Press releases 2008

Total deliveries of trucks from the Volvo Group’s four truck companies in May amounted to 22,198, which is an increase of 15%, compared with the year-earlier period.

Today, Volvo Trucks unveiled a new generation of FH, FH16 and FM trucks. Safety, driver environment and the driver were the focal points in development of the new models. One of the major new features is a support system that monitors and alerts the driver if he or she becomes tired. The system can contribute to reducing the number of traffic accidents through solving a human problem.

Volvo Trucks has inaugurated its first climate-neutral dealership facility. The inauguration took place in Verona, Italy. With the help of solar cells on the building’s roof, more energy will be produced than is needed to heat up the offices and workshops.

Fredrik Brunell, presently Chief Financial Officer, Volvo Aero, has been appointed new Vice President, Head of Corporate Finance, AB Volvo. He will assume his new position on August 25, 2008, reporting to the Group CFO.

The Volvo Environment Prize, administered by an independent foundation, this year goes to Buzz Holling, Canadian ecologist and scientist, whose theories on how ecosystems deal with sudden changes have had great global influence. Today, with many worrying about global climate change and unexpected natural disasters, Buzz Holling stresses the importance of increasing our society’s ability to be flexible and cope with change. This is necessary for the continued use of natural resources, because crisis, Holling says, is an inevitable part of nature’s way of functioning.

Volvo CE is investing SEK 341 million in a completely new paint shop in the company’s articulated hauler plant in Braås, Sweden. This investment will lead to an increase in capacity in the plant, a reduced impact on the environment and added improvement in quality.

Volvo IT has been commissioned to develop and maintain FordEcat, a system Ford's dealers in Europe are using to streamline the sale of parts and service. A new version of the system will have been installed at 5,500 dealers in 40 countries by the end of June.

The Volvo Group has signed a final agreement with the Indian vehicle manufacturer Eicher Motors covering establishment of a new Indian joint-venture company. As announced previously, the joint venture, with the proposed name VE Commercial Vehicles Ltd. comprises Eicher Motors’ entire truck and bus operations and the Volvo Group’s Indian truck sales operations and service network for trucks and buses.

AB Volvo has today published its Sustainability Report for 2007. The Report is available on Volvo Group’s website.

Total deliveries of trucks from the Volvo Group’s four truck companies in April amounted to 24,616, which is an increase of 44%, compared with the year-earlier period.