A Volkswagen logo is seen on a new car model at the 89th Geneva International Motor Show in Geneva, Switzerland March 5, 2019. REUTERS/Denis Balibouse HANOVER (Reuters) – Volkswagen has signed a deal to develop a pickup truck with U.S. rival Ford and continues discussions about extending its alliance to include autonomous driving and mobility… Continue reading UPDATE 1-VW in talks to buy stake in Ford’s Argo unit, to develop pickup truck
Tag: VW
VW in talks to buy stake in Ford’s Argo unit, to develop pickup truck
A Volkswagen logo is seen on a new car model at the 89th Geneva International Motor Show in Geneva, Switzerland March 5, 2019. REUTERS/Denis Balibouse HANNOVER (Reuters) – Volkswagen has signed a deal to develop a pick-up truck with U.S. rival Ford and may extend its alliance to include autonomous driving and mobility services, the… Continue reading VW in talks to buy stake in Ford’s Argo unit, to develop pickup truck
671bhp Volkswagen ID R to battle gamers for hillclimb record
Volkswagen will showcase its record-breaking ID R electric motorsport car on the 99-turn Tianmen Shan Big Gate Road in China later this year – and will stage a ‘virtual’ competition to establish a time to beat. The 671bhp ID R smashed the outright Pikes Peak International Hill Climb record last year, and the German firm is currently prepping… Continue reading 671bhp Volkswagen ID R to battle gamers for hillclimb record
Press: Service Packs for fast and efficient chassis and steering repairs
Expansion of the range of Lemförder Service Packs Cost-effective and efficient repair thanks to comprehensive assembly accessories ZF Aftermarket’s brand Lemförder offers garages with its Service Packs significantly less complicated steering and chassis repairs. The vehicle-specific mounting kits can be ordered in addition to the respective main component and then include all parts required for… Continue reading Press: Service Packs for fast and efficient chassis and steering repairs
UPDATE 3-Ford to leave Russian car market, cede control in joint venture
MOSCOW (Reuters) – Ford Motor Co’s Russian joint venture Ford Sollers will close two assembly plants and an engine factory in Russia, exiting the country’s passenger vehicle market, resulting in charges of about $450 million to $500 million. FILE PHOTO: Employees make a final check of a Ford Focus at a Ford Sollers, U.S. carmaker… Continue reading UPDATE 3-Ford to leave Russian car market, cede control in joint venture
Ford Restructures Russian Joint Venture to Grow Commercial Vehicle Business; Exiting Passenger Vehicle Market in Russia
Supporting Ford’s global redesign strategy to strengthen its leadership in commercial vehicles and growth in Europe, Ford and its partner, Sollers PJSC, confirm the restructuring of their Russian joint venture A restructured Ford Sollers will build on Ford Transit strength as Russia’s top-selling, non-domestic commercial vehicle nameplate and maintains a strong brand presence in the… Continue reading Ford Restructures Russian Joint Venture to Grow Commercial Vehicle Business; Exiting Passenger Vehicle Market in Russia
Amazon, Volkswagen agree strategic partnership for “industry cloud” – report
FILE PHOTO: The logo of Amazon is seen on the door of an Amazon Books retail store in New York City, U.S., February 14, 2019. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid BERLIN (Reuters) – German carmaker Volkswagen and Amazon.com Inc have agreed on a strategic partnership to create a kind of “industry cloud”, for which details will soon be… Continue reading Amazon, Volkswagen agree strategic partnership for “industry cloud” – report
Great Wall, Ford hitch up to burgeoning Chinese demand for pickup trucks
BEIJING (Reuters) – Grey Liu bought his third vehicle four months ago – a Foton pickup truck, lured by its $7,000 price tag and its ability to transport his sports motorcycle to the grasslands of northern China where he likes to ride. A worker closes the back of a Toyota Tundra pickup truck at Pickup… Continue reading Great Wall, Ford hitch up to burgeoning Chinese demand for pickup trucks
South America resists electric vehicles as local fuels remain in favor
SAO BERNARDO DO CAMPO, Brazil (Reuters) – Meeting in Brazil this week, auto executives from Toyota to GM talked up traditional fuel sources like ethanol, natural gas and diesel, underlining how South America’s protected auto market is likely to resist a broader global move toward electric vehicles for years to come. FILE PHOTO: A man… Continue reading South America resists electric vehicles as local fuels remain in favor
Volvo to boost plug-in hybrid production to 25 percent of fleet
2020 Volvo XC90
While other automakers are moving away from plug-in hybrids to electric powertrains, Volvo is finding unexpected success with its lineup of plug-in hybrids.
At a recent roundtable with journalists in Sweden, Volvo CEO Hakan Samuelsson said the company is disappointed that it underestimated demand for its plug-in hybrids.
DON'T MISS: Volvo XC90, XC60 T8 plug-in hybrids add electric miles for 2020
“We are not happy because we could sell more [plug-in hybrids],” he said, according to Automotive News (subscription required.) “We underestimated the demand.” He said the company did not have a big enough supply of batteries, motors, and other electrical components to build more of its plug-in hybrids, which sell for about 30 percent more than non-hybrid versions of the cars.
Samuelsson said the company will boost its capacity for those plug-in hybrid components for 2019, from its current 10 or 15 percent worldwide, up to 25 percent of its sales.
READ THIS: Audi plans new plug-in hybrid Q5, A6, A7, and A8 for Geneva reveal
Last year in the U.S., Volvo sold a little less than 1,500 XC90 T8 PHEVs, a little more than 2,100 XC60 T8 PHEVs, and fewer than 500 S90 T8 sedans, but it sold almost 27,000 plug-in hybrids in Europe, combined.
At the same time, the company announced an upgrade to upcoming XC60 and XC90 T8 hybrids to boost their plug-in range by about 15 percent.
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The new models haven't been rated by the EPA, but current models have an estimated 17 miles of electric range, which would put the new ones up around 20 miles. The Volvos use a 2.0-liter turbo-4 and an 8-speed automatic transmission to drive the front wheels, and an electric motor to provide another 87 horsepower and 177 pound-feet of torque to the rear wheels.
Volvo also announced a new B5 line of mild-hybrid SUVs for Europe.
Other automakers, such as Audi, BMW, and Jeep have also announced plans to boost their lineups of plug-in hybrid SUVs, earlier this month at the Geneva auto show, so the new Volvos will have plenty of competition.