Volvo will make its first electric vehicle in China

6 years, 11 months ago - 16 April 2017, Autoblog
Volvo will make its first electric vehicle in China
Volvo will produce its first electric vehicle in China, Automotive News Europe says, citing people familiar with the process whom it didn't identify. The company will debut sales of the yet-to-be revealed model in 2019. Volvo will also export the model globally.

The automaker plans to announce further details at the Shanghai Auto Show next week, and isn't yet saying what kind of body type the model will employ. The EV will be built on the compact-vehicle platform Volvo co-developed with its Lynk & Co. affiliate (both companies are owned by China-based Zhejiang Geely). The factory in question is in southeast China, where Lynk & Co.'s 01 crossover and the Volvo XC40 compact SUV will also be produced.

Volvo makes its S90 as well as its 60 series midsize vehicles in China, and is working on an electric vehicle for a larger platform. The company previously divulged its goal to produce 1 million electrified vehicles by 2025.

Zhejiang Geely acquired Volvo from Ford in 2010, and announced the new Lynk & Co. brand last fall. Lynk & Co. said at the time that the cars' connectivity will make it sharable through any open digital platform. The new line will also feature either a 1.5-liter three-cylinder engine or a 2.0-liter four-cylinder, in addition to hybrid and plug-in hybrid variants. Also, the new company said it will follow Tesla's distribution strategy by predominantly selling its cars online as well as through factory-owned stores.

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