Volvo's first EV will probably be built in China
As will the 2018 S90 sedan, after being moved from its current production facility in Sweden.
Geely owns Volvo, and Geely is a Chinese auto manufacturer. It makes sense, then, that some of Volvo's new or future cars would be made in The Middle Kingdom.
Volvo allegedly plans to build its first battery-electric vehicle in Luqiao, in the southeast corner of China, Automotive News reports, citing sources familiar with the matter. Volvo did not immediately return a request for comment, but automakers regularly decline to discuss future products.
Volvo's battery-electric vehicle won't be the only model made in China. The S90 is heading that way, too.
It will reportedly be built alongside other vehicles riding on the same CMA (Compact Modular Architecture) platform that will underpin other Volvo vehicles, including the new XC40 compact crossover. The CMA platform was developed in conjunction with Lynk & Co, another Geely subsidiary.
When Volvo's EV goes on sale in the US, it won't be the first Chinese-built Volvo to grace US shores. The first came in 2015, by way of the long-wheelbase S60 Inscription.
Volvo is also moving S90 sedan production to China for the 2018 model year. The current, short-wheelbase version of the sedan will no longer be offered in the US. Instead, all 2018 S90s will be long-wheelbase variants, which offer 4.5 inches of additional rear legroom. It also features a revised rear seat design and a standard panoramic sunroof, which will first be offered on the S90 T8 plug-in hybrid, the most expensive powertrain on offer.
A base 2018 S90 with the T5 engine (a turbocharged I4) will start at $48,100, a bump of about $1,150 over the 2017 model. The midrange T6, with its turbocharged and supercharged I4, will start at $54,100. The aforementioned T8 is significantly more expensive, starting at $63,650.
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