Photo: Volvo
"He must have accidentally taken the wrong car," people joke online after finding out that a Volvo executive is driving a Tesla to work, even though the Swedish carmaker has quite an extensive lineup of electric cars.
Well, that is not the actual truth, though. Head of Research and Development Anders Bell does drive a Tesla Model Y to work. But that is far from being accidental. The story behind it is that Bell worked for Volvo, went to Tesla, and was brought back to Volvo again.
Anders Bell started his career at Volvo Cars back in 1998. He worked on interiors for the 60 and 90 series. In 2016, he was recruited by Tesla to work as Senior Director of Engineering.
But he returned to Volvo in November 2022 after he spent six years in Fremont, California, and at the Tesla factory outside Berlin, Germany. His responsibility at Volvo is now to reduce the cost and complexity of the products and services, keep the life cycle perspective, and focus on development and customer value.
In an interview with the local media, Anders Bell talked about his stint with the EV maker and admitted that Volvo does have something to learn from Tesla. But he believes that copying a Californian startup culture in Europe is next to impossible.
Before getting to implement the American dream in Europe, Anders Bell admits owning both a Volvo and a Tesla. It is a Tesla Model Y, a car that he purchased while working for the EV maker and does not want to be seen with while he is working for the Scandinavians. "No pictures now, I happened to take the wrong car today," he told during the conversation with Goteborg’s Posten.
He compares Volvo's transition to electric cars to a newspaper that is progressively switching to online only, because we live in the digital era. But Tesla was able to completely ignore print, which would be synonymous with internal combustion engines in this case, and go fully digital from the start.
Volvo's Research and Development manager has recently toured the new test center opened by the carmaker in Gothenburg, Sweden. It is the aftermath of a $27.4 million investment that turned the facility into what the company representatives now call the new flagship in the network of engineering centers and Tech Hubs around the world. New software and electric cars can be tested in the center.
Right now, Volvo has quite a generous EV lineup. The most affordable of them all is the EX30 crossover, which starts at $34,950, with the destination fee not included. At the opposite end of the lineup is the EX90 flagship SUV, which is inching closer to the market launch.
Anders Bell started his career at Volvo Cars back in 1998. He worked on interiors for the 60 and 90 series. In 2016, he was recruited by Tesla to work as Senior Director of Engineering.
But he returned to Volvo in November 2022 after he spent six years in Fremont, California, and at the Tesla factory outside Berlin, Germany. His responsibility at Volvo is now to reduce the cost and complexity of the products and services, keep the life cycle perspective, and focus on development and customer value.
In an interview with the local media, Anders Bell talked about his stint with the EV maker and admitted that Volvo does have something to learn from Tesla. But he believes that copying a Californian startup culture in Europe is next to impossible.
Before getting to implement the American dream in Europe, Anders Bell admits owning both a Volvo and a Tesla. It is a Tesla Model Y, a car that he purchased while working for the EV maker and does not want to be seen with while he is working for the Scandinavians. "No pictures now, I happened to take the wrong car today," he told during the conversation with Goteborg’s Posten.
He compares Volvo's transition to electric cars to a newspaper that is progressively switching to online only, because we live in the digital era. But Tesla was able to completely ignore print, which would be synonymous with internal combustion engines in this case, and go fully digital from the start.
Volvo's Research and Development manager has recently toured the new test center opened by the carmaker in Gothenburg, Sweden. It is the aftermath of a $27.4 million investment that turned the facility into what the company representatives now call the new flagship in the network of engineering centers and Tech Hubs around the world. New software and electric cars can be tested in the center.
Right now, Volvo has quite a generous EV lineup. The most affordable of them all is the EX30 crossover, which starts at $34,950, with the destination fee not included. At the opposite end of the lineup is the EX90 flagship SUV, which is inching closer to the market launch.
The new Volvo boss drives a Tesla: "Accidentally took the wrong car"
— Nicklas ????????????T?????????????????? (@NicklasNilsso14) October 31, 2023
He is the Tesla boss who was brought back by Volvo Cars to speed up the development of electric cars. Research and development manager Anders Bell drives his Tesla Model Y to work.
- No pictures now, I happened… pic.twitter.com/VQ9AePq6wr
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