Auto news on Youtube Sep 29 2017

From 2019, all cars produced by Volvo will have an electric motor,

marking the end of cars that only have an internal combustion engine.

The announcement made in early July this year,

stated that electrification is at the core of our future business.

Volvo Cars Explorers is in Shanghai, China,

right in the heart of the largest electric vehicle market in the world.

The explorers' mission here is to take a closer look at the market

and learn what makes Volvo Cars well prepared

to meet a rising global demand for electric vehicles.

Mr Shui Fang is going to tell us about the electric vehicles market in China.

Is the Chinese public interested in electric vehicles?

Yes. They did a study of Chinese customers compared to other countries,

and we have a high percentage of people prepared to accept electric vehicles.

There are two factors, and one is the environment.

In some Chinese cities, the environment is not very good because of pollution.

And additionally, when you have electric vehicles,

the cost is very low compared to conventional gasoline vehicles.

That's why customers like them.

Data by the International Energy Agency

shows there are now over 2 million fully electric vehicles

and plug-in hybrids in the world.

The market is driven by stricter legislation, changing customer preferences

and last, but not least, lower prices.

So, if we're able to solve the price issue with electric vehicles,

is the infrastructure ready to handle the demand?

Yes. The infrastructure is currently one factor,

so the government is making big efforts to build charging ports.

Like the one behind.

In Shanghai, they are putting up 5,000 charging stations.

If that happens, the auto market would be even more popular.

When I heard that the electric vehicle market was as big as it is,

I saw there's a lot of opportunity.

But that means there are a lot of challenges ahead.

It's a big task to move the industry to electrification.

We're heading in the right direction. The process needs to start now.

Apart from the incentives that customers get from the government,

are people so concerned about the environment

that it would make them switch to electric vehicles?

Of course people want to pay less. That's understandable.

So if we can produce a car with a lower price...

But people are also concerned about the environment.

It is more sustainable for the society and everyone.

People would, if the price was acceptable,

or even higher, they would still want to drive electric vehicles.

Volvo has a commitment to sell a total of 1 million electrified cars

by 2025.

In 2019, the company will launch a pure electric car

to the market for the first time.

The model will be produced in China and exported globally.

Why is it important to do R&D on electric vehicles here in Shanghai?

Firstly, the Chinese market is the world's largest for electric vehicles.

And the customers on this market have some special requirements.

So if we were to do research and development here,

we'd be closer to our customers.

We could develop what people like.

We have different responsibilities,

so the Shanghai team probably does more localisation

and, for example, the Gothenburg team focuses more on product development.

So, it's a joint effort.

Besides China, the most important markets for electric vehicles

are Europe and China.

The very same as Volvo Cars three main sales regions.

This is one of the reasons why Volvo Cars are well prepared

for a maturing electric car market.

Another great advantage is our platforms.

Anton and Cherie meet R&D engineers Wang Chenchen and Liang Haibo.

I think it's good to have that sort of presence here, too.

Especially in the electrification R&D.

That's important, especially in China where they have pollution problems.

Electrified vehicles are going to be very important here in the future.

Wang Chenchen and Liang Haibo say that the SPA and CMA platforms

are vital for our electrified future,

since they both support plug-in and pure electric configuration.

The fact that the two platforms have so much in common

also makes work more effective.

Take the test and verification work.

We know how to do the testing for the SPA platform in China,

especially for the standards unique to China.

So, we know a lot from our experience of the SPA platform.

If we were to use the CMA platform in the future, it would be easier.

We would do the work much more efficiently.

The announcement Volvo Cars made this summer,

that all new Volvo cars from 2019 will have an electric motor, was historic.

I'm a new mother.

I want to create a greener world for my baby,

so I am very proud that I work here,

to produce a more environmental car.

In China, and especially Shanghai, we have a very big problem

with a lot of air pollution.

So, if we chose electrification vehicles in the future,

to maybe replace the current petrol vehicles,

maybe we can save Shanghai - and save China, too.

For more infomation >> Volvo Cars Explorers – Electrification Special - Duration: 6:14.

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Volvo Cars Explorers - Episode 3. Cars - Duration: 12:12.

Hello! Welcome to Ghent. This is where I work.

Now, I'll show you what I do when I come to work every day.

I have to fill in my forklift number, so I have to check it.

Number 454. I have to fill that in.

Alright!

When I started here, I was very nervous.

I didn't want to do certain locations.

Because I didn't know them very well.

Every time, I'd ask my team leader to put me somewhere easier.

Then he told me: "If you don't learn, you'll never know."

Then, I learnt everything and now it's easier for me.

I don't have a problem doing any of the posts I've learnt so far.

This is my job.

I heard my friends are in town, and I can't wait to see them.

Four new employees of Volvo Cars were given a mission.

Together, they will explore our company from the inside.

Our explorers are in Ghent

to find out more about our scalable platforms.

I've got something for you.

Since you're in Belgium: Belgian waffles.

The factory here is the perfect place to learn more

as the CMA platform was recently introduced

and the preproduction of the XC40 has just started production.

Anton and Cherie's mission in Ghent is to follow

one of the first XC40s manufactured in the plant.

Are you excited to build the brand new XC40?

I'm excited, along with all the people in Ghent.

It's a new platform, it's a new car.

For Ghent, it's very good to have the new car and we are excited.

I hope you can see it all today when you are at the plant.

MISSION: PREPARE FOR LAUNCH Mission assigned: ANTON & CHERIE

Excuse me, can I ask a question? What are you doing now?

Tightening the brackets.

-Okay, is this also for... -The brackets for the bumpers.

-...for the rear bumpers?

Is this the same that you do for the other cars, like the XC60?

-No, it's completely new. -A new process for the new platform?

So, is it your first time to assemble the new XC40?

The first time, yes. But it looks okay, I think.

Yes, of course!

Today, they were very focused. You could tell.

It was important for them to make it work, because it's a new thing.

They were very focused on their task.

Are the same people working the whole line, or do different people come in?

No, there are different people. People from launch that are helping us.

But there are also people from our normal team,

so we have two teams, 22 and 23, and they rotate.

Mark's and Nana's mission today

is to try to do some actual assembly work of the XC40.

But first: training on wooden model cars.

They are assembling the rear and the front bumpers.

Then, they know what to do and how to do it,

and why they have to do it this way.

I have a fallen nut.

It's between the yellow lines, so you can take it.

When I see the things you have been doing here, you have the right mindset.

You're ready to go to the factory.

I'm Wouter de Moor, and I'm here to build CMA.

I'm going to show you how to assemble the headlamp.

-Is that good enough? -No, it's no good.

The first time, this was not that good.

Because you have to try,

and you have to try more than once to get a feeling

We don't stop giving them training until they can assemble the parts.

Yes, it feels great going from the training session we had with Patrick

to actually installing a light on a real Volvo car - it's a good feeling.

The XC40 that Anton and Cherie are following is ready to be rolled out.

There are a lot of people. It's going to be cool to see.

It looks a little bit more like a car for the future.

Yes, it has a very conceptual design.

And I'm looking forward to the new CMA-based car that might come,

like the S40 or the V40.

Yes, that will be nice.

We'll see what comes out of the factory.

After spending a full day in the factory,

our explorers leave Ghent for Daqing, China,

where they will learn more about our other platform, the SPA platform.

The newly-founded plant in Daqing

manufactures the S90, built on the SPA platform.

The explorers' mission today

is to experience the plant and share their thoughts about it.

When I came inside, I found it very spacious and modern,

well-organised and clean.

It's much bigger than I imagined.

And what most impressed me, just after having seen the plant in Ghent,

was that they are so similar.

So, if there were no Chinese signs, you wouldn't be able

to tell that it's actually the Daqing plant.

It could be a plant in Ghent or Torslanda.

We also have to check the glue quality, the laser quality,

and the hemming quality, and so on.

And if you find an issue, say with one missed welding...

We report it, and then you have to stop the work on the station straight away.

Seeing the water test and the welding test done,

which I believe is every quarter...

The water test was done to every car that rolled off the assembly line,

I think that is another point of reassurance

that the cars produced here are high quality.

Hey, Nana, there's a fork lift driver. Do you think we can talk to him?

-Sure! Why not? -Yes, let's go.

So, how do you like driving a fork lift here?

He likes his job very much.

As a fork lift driver, he has learned a lot from Volvo.

He has also improved his technique on driving the fork lift.

Very nice. He actually allowed me to drive his fork lift.

But I was very nervous when I started driving, because

I realized it's completely different to what we have in Belgium.

The fork lift here is very fast.

We don't have that in Ghent either. I would like one, though.

Now I can say I have driven a fork lift in Ghent and in Daqing.

A good accomplishment.

Volvo Cars strive for leadership

in autonomous drive and electrification solutions.

With our scalable platforms, we can make this happen.

The explorers meet plant manager Mark Gombeer,

who tells them why the new platforms are so essential for Volvo.

Basically, it gives you a lot of flexibility.

Flexibility means that at a lower cost,

you can develop different types of product on the same kind of platform.

So, the SPA platform is for Volvo very important,

and for us in Daqing very important, as it's the product that we're making.

But as it is a scalable platform,

it means that several kinds of products can be made,

which are linked to the needs of the customer.

But let's not forget that it also allows us to make the hybrid car.

Soon, we'll make a hybrid car which is very needed

in the whole discussion about renewable energy.

And, of course, Volvo's commitment

to sell more than 1 million electrified cars by 2025.

This S90 hybrid will, for sure, contribute to that.

You've seen the plant now, but what is more fun is to drive the car.

So, I think it's time now that you go to our test track

and see for yourselves what a fantastic car this is.

In the first episode, Håkan Samuelsson told us

we'd be exploring and seeing Volvo Cars from within.

I think we've very much been doing that

and seeing the plants in Torslanda and in Ghent, Belgium.

And then here in Daqing.

Very different experiences, but part of the same story and the same theme

of producing a vehicle that is appropriate for the market.

Moving forward and reaching the objectives and goals,

like electrification and lower fuel emissions.

And really pouring in the influences of the original Scandinavian design

I think all that is part of the same story,

but it's shown in different ways at each location.