Volvo and Siemens seal EV partnership deal

Electronics giant Siemens has signed an agreement with Volvo to work together on the C30 EV project
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Volvo has formed an association with electronics firm Siemens to develop the company's first production EV, based on the C30 hatch.

The deal will see the pair working on electric drivetrain systems, power electronics and charging technology, destined initially for Volvo’s C30 Electric, but with other projects to follow.

Both companies claim the deal is a win-win; delivering each side a partnership with a big brand in their respective industries. Siemens gains a stronger toehold in the burgeoning market for electric drive technologies, while Volvo gets big-name components with global support for its future EVs and PHEVs.

Volvo CEO Stefan Jacoby said in a statement it also gives both companies the chance to move quickly in a fast-moving industry.

“Our aim is to be first with the latest technology within electrification. The partnership reinforces our aim to pursue the fast-growing market for electric cars,” he said.

The two companies anticipate seeing cars powered by Siemens electric motors on test tracks by year’s end. By late 2012, Siemens will take delivery of a test fleet of up to 200 vehicles for real-world testing and validation. That timing suggests an unexpected delay in the development of the C30 Electric, which was scheduled to reach Australia by that time.

Siemens has already developed an electric motor for Volvo, delivering 108kW with peak torque of 220Nm. The companies are working on a car-safe inverter to channel power to it from an automotive battery pack. Siemens is also working on on-board and external charging systems.

Volvo will start limited production of the C30 Electric later this year and go to market with its V60 diesel PHEV in 2012. The latter supplements the company’s familiar D5 front-drive powertrain (2.4-litre 5-cylinder diesel producing 160kW and 440Nm) with a rear-set 52kW electric drive system powered by a 12kWh Li-ion battery pack.

From there, with help from Siemens, Volvo’s next-gen Scalable Platform Architecture will help speed up electrification across the company’s model lineup.

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