Volvo Car Corporation and Siemens intend to jointly advance the technical development of electric cars through extensive strategic cooperation.
The focus is on the joint development of electrical drive technology, power electronics and charging technology as well as the integration of those systems into Volvo C30 Electric cars.
The first electric cars of this model fitted with Siemens electric motors will be on the test tracks as early as the end of this year. Beginning in late 2012, the Swedish carmaker will deliver a test series of up to 200 vehicles to Siemens, which will then be tested and validated under real-life conditions as part of a Siemens internal test fleet.
The two companies’ goals and core competencies in electric mobility are perfectly matched.
The partnership gives Siemens the chance to extend its industrial leadership in electric drive technology into the automotive market together with a renowned vehicle manufacturer. Volvo will be relying on proven and efficient Siemens technology for the electrification of its future vehicles.
Electric powertrain, battery management and charging technology are regarded as key technologies in the development and production of electric cars.
Siemens electric motors developed for Volvo have a peak power output of 108 kilowatts with a maximum torque of 220 Newton meters. The inverter design will be jointly optimized to meet all safety requirements in an automotive application. In addition, Siemens will provide highly efficient and fast on-board and off-board charging systems.
Volvo Car Corporation starts small-scale production of the Volvo C30 Electric this year, and next year the company will start selling the Volvo V60 Plug-in Hybrid.
