Volvo will focus heavily on the development of its own electric motors. The most concrete achievement is the opening of a new development center in Shanghai.
As a subsidiary brand of the Chinese Geely, Volvo naturally benefits from technology developed together with the Chinese, but the Swedish brand is given a special role in the development of electric motors. In Shanghai, Volvo opens the doors of a new ‘research lab’ where the next generation of electric motors will be designed. This is an extension of the existing centers in China and Sweden, where Volvo is working on battery technology.
Work in the new lab in Shanghai has already started last month. The first concrete elaboration of the work there must be a new generation of electric motors for use on the SPA2 platform. This modular basis is the successor to the currently used SPA platform. It will include cars like the next XC60, XC90 and S90 / V90. Sister brand Polestar will also release at least one car on that basis. Reportedly an SUV that goes by the name Polestar 3.
For the more compact models, Volvo will probably turn to the new Geely-based SEA platform in the future. Geely is already developing engines for this. In short, you can say that the larger Volvo’s in the future will be more self-made than the more compact models.