As part of its intent to offer customers a longer range, quicker charging and lower costs, and reach new milestones in automotive safety and sustainability, Volvo Cars has announced that it will invest SEK 10 billion (about $1.09 billion)in its Torslanda manufacturing plant in Sweden, in preparation for the production of that next generation of fully electric cars.
The planned investments will also make the company introduce several new and more sustainable technologies and manufacturing processes in the plant, including mega casting of aluminium body parts, a new battery assembly plant and fully refurbished paint and final assembly shops, the company in a press release.
The investments follow a recent announcement by Volvo Cars and Northvolt, the leading battery cell company, to invest SEK 30 billion in developing and manufacturing high-quality, tailor-made batteries for the next generation of pure electric Volvo models.
Both investment plans represent new steps towards Volvo Cars’ ambition to be a fully electric car company by 2030.
Håkan Samuelsson, Chief Executive of Volvo Cars, said, “With these investments, we take an important step towards our all-electric future and prepare for even more advanced and better electric Volvos. Torslanda is our largest plant and will play a crucial role in our ongoing transformation as we move towards becoming a pure electric car maker by 2030.”
The introduction of the mega casting of aluminium body parts for the next generation of electric Volvo models is a significant and exciting change implemented in the investment package. Mega casting creates several benefits in terms of sustainability, cost and car performance during the car’s lifetime, and Volvo Cars is one of the first carmakers to invest in this process, the company claimed.
Casting major parts of the car’s floor structure as one single aluminium part reduces weight, which improves the energy efficiency and, thereby, the vehicle’s electric range. It also allows the designers to optimally use the available space inside the cabin and luggage area, boosting the overall versatility of the vehicle.
Other benefits from mega casting include reduced complexity in the manufacturing process. That, in turn, creates cost savings in terms of material use and logistics, reducing the overall environmental footprint across the manufacturing and supply chain networks.
The paint shop’s upgrade involves installing new machinery and implementing new processes, which are expected to support the ongoing reduction of paint shop energy consumption and emissions.
A new battery assembly plant will integrate battery cells and modules in the floor structure of the car, while the assembly shop is being refurbished for the accommodation of the next-generation fully electric cars – for example, with a new ‘marriage point’ where the top body and the floor of the car meet for the first time.
The Torslanda plant has an annual production capacity of 300,000 cars and is one of Volvo Cars’ longest-operating manufacturing facilities. Currently, the plant operates on three shifts and employs around 6,500 people.