Our procurement and supply chain management teams are getting closer as a new organisation led by Kerstin Enochsson forms.

Resilient, efficient and sustainable supply chains are business critical in today’s world. To further accelerate our plans, we are bringing our Procurement and Supply Chain Management teams even closer. Together, they will form a new function from 1 October: Procurement &amp; Supply Chain, led by Kerstin Enochsson.
The global supply chain landscape has never been more complex and challenging to navigate.
Strong supply chain management and orchestration ensure our supplier footprint is fit for purpose and that our production planning is optimised for our commercial objectives. It also ensures parts are delivered to our plants on time and our cars reach our customers in line with expectations.
In recognition of the critical role this new organisation will take in our business, Kerstin Enochsson will become a member of the Group Management Team (GMT) in her new capacity, while continuing to report to Javier Varela.

“Engineering &amp; Operations has the full value chain view, and there is not a single step of that value creation process that is not touched by Procurement &amp; Supply Chain. This organisational change is done with the purpose of further capturing synergies between the areas and create an even higher-performing team,” says Javier Varela.
“I feel humbled by the scope our Procurement &amp; Supply Chain function will cover. At the same time, I have extreme confidence in the teams, in the collaboration that we already have between our current functions, and our ability to contribute to the end-to-end value chain optimisation we need in Volvo Cars,” says Kerstin Enochsson.
Bio
Born in Cologne, Germany, Kerstin joined Volvo Cars in 2015. She has a master’s degree in law (Freie Universität, Berlin, Germany) and holds an MBA (ESCP-EAP European School of Management, Paris, France). Her previous experience includes companies like McKenzie, Deutsche Bahn and Volvo Construction Equipment. Building on her varied experience at Volvo Cars, she is currently Head of Procurement and Supply Chain.

New Procurement & Supply Chain function to accelerate our performance

We all like to think that we’re good drivers, but we also know that even the best among us make mistakes. And when people are not at their best, they may need help.

To reach our vision of a future with zero collisions, we have to look at all the reasons for why a crash might happen. Traditionally, we have focused on getting our cars to better understand what’s happening around them to help protect the people inside.
But to break new ground in how to protect people, we need to go further – we need to improve the car’s understanding of the driver’s state.
That is why we’re introducing our driver understanding system as standard in our EX90, which will be revealed on the 9 November 2022. This real-time interior sensing system is guided by a straight-forward concept: if a Volvo car can understand when the driver is in a state that isn’t optimal for driving, the car can make sure to take action to help avoid accidents.

The system will debut in the EX90 and complement a state-of-the-art exterior sensor set.
“Our research shows that by simply observing where the driver is looking and how often and for how long their eyes are closed, we can tell a lot about the state of the driver,” said Emma Tivesten, Senior Technical Expert, Volvo Cars Safety Center.
“By basing its calculations on our research findings, the sensing system allows our cars to identify whether the driver’s ability is impaired, perhaps due to drowsiness, distraction or other causes for inattention and to offer extra assistance in a way that best suits the situation.”
Using its two cameras to pick up early signals that indicate that the driver is not at their best, the system observes the driver’s eye-gaze patterns. By measuring how much of the time the driver looks at the road ahead, allowing for natural variations, it understands when the driver’s eyes, and perhaps therefore mind, are focused somewhere other than on driving.
Is the driver looking at the road too little? It can be a sign that they are visually distracted, perhaps from looking at their phone. Too much? That can be a sign of cognitive distraction, which could mean that the driver is occupied by their thoughts to the point where they no longer register what they are looking at.
The car’s capacitive steering wheel also plays a role. It senses if the driver lets go of the wheel, thus monitoring the stability of their steering input.
By using our patented technology for real time sensing of gaze patterns and steering behavior, the car will be able to take appropriate action to help the driver when needed. The assistance can start with a simple warning signal that grows in volume with the severity of the situation. If the driver doesn’t respond to increasingly clear warnings, the car can even safely stop by the side of the road, sending a warning to other road users with its hazard lights.
“We’ve made great progress on exterior sensing in the last decades, thanks to our committed work on crash prevention systems,” said Thomas Broberg, Acting Head of Volvo Cars Safety Centre. “Interior sensing is one of the next safety frontiers for us. We will continue to learn, develop and deploy new features step by step to help improve safety as our knowledge increases and matures.”
<a href="https://www.volvocars.com/se/safety-in-mind/innovations/">Check out our Safety in Mind page for more.</a>

We all like to think that we’re good drivers, but we also know that even the best among us make mistakes. And when people are not at their best, they may need help

Your Volvo car will understand you when you’re not at your best – and step in when you need support

Ask any person on the street what comes to mind when they think of Volvo Cars, and many will answer: safety. It’s what we’re proud to be known for, it’s what we’ve built our brand on.

For us, safety is not a marketing exercise or another regulatory hurdle to clear. It’s at the core of our purpose as a company.
As our chief executive Jim Rowan puts it in a new keynote, available for viewing above, we’ve been around for almost 100 years as a leader in automotive safety, setting new standards and inventing new technologies that have saved many lives.
In our forthcoming Volvo EX90 all-electric flagship SUV, which will be revealed on 9 November, that legacy continues. The standard safety in the EX90 will be beyond that of any Volvo before it. As it should be, because only innovation can drive us forward and make things better.
We’ll continue to innovate until cars don’t crash anymore, until we’re 100 per cent carbon free as a company. All in order to protect more lives, in line with our purpose. The EX90 is the start of a new era for Volvo Cars, taking our legacy of safety, quality and innovation into the future.
So what can you expect in our new Volvo EX90? It’s a car designed to understand you and its surroundings to help keep you, your loved ones and others in traffic safe. It can also get smarter and safer over time, as it learns from new data and receives updates.
The development of our latest safety technology is based on understanding human behaviour, rooted in decades of our own and others’ safety research. Every one of us is likely to experience or be affected by at least one car crash in our lifetime.
That’s not a judgment: we know that most of the time you’re a great driver, alert and ready to act when needed. But we’re all humans, and that also means to experience emotions.
We know that distraction and tiredness are facts of life, and that they travel with us. We know that you may not always be at your best, for whatever reason. And in traffic, it takes only a few seconds for the unthinkable to happen.
So our aim is to help you be a better driver and reduce the risk of a crash happening. The Volvo EX90 comes with an invisible shield of safety that includes our latest sensing technology, allowing the car to understand your state of mind and the world around you.

Start with the outside. State-of-the art sensors like cameras, radars and LiDAR, all powered by our core computing platform and software, work together to create a 360-degree real-time view of the world.
Our sensors don’t get tired or distracted. They are designed to respond and react when you’re just a millisecond too late. Our LiDAR senses the road in front of you, whether it’s day or night, also at highway speeds. It can see small objects hundreds of metres ahead, creating more time to inform, act and avoid.
And as our cars hit the roads and we learn from the data they generate, our research indicates that our software and sensors can help reduce accidents that result in serious injury or death by up to 20 per cent.
Likewise, we estimate we can even improve overall crash avoidance by up to 9 per cent, which could lead to millions of accidents avoided over time. That would be a big step in safety and for mankind.
Inside, our invisible shield of safety also looks out for you. Special sensors and cameras, powered by our own in-house developed algorithms, gauge eye gaze concentration. The technology allows the EX90 to see when you’re distracted, tired or otherwise inattentive, beyond what has been possible in a Volvo car to date.
It will alert you, first softly nudging, then more insistent if needed. And if the unthinkable happens, and you fall asleep or take ill while driving, the EX90 is designed to safely stop and call for help.
We will reveal a lot more details about our new all-electric flagship in coming weeks before the global reveal on November 9, so stay tuned!
<a href="https://www.volvocars.com/se/safety-in-mind/innovations/">Check out our Safety in Mind page for more.</a>

The upcoming Volvo EX90 helps keep you safe through understanding

Want to make the switch to electric but concerned about charging options? Take a look at the latest Volvo branded charging solutions around the world.

The future is electric. And so is the next generation of Volvo cars. By 2030, every car that exits through our factory gates will be fully electric. But it is not just about the car itself; the infrastructure around it should be in place too. That’s why we’re working hard to make charging electric cars easier and more available with more charging stations and new charging technology.
Partnering with Starbucks in the US
In August, <a href="https://www.volvocars.com/intl/news/electrification/From-Starbucks-to-the-Home-Garage-Volvo-Designs-new-spaces-for-an-electric-future/?navFromLatest=true">Volvo Cars USA announced</a> the first Starbucks store to offer new electric car fast chargers for all EV drivers. If you drive a Volvo, you’ll get the added benefit of having access to these stations at no charge or at preferential rates. Four chargers, powered by ChargePoint, have been installed already, and over the next several months, as many as 60 fast chargers will be installed at up to 15 Starbucks locations along a 2,170-kilometre route between Denver and Seattle, passing by six national forests and some of the country’s most iconic spots.
This partnership does not only unlock the American road trip at its best for EV drivers, it’s also hugely important as we continue to move towards a more sustainable, electrified future.

Volvo-branded charging station in China
Also in August, the Hongqiao International Airport in Shanghai saw its first Volvo-branded charging station in China market become available to all drivers of plug-in hybrid or fully electric Volvo cars. Customers can book one of the five charging stations – two fast charging and three slow charging –through the Volvo Cars app up to twelve hours in advance. In fact, if you’re registered as an owner of the app, you can enjoy free charging during parking on up to three occasions every month.
As if that wasn’t enough, rumour has it there’s free coffee waiting for you as well.
Wireless charging in Sweden
In March, together with dedicated partners, we launched a project in our hometown of Gothenburg exploring a new wireless charging technology in a live city environment. By piloting the new tech in a taxi fleet operating in and around the city, we aim to evaluate its potential for charging future electric cars. Just a few months into the project, it’s promising to see that some major expansions already have been made. The taxi fleet, which started with limited numbers, has now reached a total of 18 delivered taxis. And in late August, we saw the grand opening of a second wireless charging station in the city.
The project, which is expected to run for three years and is part of the ongoing Gothenburg Green City Zone initiative, is a great example of the steps we’re taking to become fully electric.
Preferential pricing in Europe
Earlier this year, many drivers of fully electric Volvo cars in Europe got access to a wider choice of public EV charging networks as the Plugsurfing platform was directly integrated into the Volvo Cars app. Thanks to enhanced functionality, Volvo BEV customers can benefit from more than 300,000 charging points across the continent and across borders, all while paying for charging from a single and seamless gateway. On top of that, drivers of fully electric Volvos can benefit from special rates when charging at IONITY stations around Europe. In Sweden and Norway, we’ve also teamed up with charging operator Mer to offer preferential rates in those countries, with the ambition to continually enhance the consumer offer with more providers in the future.

More charging to the people

Six promising young people from India and Venezuela spent the summer at Volvo Cars learning, teaching, and experiencing what it's like working - and being welcomed in - Sweden.

In 2018, a group of ambitious Volvo Cars employees launched a pilot project with the goal of finding talents with challenging backgrounds outside the EU. The team then brought these talented students or graduates to the company, offering them opportunities and travel experience they would otherwise never be able to access. For around three months, the interns work to grow their knowledge while adding genuine value to the team they’re embedded in.
The programme covers costs related to migration, flight tickets, housing and monthly salary for the candidates. Each participant is assigned a volunteer Volvo mentor; a process which offers growth for the mentors just as much as the mentees.

This summer, we welcomed six talented students and graduates from India and Venezuela. They were all proposed by their universities, interviewed by the Programme Board, and matched up with teams at Volvo Cars in need of their skills such as software development, data science and mechanical engineering. They had a manager and mentor and were encouraged to bring their own insights to their work.
We sat down with these inspiring young people to see what they thought about their experience. Check out the video above.

When the students become the teachers

With effect from 1 September, Johan Ekdahl will take permanent charge as CFO of the company.

Since June this year, Johan has been the acting CFO of Volvo Cars, succeeding Björn Annwall who was appointed Chief Commercial Officer and Deputy CEO.
Johan is a finance veteran and brings heaps of experience to this role. He joined Volvo Cars in June 2015, and has been the Head of Global Accounting, Group reporting and Tax since 2017. In this role, he has been responsible for all external and internal financial reporting, accounting policies and directives of the company. Before joining us, Johan was an authorised auditor at EY.
On his appointment, our CEO Jim Rowan said, “Johan is a strong leader who combines financial expertise with in-depth knowledge of our business. His background and experience will be crucial in his role as CFO to help us accelerate towards our strategic ambitions and become a fully electric carmaker by 2030”.

Having already been in this role in an interim capacity since June, Johan is all geared up now for the next phase – as permanent CFO of Volvo Cars. “Our financial position is solid, and we are well equipped to achieve our strategic ambitions. Finance plays a key role on that journey and I look forward to continuing working with the great Volvo Cars team to drive our sustainable and profitable growth,” said Johan about his appointment.

Johan Ekdahl appointed as new CFO

Sensors in our cars can already help prevent a crash before it happens, but what if they could also predict when to repair your car before a problem occurred?

Picture this: You’re parking your car after your morning commute when you get a call from your local Volvo service centre. Nothing feels out of the ordinary with your driving experience, but the service technician says that they have data indicating a potential problem and the car’s battery may need replacing. At your convenience, you’re asked to take the car to the workshop. While your car is being serviced, you get a replacement car to carry on with your life as usual. After the service is completed, you collect your car and drive off – unaffected by the battery failure that never happened.
This failure foresight may seem like something out of a sci-fi movie, but it’s really just a result of hard work carried out by the collaboration of several Volvo Cars teams*.
The core technology of this project, called the Remote Battery Monitoring System (RBMS), was created by data scientists Johnny Ngu and Herman Johnsson. Using this system we can collect, organise and use the massive amount of data emitting from each battery cell in our fully electric models.
“We have been collecting data for quite a long time, but it's like a hidden gold mine. You could say this is us finally making use of the data,” says Johnny Ngu. “The RBMS dashboard is just one application of the data we get from batteries; there can be other use cases such as predicting warranty coverage or even determining the level of aftermarket care our cars may need.”
Going from pure data collection into practical application in the company, project manager Cecilia Dano – accompanied by two graduates, Frida Zetterberg and Emma Åström –developed a way to assist customers directly.
Through the programme we gather data about the batteries in our cars, target potential battery issues and bring the car into the shop before the driver even experiences that something is wrong. All behind the scenes logistics are prepared by us beforehand so that the customer’s car is only at the workshop for one day compared to up to several weeks in the worst-case scenario.

This feature was recently launched in select cars offered from Volvo Bil Sörred in the Care by Volvo Co-Development programme. The technicians at Sörred used the data collected from the RBMS to develop and implement new working methods into an already complex process for this programme. Thanks to them, we have already replaced our first battery!
While the predictive repair features are currently available only with cars that have test equipment installed, there will be a full-scale pilot soon. The features will be offered to all Volvo and Polestar BEV owners in Norway that consent to sharing their battery data with us. Hopefully, this will be a start to eventually implementing predictive repair in all markets, so that customers never have to experience a surprise malfunction again.
“This programme can be a game-changer when it comes to the health of our fleet and the satisfaction of our customers,” says head of service operations Ana Erixon, whose team is responsible for providing an effortless car usage through an optimized service experience. “We know that some people still have hesitation around the batteries in electric cars, and we think that this programme will help alleviate some of those anxieties while also providing a personal touch to our customer service.”
Beyond the battery services being tested today, we might see this sixth sense being applied to other car components in the future. Theoretically, if we gather more information about specific car components, it would be possible to bundle the routine car service together with predictive and preventative repairs – saving the customer time while also efficiently fixing cars.
*This program has been carried out with teams from departments within Volvo Bil (service operations, customer service, business development and communications), central service operations (business development and battery centre), R&amp;D, quality/warranty, procurement, and data protection.

Goodbye surprise malfunctions, hello predictive repairs

Whether our people want to change careers, take on more responsibilities, or explore a new market, we want to encourage them every step of the way.

Would you uproot your home, your family and your life for a job? What about for an adventure?
For Susanne Hägglund, who has worked at Volvo Cars for just over four years, the job was the adventure, and having an open-minded approach towards meeting new challenges has always been her approach.
According to Susanne, we need to challenge the common definition of “career.” “It is so easy to think that it is a straight line and that it is all about level in the organisation, title, budget and people that you manage”, she says.
But for her, it is so much more; learning new things, getting a wider perspective, being challenged and having fun at the same time.
“When I decided to join Volvo Cars, I actually took a step down in my career. I went down two levels in hierarchy from my previous job and lost both people and budget responsibility. But I'm so happy that I did it because it opened up the door to be part of a fantastic brand and an exciting journey,” says Susanne. “This way I could actually focus on learning about Volvo Cars, the task I had and creating a network.”
The approach paid off; only four months after Susanne joined, she succeeded her manager to become head of Strategy and Transformation, then quickly head of Global Commercial Transformation, then head of Volvo Cars Service Business.
In December of 2021, Susanne took her biggest Volvo leap yet to become managing director at Volvo Cars Portugal.
“I made it very clear to my managers from the very start of my time at Volvo Cars that although strategy and transformation are my areas of expertise, I do not want to only focus on staff and the headquarters. I wanted to get closer to the customer and the markets to learn about the reality of Volvo Cars. So, in time when I was asked if I would be interested in being a managing director and move to another country my answer was ‘absolutely!’,” she says.
Susanne’s family has taken the leap with her, and she is delighted at how well they’re doing in their new home in Lisbon. “I’m actually most proud of how my kids have handled everything. We took them away from everything they knew and from their safety zone, but they have been so strong, brave and positive, which is amazing,” says Susanne.
“The thing is that it really is not only about you and your career; the entire puzzle of things needs to come together. If my children hadn’t liked it or wanted to come, I would never do it.”

One of the crucial puzzle pieces was all the organisation and administration behind moving to a new country. Luckily, Volvo Cars’ relocation experts took the wheel and helped with an international package that included assistance with finding a home, dealing with bureaucratic challenges and cultural training, which helped Susanne better understand typical Portuguese culture and work style.
This proved especially important to her in the leadership role since techniques that work in Sweden do not necessarily translate in Portugal.
“I learned a lot from the cultural training and got insights related to areas that could be of challenge because of both cultural differences and my leadership style. But in the end, I always come back to the fact that we're all human beings,” explains Susanne.
“Regardless of your cultural heritage, everyone wants to be seen. Everyone wants to know how they fit into a bigger perspective. Everyone wants to be appreciated for what they do, to feel trusted and responsible for something.”
For Susanne, this trust proved crucial at the start of her new role, since the language barrier means that she had to rely on her management team and other colleagues.
“I am trying to learn Portuguese and think it is very important to show respect. It is me who is the foreigner that needs to adapt,” says Susanne. “With the language barrier I have to fully trust my team. Thankfully, since it is part of my leadership philosophy to be transparent, to empower and give accountability, it is very natural to me. I truly hope that I can make a difference and help the team to achieve more together.” Susanne and her family are thriving in Portugal, and the Portuguese office is benefitting from Susanne’s insights gained during her time at Volvo Cars headquarters. It’s a win-win situation, and we’re proud to play a part in improving our employees’ lives, sharing learnings and boosting our Volvo Cars culture around the world.
If Susanne’s story has inspired you to seek out your next adventure at Volvo Cars, head over to <a href="https://jobs.volvocars.com">https://jobs.volvocars.com</a>.

Freedom to move within Volvo Cars

Today we announce plans for a new car plant in Europe, bringing beautiful Slovakia into the wider Volvo Cars family.

We have some ambitious plans: by 2030, we want to be a fully electric mobility company and we want to continue growing globally.
In order to make sure that we deliver on these plans, we need to expand our current manufacturing footprint. That’s why we’ve decided to open a new state-of-the-art, electric only car factory in the city of Kosice located in the eastern part of Slovakia.
The new plant is scheduled to become operational in 2026, with construction planned to start next year. It represents an investment of about EUR 1.2 billion, of which about 20 per cent is expected to be funded by government incentives. The plant will be capable of building up to 250,000 electric cars per year.
The plant will create thousands of new jobs in the region. Together with our Torslanda and Ghent plants, the Kosice facility will create a triangle of Volvo car making in Europe, neatly covering our largest sales region.
“We have a clear focus on becoming a pure electric mobility brand by 2030, which is in line with our purpose,” says our chief executive Jim Rowan. “Expansion in Europe, our largest sales region, is crucial to our shift to electrification and continued growth. I am very pleased to expand our Volvo Cars production footprint into Slovakia and look forward to welcoming new colleagues and partners on the journey ahead.”

The Slovak government is also pleased with our decision, as Prime Minister Eduard Heger says: “The new Volvo Cars plant is important for us since it will improve the social and economic situation in the region and produce only electric cars, which provides the Slovak automotive industry with a competitive perspective in the new ecological era.”
“I am really very happy that today we can announce that Volvo Cars is coming to Slovakia for its first expansion in Europe since the 1960s,” adds Richard Sulik, the Minister of Economy. “Personally, I am very pleased that Slovakia has succeeded in the competition for this mega investment, which will bring development and many jobs in the eastern part of Slovakia, with lots of direct and indirect job opportunities.”
Construction of the Kosice plant is scheduled to start in 2023, after which equipment and production lines will be installed from 2024. Series production of next-generation, pure electric Volvo cars in Kosice is planned to start in 2026.
“We look forward to welcoming new members to the Volvo Cars Kosice team and the global Volvo Cars family, as well as establishing new collaborations and partnerships in the region,” said Javier Varela, our chief operating officer. “It will be a modern workplace, in a state-of-the-art plant that centers on sustainability and safety.”
Of course, in line with our ambition to have climate-neutral manufacturing by 2025, the new plant will use only climate neutral energy. It will also be designed to be a leader in sustainable and efficient premium electric car production with an optimised layout and logistics flow, while we aim for the highest global standards in energy and environmental efficiency.

Haló Slovakia: welcoming a new electric-only manufacturing plant

Storytel has just launched an app that brings their vast library of audiobooks to our latest cars with Google services, using the tools on our Developer Portal. 

With the resources on our portal – such as APIs and Android Automotive system emulator – anyone can make an app that is tailored for Volvo cars. By using the available tools, you can build, publish and release the app all on your own.
And that’s exactly what Storytel did – they’re the latest company to build an app using our portal and make it available for download in cars with Google Services. The launch of the Storytel app highlights the possibilities of collaboration and with brands that are looking to develop applications for Volvo cars of today and tomorrow.
“Android Automotive is a perfect fit for our product. At Storytel, we really appreciate the collaboration with Volvo Cars and their Developer Portal that have helped us with better quality assurance of our new automotive app,” says Storytel Director of Product, Mikael Holmquist.
Collaboration has never been easier. As other companies continue building in-car apps using the portal, we look at the feedback we get from these creators. It allows us to continuously evolve the tools and services we offer on the portal and integrate more features that the developers want.
“We are thrilled that Storytel built their app through our Developer Portal,” says Volvo Cars' software evangelist Paul Aston, who’s the lead for the Developer Portal. “For us, the aim is to deliver the right tools on the portal so a developer can publish an app that is 100 per cent market ready. Software is driving the cars of today and we are lowering the barriers to entry for many third-party developers.”

One of the features used by Storytel is our custom Android Automotive emulator, a tool that virtually models the operating system in our cars. By using the emulator to test their app, their development team could create their application with the same controls and services found in an XC40 Recharge. Emulators like these can save time and money for companies that can’t access specific development hardware.
“The emulators have helped assure the quality of the app before releasing it. Being able to develop for what users will actually see gave us a better experience than other automotive emulators,” says Mikael Holmquist.
We know it’s not easy to start developing an app, so we’ve tried to make it as smooth as possible. We have an open-source code sample on GitHub that provides an example of what a media app should look like. This helps developers get started much faster and introduces them to some of the special requirements for Android Automotive. Beyond that, our team is continuously improving the portal to give outside developers more opportunities to create on the platform, and we envision a place for creators to build their products so easily it’s like we’re not even there.
Come create with us! Check out our <a href="https://developer.volvocars.com/">Developer Portal here.</a>
Google Services offer may vary between markets – please visit your local market website for market specific details. Google Assistant is not available in all languages. See Google support site for more information.
Availability of the features and services mentioned above may differ between markets.
Google, Android, Google Play and Google Maps are trademarks of Google LLC.

We brought the tools – Storytel built the app 

Today, we became the first car maker to sign up for the global SteelZero initiative, to potentially help quicken the transition to fossil-free steel for our industry and beyond. 

Climate change poses a very real threat to our planet and all the beings living on its surface. As the global successful car maker that we are, we understand and recognise that we’re part of the problem. The good thing about it is that we also can and will be part of the solution!
Our action plan for fighting climate change is already one of the most ambitious in the auto industry. As you know, we aim to be climate neutral by 2040 and a fully electric car maker by 2030. Today, we take yet another step that points us and the world we live in towards a greener and more alluring future.
It’s no secret that for every Volvo car that leaves one of our plants, our Volvo hearts beat a little faster. At the same time, we can’t overlook the fact that the process of making the steel that they’re made of, is one of the major sources of CO2 emissions for our industry. In fact, last year it represented an average of 33 per cent of all production-related emissions for a new Volvo car. Bottom line, steel must become cleaner, which very fittingly is perfectly in line with our fossil-free ambitions.
This morning, we became the first car maker ever to join the <a href="https://www.theclimategroup.org/steelzero">SteelZero</a> initiative, which aims to increase demand for fossil-free steel and accelerate a transition to carbon neutrality in the steel industry. Signing up means we commit ourselves to stringent CO2-based steel procurement targets, by 2030. By 2050, all the steel we source should be net-zero.
“A sustainable approach to steelmaking is not just good news for the environment, it is also good for business,” said Kerstin Enochsson, our chief procurement officer. “We are pleased to join the SteelZero initiative and support its ambitions to transform the steel industry. By signalling our demand for low and zero-carbon steel, we aim to help drive an increased supply to our sector.”

SteelZero was launched by ResponsibleSteel, a steel industry-wide standard and certification body that we’re also joining. But it’s not just about us committing to things; we will also gain access to reliable, third-party verified and audited information about our steel supply chain and relevant sustainability credentials – all of which will help us ensure that the steel in our cars is responsibly sourced.
As well as CO2 reductions, ResponsibleSteel also focuses on other important issues in the steel supply chain like labour and human rights, engagement with local communities, water use and biodiversity impact.
If you’re a frequent follower of Volvo news, you’ll know that the SteelZero signing is not our only initiative to address one of car making’s most intensive sources of CO2 emissions. Only last year, <a href="https://www.media.volvocars.com/global/en-gb/media/pressreleases/282789/volvo-cars-is-first-car-maker-to-explore-fossil-free-steel-with-ssab">we announced a collaboration</a> with Swedish steel maker SSAB to jointly explore the development of fossil-free, high-quality steel for use in the automotive industry.
With today’s actions, we’re underlining our commitment to limiting the impact we have on the environment and to constantly reducing emissions wherever we can.

Solid as steel, here’s our latest sustainability action

Our fully electric C40 Recharge has been awarded top marks in the 2022 Euro NCAP tests, meaning that like the rest of its siblings, it’s officially one of the safest cars on the road.

The Euro NCAP is a European-based rating system to help consumers choose the safest cars possible. The rating measures car safety through a series of tests that aim to replicate real-life accident scenarios.
“We always aim to be a leader in safety,” says Malin Ekholm, head of our safety centre. “That means we adhere to the strictest safety standards in all of our cars, many of which we helped establish over time.”y
Every car we create should be even safer than the last, and our upcoming generation of pure electric cars is no different. They will come standard with state-of-the-art LiDAR sensors from Luminar to keep an eye out on the road ahead (and around, and behind) and ensure that the car can ‘see’ and react to obstacles with even greater precision.

This is on top of our already-standard automatic emergency braking, forward collision warning, pedestrian and cyclist detection systems, all of which are tested both in reality and virtually at our safety centre.
<a href="https://www.volvocars.com/intl/v/cars/recharge">Learn more on our Recharge models here</a>

Euro NCAP awards C40 with five-star rating

How can companies use blockchain technology to improve their work with sustainability? That was one of the questions on top of the agenda on 23 May, as our head of procurement Kerstin Enochsson took part in a blockchain panel discussion in Davos, Switzerland.
The event took place alongside a huge happening that completely takes over the small Alpine resort town once a year: the World Economic Forum. For a few days every year, the Promenade in Davos becomes a hotspot for Fortune 500 companies, national governments and global changemakers to get together and discuss global issues.
With our ambitions of becoming a fully electric carmaker, batteries and the materials used to make them are becoming more and more important for us. So it made sense for us to take the stage and talk about how we as a carmaker use blockchain technology to boost the traceability of raw materials.
Battery materials such as cobalt, nickel and lithium can be challenging to source, both when it comes to upholding ethical business standards as well as the potentially high CO2 emissions in the supply chain. For example, depending on the source of the nickel, CO2 emissions can unnecessarily be 20 times higher than the best alternative.
“We want to lead and break new ground, so it’s natural for us to embrace new, interesting technologies such as blockchain,” says Kerstin Enochsson. “Since 2019, we’ve been using blockchain technology to track cobalt both in our fully electric cars as well as our plug-in hybrid cars. We do this to help customers feel more confident that the battery in their Volvo has been responsibly sourced.”
We want to make sure that the cobalt used in our batteries lives up to our sustainability standards, which is why we <a href="https://www.media.volvocars.com/global/en-gb/media/pressreleases/260242/volvo-cars-to-implement-blockchain-traceability-of-cobalt-used-in-electric-car-batteries">in 2019 became the first carmaker to start implementing traceability of cobalt</a> used in our batteries by applying blockchain technology.
Now, we’re exploring how we can make more use of the technology.
“We’re planning to use it to track and reduce CO2 footprints in our supply chain, which will be a fantastic step forward,” Kerstin Enochsson says. “We’re also working on getting lithium and nickel in the blockchain as well.”

Within supply chains, the blockchain technology creates records of transactions that cannot be changed undetected – this helps us increase transparency and traceability of materials, as we can verify the origins of raw materials. In addition to blockchain technology, we conduct third-party audits among suppliers within our battery mineral supply chain according to the OECD Due Diligence Guidance for Responsible Supply Chains of Minerals from Conflict-Affected and High-Risk Area – to help ensure that the materials within our batteries are responsibly sourced.
In our use of blockchain technology, we’re working together with blockchain technology provider Circulor, who joined us at the panel in Davos. Our collaboration with Circulor started as we used their technology to implement global traceability of cobalt throughout our battery supply chain.
In 2020, <a href="https://www.media.volvocars.com/global/en-gb/media/pressreleases/269598/volvo-cars-tech-fund-invests-in-blockchain-technology-firm-circulor">we invested in the company through Volvo Cars Tech Fund</a>, our venture capital investment arm. Going forward, their technology will be integral to our plans to track and reduce our CO2 emissions.
Since we first implemented blockchain technology, traceability has become an even hotter topic across many different industries. This shows us that our work is on the right track and underlines the need for us to continue to find new and better ways to trace material and components used in our cars.
“We believe it is our obligation to sell cars with a scrutinised supply chain, especially when we deal with materials and components that come from high-risk areas,” says Kerstin Enochsson. “We want to ensure that the material we put into our cars are up to our sustainability standards, and that is a process we need to constantly try to improve.”
The panel was part of the annual Blockchain Central event, which was arranged by the Global Blockchain Business Council, a global industry association for the blockchain technology ecosystem.

We’re no stranger to blockchain technology – it’s been an important tool in our responsible sourcing of batteries. Now, we’re looking into how we can make more use of the technology.

Not just another link in the (block)chain

With our second green bond, we raised 500 million euros – all of which will go straight towards the projects that support our aim of becoming a fully electric carmaker by 2030.

Sustainable financing is a powerful tool: it allows investors to play a pivotal role in supporting sustainable development and it gives companies a boost in turning their pioneering plans and ideas into reality.
Today, it became official that we’ll be on the receiving end of such a boost once again, as we successfully placed another green bond. This is our second green bond since we established a Green Finance Framework in 2020, which made it possible for us to issue green bonds and obtaining green loans.
Just like when we issued our first green bond in September 2020, we managed to raise 500 million euros. Just like a regular corporate bond, a green bond is similar to a loan. Investors buy the bond and in exchange for the capital, they’re paid interest at regular intervals. The loan ends when the initial investment is returned.
But the whole point is that the company can’t use the money on whatever they want. Since it’s a green bond, all proceeds are earmarked to finance climate-related or environmental projects.
In our case, it’s our electrification, and by extension, our ambitious climate aims. The money raised through this bond will go straight towards projects that support our aim of becoming a fully electric carmaker by 2030.
Over two thirds of the proceeds will fund the research and development of electric powertrains for next generation pure electric Volvo cars as well as related new platform technology, while the rest will be invested in boosting our production capacity of fully electric cars.
Ever since green bonds first started popping up on the market in the late aughts, their popularity has grown rapidly – and it’s nice to have some concrete evidence of our own that the financial industry still cares about sustainable financing. And of course, it’s also a pretty good indication that a lot of investors out there trust us, our strategy and our way forward.

“Sustainability is central to our purpose and business, and key to our future success,” says Björn Annwall, chief financial officer at Volvo Cars. “The high interest for our green bond is encouraging and a clear sign that the market believes in Volvo Cars and the investment plans we’ve developed to deliver on our climate ambitions. It also reaffirms our commitment to the Paris Climate Agreement and to become a climate neutral company.”
Another thing that is important for us is that our Green Finance Framework is aligned with the ICMA Green Bond Principles. Our framework specifies how projects are identified, selected and managed, providing transparency for investors. We report and give details on how the invested money is used, as well as the environmental and climate effects that it contributes to achieving.
We believe that investment opportunities like these will stay important and relevant, which is why we aim to continue on this track going forward.
“The financial community has a critical role to play in driving sustainable development, and we plan to continue to offer sustainable financing and investment opportunities in the future as we shift towards full electrification,” said Björn Annwall.
The EUR 500m 6-year fixed rate senior unsecured green bond was issued under Volvo Cars’ Euro Medium Term Note programme. The bond matures on 31st May 2028, pays a fixed coupon of 4.25%, equivalent to 291 basis points above mid-swap, and will be listed on the Luxembourg Stock Exchange.

We’ve just closed the books on our new green bond

On a crisp Friday morning, Stockholm’s Waterfront was alive with the sound of excited voices. 2,500 attendees stood in a queue that wrapped around the block and doubled back on itself. 

Before we get carried away with the excitement, it’s important to give the conference some context. Far from a fluffy “girl power” event, the <a href="https://womenintech.se/">annual conference</a> is held to encourage women to get into tech roles and stay there, because the industry is in dire need.
Let’s look at some numbers. A report by the Swedish IT and Telecom Industries says that due to our society’s increasing reliance on IT competencies, they predict a need for an extra 70,000 people in the IT space by 2024. According to the American Enterprise Institute, only 24 per cent of computing jobs are held by women. More than 20 per cent of women over the age of 35 are still in junior positions, according to HackerRank.
While this sadly isn’t news to Volvo Cars, we are on the case.
“Knowing the tech talent deficit and the male dominance in the tech sector, it’s obvious that we need more women in this field,” says Linda Wall, who works in talent acquisition and was one of the organisers for Volvo Cars at the Sweden-based, internationally-focused Women In Tech (WIT) event, where we are a key partner.
“Women in Tech allows us to both position ourselves among other tech companies, and directly engage with a talent pool that is highly important to us.”
And engage we did. Our Volvo Cars booth was flooded with visitors, who chatted to our enthusiastic ambassadors, checked out the tech behind our infotainment systems, and had a look at our cars rendered in <a href="https://varjo.com/blog/showcasing-the-worlds-first-true-to-life-mixed-reality-demo-by-varjo-and-volvo/">Mixed Reality</a> with Varjo’s XR3 headset. Women of all ages and stages in their career were delighted to learn that Volvo Cars is pushing the envelope in both hardware and software spaces, and many were set to apply to work in <a href="https://www.volvocars.com/intl/news/corporate/We-re-opening-a-new-700-job-tech-hub-in-Stockholm/?navFromLatest=true">our brand-new IT-focused Stockholm office</a> which is opening later this year.

Midway through the day, our representatives took to the stage for a panel discussion about how we are leveling up in the tech space, leadership and in not only encouraging women to start careers in technology, but removing barriers to them moving up in their careers.
Malin Ekholm, head of our safety centre; Sanela Ibrovic, head of connected experience; and Anne-Mette Nygaard Lindblad, who heads up global consumer offers, shared how they combine cutting-edge tech with a people-first approach to change the way we own, drive and enjoy cars.
“It really was more of a conversation on stage,” said Malin. “And this conversational style of dialogue really conveys the essence of working at Volvo Cars. It’s about collaboration, bouncing ideas off each other and building on each other’s ideas.”
The talk really resonated with the attendees, who got stuck in with questions during the discussion, and headed to our stand after the talk to keep the conversation going.
“The feedback and questions I got from people at WIT after the stage was sending lots of energy and curiosity about the brand and what we do,” continued Malin. “This was my personal hope and goal of participating. I think it’s very important for us to stay in tune, and WIT is a very strong platform for us to do so.”
Close to 60 Volvo Cars employees attended the event, and just as many were involved in making sure our presence was a success.

On a crisp Friday morning, Stockholm’s Waterfront was alive with the sound of excited voices. 2,500 attendees stood in a queue that wrapped around the block and doubled back on itself. The wait would be worth it: Women in Tech 2022 was about to begin.

Volvo Cars’ Women in Tech are leveling up

A new Volvo Cars app with many charging and payment services in one place, investments in charging points and preferential pricing deals. We continue to make electric cars more popular!

For over a century, drivers around the globe have gotten used to simply driving into a gas station, checking the going rate for their fuel of choice, filling up their tank and continuing their journey.
We think charging your electric car should be just as easy, because that ease-of-mind is crucial if we want everyone to make the switch. So, we’re rolling out some initiatives that should help ease the transition to an all-electric future.
First of all, as much as is practically possible, we aim to get rid of all those different charging apps, RFID cards and payment systems. Instead, our Volvo Cars app will become a one-stop shop for a wide variety of charging-related services. You’ll be able to find charging stations, get live updates on availability and pay for your charge through one, easy-to-use interface. Charging a pure electric Volvo was never easier.
Depending on regions, we have collaborations with a variety of leading charging operators all around the world, including Plugsurfing, TELD, ChargePoint and Electrify America. Together they amount to hundreds of thousands charging stations around the globe, most of which will be accessible through the Volvo Cars app. Each region also incorporates the dominant payment systems, so in China for example, we make sure to integrate WeChat Pay and Alipay.
“Many of us are familiar with the frustration of having to navigate multiple apps and carrying multiple cards for different charging operators,” says Olivier Loedel, our head of electrification ecosystem development. “Our goal was to make life easier for our customers and remove one of the major barriers for customers to switch to an electric car. With the Volvo Cars app, we will create one digital charging platform.”
We also aim to boost electrification by focusing on infrastructure and public charging. That’s why we’re making public charging investments in areas of strategic importance. For example, around Europe we work together with local partners to build public charging points. These are located at our retailers and along commuter roads, in countries as varied as Spain, Poland, Italy and Belgium.

Another example is our recently announced <a href="https://www.volvocars.com/intl/news/electrification/From-Starbucks-to-the-Home-Garage-Volvo-Designs-new-spaces-for-an-electric-future/?navFromLatest=false">partnership with Starbucks in the US</a>. On a 1,350-mile stretch between Denver and Seattle, where Starbucks has its headquarters, we’ll install dozens of Volvo-branded, ChargePoint-powered DC fast chargers at Starbucks locations. Drivers will find a charging location at about every 100 miles, well within the battery range of our pure electric models.
Finally, in a variety of countries and markets we have preferential pricing agreements for our customers. For example, through charging operator Plugsurfing electric Volvo drivers benefit from special rates for the first 12 months when charging at IONITY stations around Europe. In Sweden and Norway, we’ve teamed up with charging operator MER to offer preferential rates in those countries, and we have similar offers and collaborations in the US and China.
In other words, all of the above is another way of looking at our much-repeated mantra that “electrifying our cars is not enough”. Making sure that charging your car is as easy as filling up the tank is just as important – if we want to fill the roads with pure electric Volvos and say goodbye to gasoline and diesel once and for all, that is.

Charging a Recharge Volvo was never easier

Whether it’s the spring allergies or high air pollution that you struggle with, our cutting-edge air purification technology aims to make your life easier.

Every year, hundreds of millions of people around the world feel the sting from physical reactions to increased pollen and air pollution levels.
With this in mind, we’re offering excellent air quality in our cars thanks to our air purification technology. This will provide Volvo owners and their passengers a healthier driving experience.
Our Advanced Air Cleaner, part of the latest air purification technology available on new 90 and 60 series models has been CERTIFIED asthma &amp; allergy friendly, removing up to 99.9 per cent of grass, tree and weed pollen allergens from incoming air.
The certification was provided by Allergy Standards Limited (ASL), an independent certification programme that helps consumers identify products that are suitable for people with asthma and allergies.
“By helping our customers to optimise the air quality inside their Volvo, we want to help reduce the adverse health effects associated with air pollution, allergens and fine particulates,” said Dr. Maria Bernander, occupant health effects expert at Volvo Cars. “In addition to personal health benefits, cleaner air can also help boost attentiveness during driving.”
What’s more, our customers driving the latest Volvo cars will have access to live data that shows actual outdoor pollen and air quality levels in the car’s centre display. They will then have the option to purify the air in the cabin before they start their journey. This in-house developed app makes Volvo Cars the first car maker to provide live data of outdoor pollen levels to drivers.
“By regularly testing and evolving the air purification features in our cars, we can stand out from our competitors as a manufacturer that offers a more comfortable and healthier driving experience.” said Anders Löfvendahl, cabin air quality technical expert and function owner.

Indicating the amount of fine particulate matters in the air, PM 2.5 levels are a widely used measure for air quality. Globally, many urban areas suffer from PM 2.5 levels that exceed recommended thresholds set by the World Health Organisation, underlining the need to minimise their impact.
The air purification technology also comes with a sensor that measures PM 2.5 levels inside the cabin and allows our customers to compare those to outside levels. PM 2.5 are tiny particles in the air that reduce visibility and cause the air to appear hazy when levels are elevated.
Thanks to a synthetic fibre-based filter and ionisation in the Advanced Air Purifier, up to 95 per cent of all PM 2.5 particles are kept out of the cabin.
Additionally, the air purification technology can remove more than 97 per cent of airborne viruses that try to enter the cabin via the air filter and reduce existing viral rates already existing in the cabin by up to 95%. Results from recent tests performed by the independent Austrian research and testing institute OFI show that the viral filtration efficiency of its filter and ioniser makes the technology highly effective against airborne viruses.
This is another stellar achievement for Volvo Cars and another example that we’re consistently pushing the envelope when it comes to the health and safety of our customers.

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