A few weeks ago in Indianapolis, Ind., we helped EnerDel put on a press event for its new factory. Attending were about 20 automotive media and 30 financial analysts. The first half of the day was about battery chemistry and structure, while our afternoon covered cell pack assembly.

Ok, so I’ll never put Spielberg out of business with my video/editing efforts, and you’ll have to crank up your audio to hear, but there is some good stuff being presented. Please realize this assembly plant is in testing development and is a very small scale assembly operation; more like what we do with pre-production cars, where we work slowly to fine tune techniques and processes.

We started with Indiana’s Governor, Mitch Daniels.

Just prior to Governor Daniels, EnerDel announced that they would be building a new, $273 million battery manufacturing plant in Indiana. Capacity will be around 600,000 hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) battery packs or 60,000 electric vehicle (EV) packs. EnerDel will be the largest U.S. battery pack manufacturer when it’s up and running.

The other two segments are how batteries are made with a final shot of the C30’s twin battery pack assembly. It weighs about 300 pounds and considering we took out about 400, it makes for a really quick car.

An interesting point about present EV battery production, if one percent of all cars were to use lithium-ion batteries, all global production for cell phones, etc. would have to stop; cars would suck up all global capacity. Amazing. Ener1’s Chairman and CEO, Charles Gassenheimer, made an interesting comment about why they are building batteries here, in America: “Why lessen the importing of oil to increase importing of batteries [from Asia],” good point.

During Lennart Stegland’s (President Special Vehicles – Volvo Car Corporation, Sweden) presentation, he made a couple of interesting points about global carbon dioxide production, this chart shows who’s adding carbon to our air:

I know, some people object to the idea that carbon output contributes to global warming and, well that’s their opinion. Frankly, we live in an enclosed space capsule, a little rock in the middle of nowhere, whatever we do impacts our lives, maybe not now but at some point we’ll be in trouble.

This slide is interesting. It’s showing different solutions to energy storage:

The red cluster of five dots is what Toyota and Honda are using (good power density and good energy storage), but where we need to go is Lithium-ion technology, probably more along a combined type lithium-ion that takes advantage of EV, HEV and plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) demands into one pack, but that’s for another development cycle. On one of the videos, you heard reference to a 18650 lithium-ion battery. Here’s what it looks like:

In the Prius, there are about 6,000 of these batteries, welded together. What EnerDel is working towards is different cell chemistry for different applications.

Here are three PowerPoint presentations from the other week. Of course you’re missing what’s behind each slide, sorry. If you want, please feel free to ask questions and we’ll get back to you.

• Volvo Cars Electrification Strategy
• How We Build a Battery: Cell Chemistry and Pack Construction
• Pack to Vehicle

Good week to you,
dan

We just got back from Detroit, our first auto show of 2010. Boy was it cold, wet, damp and gray. Last year, manufactures were talking about new products and bright futures. Seems the tone is down a bit this year. Chrysler and GM were there, but the grandness of their displays was not typical for this show. Not that I’m slanting towards Ford, just that they seemed to be the most consistent over last four or five years with their display. It’s fresh, not in your face and very clean. Not cluttered. I’ll post more about cool cars and weird displays next time.

For us, around mid-summer 2009, we had no plans for Detroit. At the same time, we started talking about what’s happening with our first fleet test of electric cars. In 2010, fourth quarter, we will start building about 50 cars for Swedish testing. Prior to test fleet production we needed to build some production-like C30’s to crash test and make certain what we build is up to our standards. Then came an opportunity to do a joint press event with EnerDel, our U.S. battery supplier that would focus on how the battery business works. We were invited to co-share the event and to bring one of our C30’s. Right now what you’ll see in these videos is chassis number 3. After it’s shown at the Chicago Auto Show in February, it’ll fly back home to meet it’s maker at 35 mph in our crash center.

While in Detroit, I asked Lennart Stegland, President Special Vehicles Division, Volvo Car Corporation, Sweden, to give us some insight into Electric C30, some of what makes it work and what makes it a Volvo.

Part 1

Part 2

Kind regards,
dan

In Sweden, handgun ownership is much different than here. Very strict rules. Oh, I’m certain the police have handguns, but heck, why bother trying to hit some rubber tires. I doubt any police officer in a Dodge Charger would try this method of, ‘if you don’t stop, I’ll turn you into scrap metal.’

Here is the whole sequence: http://jalopnik.com/5442691/volvo-police-wagon-flips-mounts-fleeing-audi

BTW: I’m in Detroit for a couple days, annual “Toe Frost Bit Testing and Auto Show.” Not one of my favorite vacation spots, but I do get to see some really cool cars and meet journalists I’ve not seen for…gosh 12 months. I’ll take some video of our Electric C30 for you.

Dan

This was made in 2004 and I have no idea how it slipped past me, but this was done for the UK market and not the U.S. My guess is the cost to air in our market far exceeded any profits we’d get from V50 sales. My mother has this generation V50. At 85 she’s still driving, albeit not as much as she’d like, but she does know her driving time is limited. She’s taken it from Torrance, Calif. up into Wyoming and other Western states. She really enjoys the “sportiness,” whatever that means I really don’t want to know. But it hauls her and her friends with luggage and camera equipment just perfectly. And us brothers feel she’s well protected.

Part 1

Part 2

Kind regards and happy Friday,

dan

Ok, I’m a beach bum. I grew up surfing at 2nd Ave, Hermosa Beach (Calif.) when I was around 15 years old. I made a few boards, surfed all over California, lived in Hawaii (thanks to the U.S. Navy), and then gave it up for forty years to have a family. Only recently have I had time to get back into it.

Here’s my old XC70 (beach car – full of wetsuit parts, sand, dog hair). It used to be my company car, and then we gave it to our daughter who gave it back to us with 160,000 miles on it. Still works great though and gets decent mileage: 21 mpg around town and 26 mpg on the highway. This video is from December 20 when that Nor’easter storm came through. Waves were about 4-6 feet then died as the morning went on. This board I’m using is wood; built like an airplane wing. Much nicer than a foam board, IMHO.

You have a great holiday and talk next year.

dan

A little “Thank You” from Liz and Jay Scott of Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation.

dan
—

As the year comes to a close, we want to thank Volvo for your incredible support of Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation. We are still in awe of how Alex’s front yard stand has grown into a national foundation that is making a significant impact on the lives of children with cancer. As equally awesome is the fact that Volvo has been with us every step of the way!

We have so many wonderful “Volvo” memories with Alex, from the Volvo for Life Awards, to the Retailer Conference in Orlando, to Volvo’s promise to take Alex over her million dollar goal just before she passed. What’s more, we are so grateful that those memories have continued for our family, as Volvo has supported our efforts as we have grown Alex’s Lemonade Stand into a thriving foundation. As our only Founding Sponsor, Volvo provided much needed early support and credibility to our grassroots efforts. Since then, the support from Volvo has been on so many levels; it is difficult to even list them all here! We could not imagine better partners in this fight and are proud every day to call you sponsors and friends.

2010 marks the 10-year anniversary of Alex’s first front yard stand. The strides we have made against pediatric cancer are remarkable, life changing, and inspiring. We have funded over 100 projects at more than 50 institutions across the country. This funding has lead to breakthroughs in several pediatric cancers, created new treatments for children, and found ways to improve their quality of life. In addition, we have been able to help families with their significant travel costs as they leave their homes, drive for hundreds of miles, stay in hotels, and do whatever it takes to save their children.

We hope you feel proud to be partners with us in this fight; we truly could not be doing this important work without the longtime support of Volvo.

We look forward to the future with great optimism and hope.

Happy Holidays and Happy New Year!

Liz  and Jay Scott

Alex’s Parents, on behalf of Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation

I’m guilty of texting, I know it’s bad/dangerous/stupid and have really cut back on doing it these last couple of months. As of today, no more texting. My wife said it’s like playing Russian roulette (along with some other really strong thoughts). Basically, it’s just dumb and selfish.

I thought you might like to know about “X THE TXT: Thumbs Up to the Safest Holiday Ever,” Allstate’s national public awareness campaign to encourage teens and their parents not to text and drive. You can help by joining the Facebook cause at www.causes.com/thumbsup, and making a virtual pledge not to text and drive this holiday. For each person who makes the pledge, Allstate will donate $1 to the National Organizations for Youth Safety (NOYS) for safe teen driving efforts, up to $25,000.

“X THE TXT” is one of many Allstate initiatives aimed at changing driver behavior and saving teen lives. Our family pledge brochure and other teen safe driving resources can be found at www.Allstate.com/teen. I hope you will consider sharing the “X THE TXT” pledge with your friends and family, to help keep the roads safer for everyone this holiday season and throughout the year.

dan

Holy Cow! Just realized we started this blog November 24, 2008. Our goal was to support XC60 launch, but it also gave us an opportunity to look inside what we do. What a fitting one-year anniversary then to have XC60 acknowledged at this week’s Los Angeles Auto Show. No one person in our company can stand and take credit for this car. Earlier this year, we videoed, for this blog, just a few of my colleagues who helped launch XC60 (here, here and here), but there are thousands behind each one of us who go unnamed. One brick doesn’t make a home, same with taking a clean piece of paper in one hand and dream of what can be in the other. In truth, launching a new car takes everyone at Volvo. We believe this is the safest SUV and we believe it will advance safety thinking for years to come. In one way or another, everyone has done something to bring about this award.

Thanks for being part of our blog.

Kind regards,

dan

UPDATE: Check out this video for more on the XC60’s award: http://www.youtube.com/user/VolvoXC60

—

LOS ANGELES (Dec. 2, 2009) – The Volvo XC60 was named 2010 International Truck of the Year today by the International Car of the Year (ICOTY) jury. The award was given to Doug Speck, President and CEO of Volvo Cars of North America, LLC at the Volvo display at the 2009 Los Angeles Auto Show. The XC60 was chosen over 10 new crossovers, SUVs and trucks by a distinguished panel of top automotive journalists.

“This ties a very pretty bow around what’s been a truly amazing year for Volvo,” commented Speck. “The XC60 has not only been recognized by the media but it’s been extremely well received by our customers.” The 2010 XC60 has helped VCNA earn six consecutive months of year-over-year sales increases since June.

The XC60 was chosen the winner from a panel of 19 automotive media from around the U.S. and Canada representing top newspapers, magazines and websites. The jurors must consider the ICOTY mission of “honoring vehicles that reflect an emotional connection between car and consumer lifestyles” when making their nominations. “The ICOTY awards are not centered on power and performance,” said Courtney Caldwell, ICOTY’s creator and executive producer. “It’s about how cars reflect our personalities, lifestyles and self image, an attitude most consumers identify with.”

Once approved by the ICOTY nominating committee, the awards jury then bases their decision on a number of important criteria: The vehicle must be new or substantially revised, it must be offered for sale to the general public by the judging deadline of November 16, 2009, and may not have been previously considered for the ICOTY Awards.

The International Truck of the Year award marks the 20^th accolade the Volvo XC60 has received since sales began in Europe in late 2008. The XC60 is the first vehicle to offer City Safety as standard equipment. This unique Volvo technology can help the driver avoid frontal collisions at low speed. If the driver is about to drive into the rear of a vehicle and does not react in time, the XC60 will apply the brakes by itself.

About ICOTY: The ICOTY Awards were founded and launched in 1997 by Courtney Caldwell, editor-in-chief of Road & Travel Magazine. The mission of the ICOTY Awards is to shed light on the emotional connection between cars and consumers. Awards are presented to automakers that most successfully achieve that goal through the design and marketing of their vehicles, and how well those vehicles reflect consumer lifestyles.

Given the overwhelming response to the What Drives Edward contest, we decided to give away XC60s to the first and second person to complete the game.  Special congratulations go to Beth G. of Illinois and Jeanettte U. of Georgia for taking home a shiny new Volvo, just like Edward’s. For all the details, click here.

Dan

Here are two photos from Monday’s premiere of New Moon in Los Angeles.

Winners of our New Moon premiere ticket sweepstakes “What Drives Edward” pose with New Moon star Ashley Greene…

…and Robert Pattinson.

From left to right:  Victoria Beringer and Laura Beringer (U.S. winners from Chicago), Katy Cooke and her husband David Cooke (UK winners).

Rob looks like he’s ready to bite…

Dan