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Volvo Car partners with Northvolt to develop and produce batteries

STOCKHOLM — Volvo Car Group, owned by China's Geely Holding, announced plans on Monday for a joint venture with Swedish battery maker Northvolt to develop sustainable batteries for its electric cars and set up a factory for production. The companies aim to set up a research and development center in Sweden to begin operations in 2022 and start a factory in Europe with a potential capacity to produce up to 50 gigawatt hours (GWh) per year in 2026. "Working closely with Northvolt will also allow us to strengthen our in-house development capabilities," said Hakan Samuelsson, chief executive at Volvo Car Group. Northvolt will become Volvo Cars' exclusive battery cell production partner in Europe. The factory will be powered by clean energy and is expected to employ around 3,000 people. The location of the plant has yet to be decided. Northvolt raised $2.75 billion in equity this month to expand capacity at the factory it is building in northern Sweden, and Volvo plans to source battery cells from that battery plant starting in 2024. German carmaker Volkswagen is Northvolt's biggest shareholder, and the battery maker has also got contracts worth billions from the likes of BMW and Scania. Battery makers are scrambling to keep up with demand as carmakers switch to electric in order to reduce planet-warming carbon emissions. Volvo Cars aims to sell 50% pure electric cars by the middle of this decade, and by 2030 it aims to sell only fully electric cars. Electric successor to Volvo's XC60 model will be the first car to feature battery cells developed through the joint venture.

Volvo V60 Polestar speeds into view

Send us photos of a new wagon out testing, and you've got our attention. Send us photos of a fast wagon lapping the Nürburgring and, well, we're just as giddy as can be. Our spy shooters just blessed our inbox with some fresh shots of Volvo's new V60 wagon out testing in Polestar guise, sporting the same Rebel Blue paint job as the thunder-from-Down-Under limited-edition S60 Polestar, as well as an aggressive front fascia, huge wheels, Brembo brakes, a rear diffuser panel and a roof spoiler. Hello there, hot stuff.
Like its sedan counterpart, the V60 Polestar is expected to use a boosted version of Volvo's 3.0-liter turbocharged six-cylinder engine, pumping out something like 350 horsepower. To keep everything in check, that force will almost certainly be sent to the ground via all-wheel drive.
It's unclear if Volvo will sell the V60 Polestar as a limited-edition affair for our friends in Australia, or if this longroof hot-hauler will be offered in other markets this time. After all, Volvo is bringing the V60 over to American soil early next year, so consider our fingers - and toes - crossed.

2021 Ford Mustang Mach-E, Volvo XC40 Recharge score high in IIHS tests

New electric cars continue their streak of impressive crash test results. The two latest to go through Insurance Institute for Highway Safety testing are the 2021 Ford Mustang Mach-E and the 2021 Volvo XC40 Recharge. The former earned a Top Safety Pick award, and the latter picked up the Top Safety Pick+ commendation. Both vehicles got the top "Good" rating in every crash test, as well as the "Superior" rating for vehicle-to-vehicle collision prevention. They deviate when it comes to headlights and vehicle-to-pedestrian collision prevention. Because the Volvo has headlights rated "Good" on all trims, it got that extra "+" on its Top Safety Pick award. The Ford also has high-rated headlights available, but the standard units got the second lowest rating of "Marginal." As for the vehicle-to-pedestrian collision prevention, the Volvo received the second-highest "Advanced" rating, while the Ford was rated "Superior." Among the electric cars IIHS has tested, the Ford and Volvo continue a streak of high scores. The organization has evaluated the Audi E-Tron in both its body styles, as well as the Tesla Model 3, both of which get the Top Safety Pick+ rating. As a result of the XC40 Recharge's test score, Volvo pointed out that it is the only automaker whose entire lineup has received a Top Safety Pick+ rating. Related video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.