RIDGEVILLE, S.C. (AP) - The Latest on Volvo Cars opening its first U.S. plant (all times local):
11:30 a.m.
Volvo is showing off its first car to be made-in-America, even as the economic climate changes radically under President Donald Trump.
Volvo Cars officially opened its South Carolina plant Wednesday with a glitzy ceremony that revealed the Swedish automaker’s redesigned S60 hybrid-powered sedan, which will roll off the assembly line this fall.
But the auto market has changed considerably since Volvo announced in 2015 it would build its first U.S. plant in Ridgeville.
President Donald Trump was elected in 2016 and is threatening tariffs that could impact foreign carmakers. Volvo executives say they want to end all tariffs between the U.S. and Europe and China, where Volvo’s owners are based.
The executives say they are watching Trump carefully to react if his decisions affect their company.
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7:40 a.m.
Volvo Cars, the first major automaker to abandon cars powered solely by internal combustion engines, is officially opening its first plant in the United States.
The Swedish carmaker aims to make 130,000 hybrid or all-electric vehicles a year at the South Carolina factory, once it reaches peak capacity.
Volvo is officially opening the plant Wednesday in Ridgeville. The first redesigned S60 sedans should roll off the assembly line this fall.
Volvo is making hybrid vehicles at all of its plants now and promises all its cars will have an electric component next year.
Company officials say 1,500 people should be working there by year’s end and 4,000 by the end of 2021, when the plant is scheduled to also make Volvo’s new XC90 SUV.
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