Volvo has been a brand manufacturing concept cars for over nine decades now. The brand operates worldwide and has a long fleet of top-notch cars. The brand’s operations, spread over 95 years, speak of the brand’s popularity.
One question that many people ask is Where are Volvo Cars Made? The question is justified, and let’s find out!
Where are Volvo Cars Made?
Volvo cars are manufactured in 6 different countries around the world. These include Sweden, India, China, Belgium, Malaysia, and the United States. The company opened its latest car manufacturing facility in the United States.
Not many corporate organizations manufacture their cars in America, but Volvo is one of them.
The brand’s commitment to quality and excellence has earned it a worldwide reputation. Today, the brand has a presence in almost every country of the world.
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Where is Volvo From?
Volvo or Volvo Cars is a Swedish Automobile Company. It was founded around 95 years ago, in 1927. The brand’s headquarters lie in Gothenburg, Sweden.
The Volvo OV 4 was the first car to leave the factory in 1927. Initially, the company focused on the production of budget passenger cars.
The brand entered the US market in 1955 and continued to expand outside Sweden in the next few years. In 1999, the company acquired a 5% stake in renowned Japanese automobile manufacturer Mitsubishi motors.
Volvo also remained part of the Ford group from 1999 to 2010. One such example was the Volvo C30, manufactured under the ownership of Ford. A Chinese Group now owns Volvo.
The company always worked on shifting to a model where all cars were electrically powered. In 2021, the company turned this idea into reality and announced the discontinuation of selling fossil fuel-based cars.
Volvo now only focuses on manufacturing electric and hybrid cars. The company also is very well-known for its solid and safe cars. Over the years, the company has evolved greatly in making its cars secure.
From airbags on the roof to BLIS (Blind Spot Information System), advanced features by Volvo make it one of the most secure cars out there.
Where is Volvo Made? Details of 6 Manufacturing Facilities
Let us discuss in detail how and where are Volvo cars made in different regions of the world:
1. Is Volvo Made in Sweden?
Sweden is the hometown of Volvo. The first-ever cars built by the company were made here. Following are some of the places in Sweden where Volvo cars are manufactured.
# Torslanda: (Current Operations)
Today, all Volvo cars in Sweden are manufactured in their only operational plant in Sweden, situated in Torslanda. The first plant to roll off the production line here in this plant was Volvo Amazon.
Today, the company manufactures many cars here, including V60, XC60, V90 Cross Country, XC90, V60 Cross, and others. From here, the company exports its cars worldwide.
# Lundby: (Discontinued)
Volvo’s first-ever car manufacturing plant is located in a suburb called Lundby in Gothenburg.
Volvo’s debut model Volvo OV4 was also manufactured here. This plant remained operational for 46 years, and the company closed it in 1973.
# Kalmar: (Discontinued)
The company started construction of another plant in 1971 outside Kalmar and named it Volvo Kalmar Assembly plant.
The company opened this plant in 1974 and produced some top-of-the-line models here, such as the Volvo 164, Volvo 240, Volvo 260, Volvo 940, Volvo 960, and some others. This plant also got closed in 1994.
# Uddevalla: (Discontinued)
Apart from the plant mentioned above, the company also manufactured in a plant located in Uddevalla. But just like Kalmar and Lundby, the company closed production here in 2013.
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2. Production Plants in the USA
The company opened its first-ever car production plant in the United States in 2018. The plant lies in Berkley County, South Carolina. This plant is called Volvo’s Ridgeville facility.
The company manufactures gas and hybrid versions of the Volvo Sedan S60 here. In 2021, the company announced electrifying its vehicles in the coming years.
Additionally, Volvo plans to manufacture two electric vehicles, the next generation of XC90 and Polestar, in the Ridgeville facility. This plant primarily serves the US and European markets.
3. Is Volvo Manufactured in India?
Volvo had long been involved in the Indian market. Earlier, the company established a truck manufacturing plant in 1998.
In 2015, the company took a revolutionary step and decided to open a car manufacturing plant in Bengaluru.
XC90 was the first “Made in India” Volvo car to roll off the production line in 2017. Next, the company started manufacturing XC 60, S 90, and V 90 Cross Country in India.
Volvo also laid the foundation of R&D operations in the country in March 2022. The company aims to achieve zero value chain greenhouse gas emissions by 2040.
4. Is Volvo Made in China?
China houses the most number of Volvo factories. The Swedish manufacturer owns three factories in mainland China.
# Chengdu:
Volvo opened its first car plant in the country in 2013 with the name Zhongjia Automobile Manufacturing, Chengdu. This plant located in Chengdu manufactures the company’s stock vehicles, the S 60 and XC 60.
# Daqing:
Next, the company opened a plant in Daqing in 2014. This plant manufactures Volvo S 90 and Volvo S 90 L. Daqing plant exports S90 models to Europe and some other countries.
Also, the company shifted its worldwide production of S90 from the Torslanda plant in Sweden to the Daqing plant.
# Luqiao:
The most recent plant opened by the company in China is situated in Luqiao. The company plans to produce CMA-based models here. Currently, Volvo manufactures XC 60 and Polestar 2 here.
5. Malaysia
Volvo’s first-ever car manufacturing plant in Asia lies in Malaysia. This plant, situated in Shah Alam, Malaysia, started operations in 1967.
Volvo 144 was the first car to roll off the production lines in Shah Alam. Currently, the company manufactures XC 40, XC 60, S 60, S 90, and XC 90 here. These cars are mostly exported to South-East Asian countries.
6. Belgium:
The company operates in Belgium under Volvo Car Gent, previously Volvo Cars Europe Industry.
In 1965, Volvo debuted in Belgium with the manufacturing of the 120 series, also known as Volvo Amazon. This facility is also the first Volvo plant outside of Sweden in Europe.
By 2013, this plant became Volvo’s epicenter of manufacturing, producing the most number of cars for Volvo. In 2016, the company produced its 6th million cars here.
Today, the brand produces XC 40, V 60, and C 40 here. Ghent is also the home to Volvo trucks as the city holds a Volvo truck plant.
Who Makes Volvo Cars?
In 2010, Ford sold the Volvo cars to the Chinese automotive company Zhejiang Geely Holding Group. As of 2023, the Geely Holding Group still owns 100% of Volvo, while the brand itself is independent of its resources.
Are Volvo Cars Expensive to Maintain?
Volvo Cars are built with quality materials and features. Volvo cars belong to the luxurious family of cars, so their parts and accessories are expensive. So they are a bit expensive to maintain.
However, their cars are very reliable. Thus, you may cut your maintenance cost if proper care is taken.
Frequently Asked Questions: (FAQs)
Q1: Where is Volvo XC60 Made?
Volvo manufactures Volvo XC60 in the Torslanda Plant, located in Sweden, or Chengdu Plant, located in China. Due to massive demand in Asia, the company decided to manufacture Volvo XC60 here to cater to the regional demand.
Q2: Where are Volvo XC90 Made?
The company manufactures and assembles Volvo XC90 models in Sweden. The models made here are exported worldwide. However, to meet the demand of the Asian Market, Volvo decided to make Volvo XC90 in their Chengdu Plant (China).
The company also assembles Volvo XC90 in India for the Indian Market. Apart from this, the firm also has a plan to manufacture Volvo XC90 in their Ridgeville facility based in the USA.
Final Thoughts:
With a commitment to quality and excellence, Volvo has earned a worldwide reputation and has a presence in several countries. The company has steered its way, shifting from a truck-only brand to a major car supplier.
Today, the brand manufactures its cars in major economies of the world. Volvo continues to develop its operations in existing bases and plans to expand these to other countries.
With its R&D operations in India and a plan to achieve zero value chain greenhouse gas emissions by 2040, the future looks bright for this well-established brand.
Anaya Shah is a seasoned consumer product analyst with over 8 years of experience in the retail and e-commerce industries. She holds a Master’s degree in Business Administration with a specialization in Marketing from a top-tier university. Anaya has a keen eye for detail and a passion for uncovering the true value of products, helping consumers make informed decisions. At BrandCritica.com, she brings her expertise in product evaluation, brand analysis, and market trends to deliver trustworthy and insightful content. Connect with Anaya on Instagram for the latest updates and reviews.