on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Man convicted of spying on truck maker Scania for the Russians

STOCKHOLM — A Swedish court on Wednesday sentenced a 47-year-old man to three years in prison for spying for Russia, which involved selling secret information from truck maker Scania. The court said it had found the man guilty of acquiring and selling the secret information from the truck maker to a Russian embassy official. The court acquitted the man of similar espionage charges at Geely-owned carmaker Volvo Cars. "To be convicted of espionage, it is required that Sweden's security can be damaged if the information benefits foreign powers," the court said in a statement. "The district court has ruled that this is the case with regard to the information that the man obtained from Scania, while it has not been proven that this is the case with regard to the information from Volvo." The court statement said the man regularly received cash at his meetings with the Russian embassy official, which it considered was compensation for the information provided. The man, who has denied wrongdoing, was apprehended whilst meeting the diplomat in a restaurant, having just received 27,800 Swedish krona ($3,242). He worked as a consultant for Volvo Cars in 2016 and 2017 and for Scania in 2018 and 2019, until he was arrested. The man's lawyer said he would appeal. Scania is owned by truck maker Traton. Government/Legal Volvo Scania

Volvo EX30 due out in June 2023 as entry-level electric crossover

Volvo will expand its range towards the bottom when it presents an entry-level electric crossover called EX30 in June 2023. The company isn't ready to show us the soft-roader's full design yet, but it released a preview video that gives us a better idea of what to expect from it. "Something small is coming," Volvo wrote in a statement. While that's not a lot to go on, it suggests — but doesn't confirm — that the EX30 will slot below the XC40 in terms of size. We've seen it parked next to the EX90 and it looks considerably smaller; it rides on a much shorter wheelbase and features a relatively small rear overhang that creates a boxy silhouette characterized by an almost upright rear end. Many of the styling cues that define Volvo's current design language seem to appear on the EX30. Its front end wears T-shaped LED daytime running lights (called Thor's Hammer in the company jargon) inspired the EX90's, while its rear end features a new interpretation of the upright lights that Volvo has fitted to many of its cars over the past few decades — including the C30, which was its last 30-branded car. Technical details haven't been announced. All we know is that the EX30 will be all electric, all the time; it won't be available with a gasoline-powered engine. An unverified report claims that the city-friendly model will share its Sustainable Experience Architecture (SEA) platform with the Smart #1, among other models, and Volvo boss Jim Rowan said the crossover will deliver a "decent range." Using the SEA platform will allow Volvo to offer rear- and all-wheel drive as well as several battery options, though the lineup will vary from market to market. The Volvo EX30 will make its debut on June 7, 2023, at 1:30 p.m. European time, which is 7:30 a.m. in New York and — sorry, West Coast folks — 4:30 a.m. in California. We'll learn more about it in the coming weeks, and sales will start on the day of the unveiling. If the report is accurate, the EX30 will be built in China. Volvo confirmed to Autoblog that the model will be sold in the United States. Related video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

2023 Volvo XC40 Recharge First Drive Review: EV SUV is petite, potent and unpretentious

After years of polishing its plug-in hybrid powertrains, Volvo is jumping into the electric vehicle space with both feet. But rather than trying to make an immense splash in the deep end, Volvo elected to start with its entry-level vehicles – the 2023 XC40 Recharge and its mechanical twin, the C40. Fear not. While they may be small, they are charmingly mighty. Volvo was so eager for us to sample the XC40 Recharge that it actually loaned us a 2022 model for the purpose of this writeup after announcing its planned updates for 2023 XC40 lineup. The changes are of virtually no consequence in the context of this review, as most of them serve to catch the standard XC40 up to the Recharge model, which was already equipped with VolvoÂ’s latest goodies, including GoogleÂ’s new Android Automotive infotainment suite. There are some aesthetic updates (ooooooh, new fog light trim!) but nothing truly noteworthy. While the XC40 is meant to appeal to a more crossover-minded buyer, it and the C40 are virtually identical. While Volvo offers pared-down versions of its EV powertrain in other markets, America gets only the “Twin” variants of each, named thusly for their pair of electric motors. Nope, no bargain-priced FWD-only models here. From the $54,645 (destination included) base model on up, you get 402 horsepower, 486 pound-feet of torque and all-wheel drive. It being a Volvo, everything inside is a little bit different (perhaps just for the sake of being so) but without being Saab levels of weird. Take the time-tested process of turning the car on, for example. There isnÂ’t a key nor start button; VolvoÂ’s electrics are just on by default. If youÂ’re in the car and the key is present, youÂ’re live. Put it in whatever gear you like and set off on your way. When youÂ’re done, put it in park, get out, lock the door and, should you need to or want to, plug it in. While that may seem superficially unconventional, itÂ’s fundamentally a very Volvo thing to do. There are those who choose to believe that Tesla deserves credit for normalizing minimalism in car interiors. ThatÂ’s a neat theory, but VolvoÂ’s been doing it better for longer — and not as a disguise for being cheap. Eliminating the on/off switch seems very on-brand for a company whose cabins have long resembled that one section of the Ikea maze where the college kids canÂ’t even afford to window shop.   If anything, the XC40 Recharge and the C40 both lean a little too far in that direction.