北欧绿色邮报网据瑞典《今日工业报》10月21日报道 沃尔沃汽车日前发布招股说明书，定于10月28日在斯德哥尔摩证券交易所上市，计划通过发行新股筹集250亿瑞典克朗资金。Northvolt公司首席执行官Peter Carlsson表示，沃尔沃汽车IPO对瑞典工业电气化发展和就业形势至关重要。然而，部分商界人士担心沃尔沃汽车可能上市失败，如果未来公司迁往中国，对瑞典来说会是一个巨大的损失。（主编陈雪霏 编辑查正富）
Tag Archives: Volvo Cars
沃尔沃卡车第三季度利润大幅增长
北欧绿色邮报网据瑞典电台10月21日报道 卡车制造商AB Volvo第三季度的税前利润为94.33亿瑞典克朗，而去年同期为76.4亿瑞典克朗。根据 Refinitiv的预测，税前利润的平均预测为 89.54 亿瑞典克朗。公司首席执行官Martin Lundstedt对媒体表示，这是一个强劲的季度。尽管交付情况混乱，但利润率仍达到 11%。Martin Lundstedt补充道，本季度受到半导体、其他组件和运输能力不足的影响，导致生产中断和成本增加。在销售方面，第三季度的销售额为852.58亿瑞典克朗，而去年同期为768.52亿瑞典克朗。相关人员透露，卡车方面的订单减少了4%，而交付量增加了30%。对于欧洲市场，公司目前正在下调2022年的预测，而中国和巴西则保持不变。在印度，对重型和中型卡车的预测进行了上调。
与此同时，巴士部门第三季度的订单预订量增加了 34%，交付量增加了2%。（主编陈雪霏 编辑查正富）
沃尔沃汽车将从吉利控股获得路桥工厂的所有权
北欧绿色邮报网据《瑞典日报》10月18日报道 沃尔沃汽车集团已与其母公司吉利控股达成协议，将接管吉利控股对路桥工厂的全部所有权，意味着沃尔沃汽车将在两年内完全拥有所有生产沃尔沃汽车的工厂。该工厂的2600名员工将从吉利控股转移到沃尔沃汽车，继续生产XC40、XC40充电和Polestar 2等车型。（主编陈雪霏 编辑查正富）
Sweden invests 1 billion SEK in testbed for electromobility
| Edited By xuefei Chen Axelsson |
RISE (Research Institutes of Sweden), and Chalmers University of Technology have now begun, with support from the Swedish government, the establishment of a Swedish testbed for electromobility. Overall, contributions from the government, and the industrial partners CEVT, Scania, Volvo Cars and Volvo Group, enable an investment of 1 billion Swedish krona for the testbed.In 2017, RISE and Chalmers University of Technology were tasked by the Swedish government with creating a testbed for electromobility. It has now been decided that the testbed, called the Swedish Electric Transport Laboratory (SEEL), will be located in the Lindholmen area of Gothenburg, with facilities in the Stockholm region too. RISE and Chalmers will build and own the facility jointly, with industry as the customer base. The aim of SEEL is to strengthen the competitiveness of the Swedish automotive industry, to help Sweden remain at the forefront of innovations in the transport sector, and to accelerate the shift towards a fossil-free Swedish society. SEEL will provide testing for all the different areas of electrified transport. For example, electrified gearboxes and driveshafts for different types of vehicles, drivetrain and component testing for hybrids and electric vehicles, as well as charging and smart power-management. Even the marine and aviation sectors are expected to be able to make use of the testbed. “The automotive industry is extremely important for Sweden, and today we take an important step to secure Swedish automotive jobs in the great transition that is taking place in the transport sector. From fossil to renewable, from petrol and diesel to electricity. Our goal is to make Sweden one of the world’s first fossil-free welfare states. And to do that we need to both cut emissions and secure our competitiveness. The Swedish automotive industry will play a key role in this transformation,” says Mikael Damberg, Minister of Enterprise and Innovation. Stefan Bengtsson, President and CEO of Chalmers says, “this investment offers great opportunities for education, research and industrial development. The testbed complements the laboratories that Chalmers already has. It is ideal for us to take responsibility as one of the owners, to effectively contribute to rapid knowledge development relating to electric vehicles”. “SEEL is unique in terms of the close collaboration that will take place between industry, institutes and academia. It has all the potential to become a world-leading electromobility testing facility. Together with our testing area for active vehicle safety, AstaZero, and our new test facility for stress-testing automotive electronics and wireless communications, Awitar, SEEL makes RISE well-equipped to be a strong innovation partner for the Swedish automotive industry in the future,” explains RISE CEO Pia Sandvik. “CEVT has a clear mission within the Geely Group to become a world-leading innovation center. Electromobility is an area that allows for new features that will be absolutely essential for our future products to meet tomorrow’s requirements for fossil-free vehicles. Development of these features requires deep understanding of components and systems – SEEL will be part of the base we need to continuously develop this knowledge,” says Mats Fägerhag, CEO of CEVT (China Euro Vehicle Technology). “Scania is driving the shift towards a fossil-free transport system. Electrification will be an important part of that journey, and Sweden – with large vehicle makers, green energy and good cooperation between politics, academia and the corporate sector – has unique conditions to take a heavy role in this development globally,” believes Björn Westman, Senior Vice President and head of powertrain development at Scania. “The two electric transport laboratories will be very beneficial for both developing and testing of heavy electric vehicles in Sweden,” he continues. “We in the automotive industry have a major role to play in climate-management, and electrification is an important part of that work,” states Lars Stenqvist, Chief Technology Officer at Volvo Group. “We have started with buses and our first electric trucks, but much more research and development is required. SEEL will help us – and Sweden – to remain a leader in the development of vehicles and systems for climate-neutral transport.” “Volvo Cars’ ambitious electrification strategy means that SEEL will be an important tool when developing and verifying the new technologies we are planning for the coming years,” says Paul Welander, Senior Vice President at Volvo Cars. “During the years 2020-2025, we anticipate a significant shift towards electrified vehicles, so the timing for SEEL is ideal. It is also an investment that will benefit both the industry and society.” The different parts of the test bed will come into use as they become ready, with the lab expected to be fully operational by 2022. Source from Chalmers University. |
Seven years after Geely purchases Volvo Cars
By Xuefei Chen Axelsson
STOCKHOLM, March 16 (Greenpost) – Seven years have passed after Chinese private car group Geely purchased Volvo in 2010 with the witness of Chinese President(then vice president) Xi Jinping in March 28, 2010. What has happened after that? Especially under the circumstances that there were a lot of questions and suspicion among the Swedish Media and small enterprises which supply spare parts for Volvo Cars. Greenpost chief editor Xuefei Chen Axelsson has a followup about this purchase case.
The most successful international purchase case in the world
Professor Fang Xiaohui from Business School of Stockholm University told Greenpost that this is one of and probably the most successful international purchase case in the world looking at the achievements Volvo Cars has made and the experience of management.
“It shows the great Chinese wisdom embodied in Li Shufu, President of Geely Group’s management method. That is to let Swedish manage Volvo Cars and keep its DNA and continue to expand design and production,” said Professor Fang.
“The great achievement Li Shufu or Geely made is to keep the Volvo grow and many people are employed. This is a big success. Chinese enterprises can learn from this case and further utilize the world’s resources and talented people.” Fang continues to say.
Volvo Cars was established by Gustaf Larson and Assar Gabrilsson who used to work for SKF, a bearing company in Sweden and well-known in the world. Larson was an engineer and Gabrilsson was a sales manager.
These two people had great passion for cars and saw the great future and joined hands in September 1925 to persuade the board of directors of SKY to allow them to have an assembling workshop in Torslanda in west coast of Sweden. On April 14, 1927, Volvo Öv4 car model came to the market.
In 1935, Volvo became independent from SKF and produced both personal cars and vans and even trucks.
Volvo was the first company to invent and product safety belt. It is still inventing new types of children safety belt and seats even for babies. Volvo’s ambition was zero death from Volvo cars.
Volvo has also been famous for the world’s safest cars and favorite cars in an European survey last year.
Li Shufu purchased the Volvo company with a price of 1.8 billion dollars actually from Ford corporation who bought Volvo from Swedish hands with a price of 6.45 billion dollars.
On August 2, 2010 when Ford finally transferred everything to Geely, Li Shufu promised that Geely is Geely and Volvo is Volvo. He will not take Volvo to China. But he will open two new factories to increase the production of new Volvo cars.
Professor Fang said Volvo’s success was based on the full utilization of the potential of the local human resources, international research and development resources, keeping the local workers and contribute greatly to local employment. This is of course welcomed by the Swedish side. Of course it is also a guarantee of both quantity and quality of Volvo cars.
Last year SUV XC60 was sold very well globally and accounting for one third of the total sales. It was labelled as the favorite car by the Europeans.
Swedish media says Volvo flies up like a phoenix
The mainstream media DN used three pages in economic page to report Volvo’s development over the past 7 years.
First it says Volvo’s XC60 is participating the car exhibition in Geneva. And it gives a picture of the past years’ figure of Volvo personal cars.
From 2006 to 2009, Volvo cars experienced a financial crisis with a loss of 4.7 billion kronor.
In 2010, Ford sold Volvo to Geely and the turnover immediately increased to 2.3 billion kronor.
Then in 2012, there was a year that the result was stagnant.
But in 2015, the result was 6.6 billion and last year in 2016 it was 11 billion kronor.
In 2011, Stefan Jacoby was employed as CEO of Volvo Cars. He gave the first press conference that year. But due to various pressure, he was sick in 2012 and he was replaced by Swedish CEO Lars Samuelsson who will celebrate his 66 birthday this coming Sunday on March 19.
In 2013 and 2014, Daqing and Chengdu factories have been into operation respectively to produce XC 60 and XC90.
The total production surpassed half a million for the first time in 2015 and the profit reached 11 billion kronor in 2016, five times more than that in 2010.
Li Shufu was dubbed as Mr. Volvo Personal Car
Li Shufu has completely eliminated the worries of Swedish suppliers and workers by purchasing all the small suppliers too. Thus he was dubbed as Mr. Volvo Personal Car.
The future plan of Volvo is to establish new factories in South Carolina in the United States. The production is expected to be 100 thousand per year. And electric cars will be manufactured in 2019.
Meanwhile, an analysis in DN also warns Volvo cars that the background is that while Volvo sold 534332 cars globally, with an increase of 30 percent, Audi, BMW and Mercedes Benz increased by 55% and 65%. Audi has increased production to 1.8 million cars by 266% in 2016 since 1999.
Volvo’s next target is 800 thousand per year production capacity.
No matter how people compare, Li Shufu who was born in 1963 has done a great job and his purchase of Volvo cars has been recorded in the history in international purchasing cases. His name will be listed in history forever as the first Chinese who has done such a big case abroad and done so well in the world.
Sino-Swedish relations can never be separated with Volvo and both Chinese and Swedish are talking about it.
Of course when a country becomes strong, the large enterprises or companies will naturally come out to purchase other companies, takingWang Jianlin as an example.
But the long term question is how to keep the result and do even better to make it last for a century, but not like the US or Japanese companies, to devour the other company when it is strong, but after about ten years, it has to give up due to poor operation.
Safety for the pregnant driver and her unborn child
Safety for the pregnant driver and her unborn child
Gothenburg, June 30(Greenpost) –If a pregnant woman uses her safety belt correctly, the foetal injury risk is reduced significantly. This knowledge stems from Volvo Cars’ research on car safety for unborn babies and their mothers. Volvo Cars has developed a virtual crash test dummy to simulate frontal impacts during pregnancy.
Car safety for unborn children is an area that is not well documented, since foetal injury and death often do not show in statistics. For the baby to remain unharmed in a car crash it is important with safety measures for the pregnant woman. The first thing to do is to always wear a safety belt, said Lotta Jacobsson, Volvo Cars’ child safety specialist while presenting the information to a group of journalists from China, Sweden, Germany and other countries.
Virtual pregnant crash test dummy
Volvo Cars contributes to an increased awareness of safety for pregnant drivers and knowledge of how to protect their unborn babies. One innovation in this field is a virtual pregnant crash test dummy. The model can be used to simulate how a pregnant woman moves in a crash and how the foetus moves inside her. Her proportions correspond to those of an average sized woman in the final stage of pregnancy, approximately week 36.
The virtual crash test dummy is used to simulate impact tests in frontal collisions.
“The computer model makes it possible to study in detail how the occupant moves and how the safety belt and airbag affect the woman and the foetus, including surrounding structures, “says Lotta Jakobsson, Child Safety Specialist at Volvo Cars.
This means that the engineers can simulate the impact on mother and unborn baby in collisions at different speeds, and use the model to test for example safety belt designs under development.
Pregnant women should always wear a safety belt
It is always better to wear a safety belt than not to, and pregnant women like everyone else should make sure to always buckle up correctly. Do like this:
– Remove bulky clothes so that the safety belt can be placed as close to the body as possible.
– Pull the lap belt over the thighs, lying flat under the belly.
– Make sure the torso belt is positioned between the breasts.
– Pull tight.
The positioning of the safety belt is important so that the occupant is restrained over the body’s stronger areas – like the upper torso and pelvis – thus protecting the weaker parts of the body, such as the soft abdomen containing the fragile foetus. Studies on the virtual pregnant crash test dummy show that the driver airbag offers protection for both the mother and the foetus.
Common injuries for unborn babies and their mothers
Injuries unique to pregnant occupants involved in crashes include placental abruption, uterine rupture or laceration and direct foetal injury. The most common type of injury is a separated placenta. The placenta then becomes partially or completely detached, meaning that the baby can not get enough oxygen and nutrients, which can be fatal for the baby.
“Our research shows that the best protection for pregnant women and their unborn babies is for the mother to wear her three-point safety belt, and to wear it properly. This reduces the foetal injury risk significantly”, says Lotta Jakobsson.
How to fasten the safety belt when you are pregnant
- First adjust the seat so you can reach the pedals comfortably with as much distance between your belly and the steering wheel as possible.
- Pull the lap belt over your thighs, buckle it in and pull tight. Make sure the lap belt does not run across the belly, but lies as flat as possible under the curve.
- Position the torso belt across your chest, between the breasts to the side of the belly and pull tight.
- Never tuck the shoulder belt under your arm or behind your back – that can hurt both you and the baby.
The virtual pregnant crash test dummy
– The finite element model known as the virtual pregnant crash test dummy was developed by Volvo Cars, the first of its kind.
– The model contains layer upon layer with detailed information about the uterus, placenta, amniotic fluid and foetus in approximately the 36th week of pregnancy.
– The dummy can be positioned in any car model and simulate collisions at different speeds.
– This has brought Volvo Cars to the important conclusion that pregnant women must always wear the safety belt and make sure to wear it correctly.
– Volvo Cars has also concluded that pregnant women are better protected in frontal impacts with an airbag in the steering wheel than without.
For the 2014 financial year, Volvo Car Group recorded an operating profit of 2,252 MSEK (1,919 MSEK in 2013). Revenue over the period amounted to 129,959 MSEK (122,245 MSEK). For the full year 2014, global sales reached a record 465,866 cars, an increase of 8.9 per cent versus 2013. The record sales and operating profit cleared the way for Volvo Car Group to continue investing in its global transformation plan.
Volvo has been in operation since 1927. Today, Volvo Cars is one of the most well-known and respected car brands in the world with sales of 465,866 in 2014 in about 100 countries. Volvo Cars has been under the ownership of the Zhejiang Geely Holding (Geely Holding) of China since 2010. It formed part of the Swedish Volvo Group until 1999, when the company was bought by Ford Motor Company of the US. In 2010, Volvo Cars was acquired by Geely Holding.
As of December 2014, Volvo Cars had over 26,000 employees worldwide. Volvo Cars’ head office, product development, marketing, and administration functions are mainly located in Gothenburg, Sweden. Volvo Cars’ head office for China is located in Shanghai. The company’s main car production plants are located in Gothenburg (Sweden), Ghent (Belgium), and Chengdu (China), while engines are manufactured in Skövde (Sweden) and Zhangjiakou (China) and body components in Olofström (Sweden).
Volvo Cars: children are not small versions of adults
Children are not small versions of adults and need special restraints
Gothenburg, June 30(Greenpost)– Lotta Jacobsson, child safety specialist in Volvo Cars stressed that children are not small version of adults and needs special restraints.
“The differences in anatomy between children and adults are considered in Volvo Cars’ child safety development – of inbuilt features as well as accessories. Children are not small versions of adults, which is why children need special restraints when travelling in cars,” said Jacobsson in a presentation in Gothenburg’s Volvo Design center.
She said a child’s neck is under development and not as strong as an adult’s neck. Also the head is proportionally bigger than that of an adult. Children therefore need special restraints, facing the rear for as long as possible until at least three-four years of age. When travelling facing the rear the crash forces are spread over the back and head, which reduces the load on the neck in frontal impacts.
” A child’s head weighs a lot more in proportion to the body, and the neck is weak. That is why we strongly believe that children should travel in rearward facing child restraints until they are three-four years old”, says Lotta Jakobsson, Child Safety Specialist at Volvo Cars.
Rearward facing child restraints are designed to support the neck and help spread the forces over a larger area in frontal impacts. Frontal impacts are the most frequent and usually the most severe impact situation.
– In a frontal impact a rearward facing child’s whole body is supported, which minimises relative movements between the head and torso, says Lotta Jakobsson.
Since more than 35 years, Volvo Cars is doing extensive research based on real life accidents. These studies show beyond doubt that the safest way for small children to travel in cars is facing the rear.
Physical evidence why children should travel facing the rear
The head of a newborn baby makes up half the total body weight, where an adult’s head weighs only about six percent of the total. This oversized head – in combination with not fully developed neck vertebrae, muscles and ligaments – makes the baby’s neck a weak point.
Forward facing in a frontal impact, the body is restrained by the safety belt while the head moves forward and puts load on the neck. Depending on crash severity and size of the child, this load can be injurious.
– In one severe frontal impact in central Europe two girls were sitting forward facing in the rear seat. The five-year-old sustained a broken leg and spent two weeks in hospital. Her little sister, just ten months old, died from neck injuries. This is a clear example that it is much too early for a ten month old child to travel forward facing, says Lotta Jakobsson.
When the child has outgrown its rearward facing seat
Rearward facing is the safest way for children to travel in cars until they have outgrown the seat and have reached an age of three-four years. Then the neck has become stronger and the child can be turned to face forward, using the standard safety belt in combination with a belt-positioning booster cushion. The booster cushion guides the lap belt across the pelvis, as low as possible towards the thighs and not over the soft belly. The torso belt runs diagonally across the chest. Pull the safety belt tight, as close to the body as possible. It does not affect the safety if the torso belt rests on the child’s neck, but if the safety belt is tucked under the arm or behind the back, the child is not as protected in an accident.
Volvo Cars’ policy is that children should use a booster cushion until they are 140 centimetres tall and ten years old. Booster cushions come in different models and sizes, with or without a backrest. Some cars can be equipped with an integrated booster cushion.
– An integrated booster cushion is always available and can not be accidentally left behind, says Lotta Jakobsson. It makes it easier to position the safety belt correctly and blends in with the car interior, which can make older children more interested in using a booster. It is important to fit the child restraint according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Most importantly, children must never be placed in the passenger seat if the airbag is active.
Myths and truths about travelling facing the rear
There are a number of myths that can stop parents from choosing the safer rearward facing child restraint for their children. Lotta Jakobsson at Volvo Cars Safety Centre responds to a few of them:
Myth: Children do not want to travel rearwards.
Truth: Small children are usually as happy facing any direction in the car.
Advice: If the child restraint is fitted in the back seat, place a mirror so that the child can see you. This will help the child feel safe and you can check on it easily with a glance in the interior mirror.
Myth: The child restraint will not fit.
Truth: All child restraints are not suitable for all cars.
Advice: Read up on child restraints to see which one would meet your needs. Also get a staff member to teach you how to fit it properly before purchase.
Myth: There are no rearward facing child restraints available.
Truth: It can still be difficult to find rearward facing child restraints on some markets. In the Nordic countries they are readily available, and more countries join in the recommendation that small children should travel facing the rear.
Advice: Check with your national road safety organisation. They should be able to give you further information or refer you to someone who can.
How children of different ages should travel in cars
A newborn baby should use an infant seat. Do not let it sit upright for too long, take frequent breaks and pick up the baby for a while or let it rest lying flat while the car is parked.
An infant or toddler should be fastened in a rearward facing infant seat or a larger rearward facing child restraint until the child has outgrown the larger seat and is three-four years old. The neck is weak and needs all the support it can get in the event of an accident. It does not matter if the child has to bend its legs or touches the back rest with its feet. Take breaks often to let the child stretch and play.
An older child who has outgrown the rearward facing seat but is shorter than 140 centimetres and has not reached the age of ten, should use a booster cushion. The booster gives the child an increased height and directs the safety belt over the stronger parts of the body during a crash. The lap belt should be placed tightly across the pelvis, as low as possible towards the thighs and not over the soft tissue of the abdomen. The torso belt should run across the chest and also be pulled tight. It does not matter if the belt touches the neck. Never place the torso belt under the arm or behind the back.
Do’s & Don’ts for children in cars – six simple rules that can save lives
Do
- Always make sure the child is properly restrained – during short trips as well.
- Choose a child restraint that is suitable for your child and car model.
- Remove bulky clothes so that the safety belt is tight and the child does not get too hot.
Don’t
- Never drive with an unrestrained child in the car.
- Never place a child in the passenger seat with the airbag active.
- Never fasten a child shorter than 140 centimetres with just the standard safety belt. It must be used in combination with a booster cushion and only by children who have outgrown their child seats.
Children in car crashes
– A heavy head and weak neck structure make small children extremely vulnerable in frontal impacts when facing forward.
– Head, abdomen, extremities, chest and spine injuries are the most common to children.
– Prevention is better than treatment. Use a child restraint that is recommended for your child’s age and use it properly.
– A rearward facing child seat provides firm support behind the child’s head and back.
– Older children should use a booster cushion to allow proper positioning of the safety belt.
Important
- Never fit a child restraint in the passenger seat with an active airbag.
- Remove bulky clothes so that the safety belt can be pulled tight as close to the body as possible.
- Remove or unzip warm clothing if necessary to prevent overheating and subsequent dehydration.