Volvo Cars invests in the Torslanda plant: Megacasting and battery assembly

Volvo Cars plans to offer exclusively pure electric cars from 2030. The investments now announced prepare the way for this and simultaneously reflect the company's commitment and dedication to a long-term future in its hometown of Gothenburg.

Megacasting for the Rear Vehicle - with Many Advantages

Volvo Cars is also utilizing "Megacasting" for the rear section of the XC90 successor: This makes almost the entire rear structure from a single massive aluminum casting tool, eliminating the need for complex welding processes using multiple small parts. Such a giant tool was first used in large quantities in the Tesla Model Y. By now, almost all automakers are considering this production method. Large sections of the floor structure are cast as a single contiguous aluminum part. This reduces weight and thus improves energy efficiency and consequently the electric range of the vehicles.

The Volvo designers also benefit from additional freedoms: They can better utilize the available space in the passenger and luggage compartments, optimizing versatility and flexibility. The reduced complexity of the manufacturing process also saves costs in material usage and logistics, thereby shrinking the overall ecological footprint in production and supply chain networks. Mega-Casting thus offers advantages in terms of sustainability, costs, and vehicle performance.

A new battery assembly facility will integrate battery cells and modules directly into the vehicle’s floor structure, while the assembly hall for the next-generation fully electric vehicles is being converted. At the new "marriage" point, the upper body and the vehicle floor will meet and merge for the first time.

Modernized Paint Shop, New Battery Assembly

The modernization of the paint shop includes both the installation of new machines and the introduction of new processes: These measures contribute to a continuous reduction in energy consumption and emissions.

In the logistics area, according to Volvo, the material flow will be optimized, and the transport of goods and parts into the plant will be improved. The company will also invest in social areas such as break rooms, changing rooms, and offices to further improve the working environment for employees.

"Today is a great day for the Torslanda plant. With this investment package, we are making it fit for the future," said Javier Varela, Head of Engineering & Operations at Volvo Cars, proudly explaining:

"Our future as a company is fully electric. That requires a multitude of modernizations throughout the plant to ensure that Torslanda can continue to build premium electric cars of the highest quality."

What does that mean?

The Torslanda plant – located "behind the gates" of Gothenburg from the perspective of the highway – is one of Volvo's longest operating production facilities: it was opened in April 1964 by Swedish King Gustaf VI Adolf and was for a long time the largest single workplace in the country. Currently, approximately 6,500 employees work at the plant in a three-shift operation, with an annual production capacity of 300,000 vehicles. The area, which also houses Polestar and Volvo Trucks, is essentially the "heart" of the Volvo brand. With the S90 and XC60 now coming almost exclusively from China and the S60 produced in the USA, the investment for the XC-90 successor is a good signal for the traditional site, though the growth in production numbers for Volvo and Polestar is not expected to occur in Torslanda in the long term. This is why Volvo also adopted the rather questionable claim "Made by Sweden" – which indeed means something different from "made in Sweden". The film depicts the development of the plant up to 2014 - an interesting sidekick...