulty inflators. To find out if your vehicle has been recalled in the United States, visit the official site of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Owners can also contact Volvo Car customer service at 1-800-458-1552. The number for this particular recall is R10136. According to the recall notice, Volvo is aware of one incident in which an inflator ruptured, killing the driver. While these airbag recalls may sound familiar due to the massive number of inflators that were made by Takata and were recalled and replaced, the inflators used by Volvo were manufactured by supplier ZF/TRW. Takata's faulty airbag inflators have been blamed for at least 19 deaths in the United States and 28 worldwide, along with more than 400 injuries in the U.S. alone. Volvo will replace the driver-side airbag of affected vehicles at no charge "with a modern state-of-the-art propellant/inflator." Owners of affected vehicles should expect to receive a notice in the mail after December 14, 2021. Related video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.