2009 Volvo C70 T5 Convertible Celestial Blue on 2040-cars

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Volvo agrees to transfer tech to new parent Geely

Following the acquisition of Volvo by China's Zhejiang Geely Holding Group in 2010, we definitely saw this news coming. The two companies have signed an agreement that will give Chinese automaker Geely access to key technologies developed by Volvo, and in turn, the deal could help the Swedish automaker lower its production costs.
As a part of the "technological cooperation agreements" signed by both companies, Automotive News China reports that Geely will be able to tap Volvo for three much-needed technologies, including the use of a midsize platform, Volvo's proven safety innovations and interior air quality systems. The latter two technologies are important to improve the crashworthiness of Geely's cars, along with helping isolate vehicle occupants from China's often severe air pollution. The report says that Volvo tech will likely be used on a premium car brand that Geely is expected to create.
Volvo, on the other hand, is to benefit from the "local market exploration experience and cost control experience" of Zhejiang Geely Holding Group, which is technical way of saying that Volvo will be able reduce its costs by tapping into Geely's established supply chain.

Macron hosts BMW and Volvo execs as they consider moving operations to the U.S.

PARIS — French President Emmanuel Macron on Monday will host a dinner with a number of European chief executives to convince them not to move production to the United States, where lower energy prices and the Inflation Reduction Act is proving a lure. European leaders have been alarmed by massive anti-inflation measures passed by Joe Biden's administration, which make tax breaks conditional on U.S-manufactured content and which EU industries say make investment in Europe less competitive. "We're having difficulties with companies which are starting to consider offshoring their production or making future investment outside Europe," a French official said, listing high energy costs and the U.S. legislation as reasons. At the Elysee palace, Macron will seek to convince executives from companies including chemical groups Solvay and Air Liquide, carmakers Volvo and BMW, pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca and telecom groups Ericsson and Orange to stay in Europe and choose France for their future investments. Macron, who has called on the European Union to launch its own 'European Buy Act' to subsidise European production, has encountered resistance from the more anti-protectionist members of the bloc. It was unclear what Macron would tell the executives to convince them not to move to the U.S. But France has unveiled a number of measures over the weekend to cushion the impact of high energy bills for French companies. European companies have been increasingly strident about the impact of soaring energy prices since Russia's invasion of Ukraine, which has pushed up gas and electricity prices. Eric Trappier, CEO of Dassault Aviation, who heads the French federation of metals industries, warned in the Les Echos newspaper over the weekend that Europe should protect its own industry more aggressively or see it move to other shores. Related video: Government/Legal Green Plants/Manufacturing BMW Volvo

Volvo introduces 2022 C40 Recharge crossover, announces all EV sales will be online-only

Volvo plans to become an electric car brand, with EVs making up half of sales by 2025, and all sales by 2030. Volvo has now also announced that as part of its electric future, it will move all vehicle sales to online-only, and will expand its customer services. The first car to be sold online-only will be the all-electric C40 Recharge, which the company showed off in a sneak peek during in the “Volvo Moment: Recharge” video above. The 2022 Volvo C40 Recharge is a fastback-style “crossover coupe” with an upright stance. It features a 78-kilowatt-hour battery providing 260 miles of range, according to Volvo. With electric motors front and rear, it'll do 0-62 miles per hour in 4.9 seconds. Volvo claims a 0-80% charge in 40 minutes. It will be VolvoÂ’s second car (after the XC40 Recharge) using the Google Android Automotive Operating System for its infotainment, much like that introduced on the Polestar 2. The C40 will also be completely leather-free, signaling a move away from leather for all Volvos in the future. To begin, the Volvo C40 Recharge is available for order online at Volvo Studios in New York, Milan and Tokyo. Volvo C40 Recharge View 35 Photos Along with sales going completely online, Volvo will expand its Care by Volvo program beyond vehicle subscriptions to offer a complete care package. Customers can enjoy greater convenience, with the package covering insurance, warranty, maintenance, roadside assistance and even home charging options. Volvo cars can still be custom ordered, but it will also offer a number of pre-configured packages for faster delivery of its vehicles to customers. Pricing will be pre-fixed, removing the need for haggling with a dealer and wondering if youÂ’re getting the best price for your vehicle. Dealers arenÂ’t being put out to pasture, though; Volvo says its retail partners “remain a crucial part of the customer experience and will continue to be responsible for a variety of important services such as selling, preparing, delivering and servicing cars.” Volvo intends to become fully climate neutral by 2040. To help with that, it will adopt some of the same practices as spinoff brand Polestar, by enacting full transparency in its supply chain, and using blockchain technology for sensitive raw materials like cobalt. Volvo will also perform on-the-ground audits to ensure everythingÂ’s on the up-and-up in its supply chain. Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party.