Volvo unveil new battery factory

Volvo now has its own production line for batteries for electric vehicles which it recently unveiled at its factory in Ghent, Belgium. Volvo revealed that the factory would initially be used to supply batteries to its XC40 range. The group’s industrial manager, Geert Bruyneel, declared that the Ghent plant would play a pioneering role as the first factory to integrate a battery assembly line.

The manufacturer’s factory in Ghent currently employs 6,500 people and produces the V60 and V40, as well as the Volvo XC40. All of the electric XC40 cars produced in the factory will henceforth be fitted with batteries also manufactured in the Ghent factory. In addition, the manufacturer announces that other production lines for batteries will also be launched, with the company revealing plans to launch a second battery assembly line in South Carolina, in the United States, as well as a third factory in China. The latter should enable the motorization of other electric car models such as the Lynk & Co and Polestar.

Volvo also took the opportunity to reveal its ambitious plans for the future, promising to launch a new electric model each year. Volvo France availed of the occasion to present its 2019 results, which revealed that customers are turning to electric models in ever greater numbers with 12% of XC40 orders, 30% of XC60 orders and 52% of XC90 orders having opted for plug-in hybrid versions of the cars.