Delegates from the Swedish automotive industry will be present at Booth 61 at the Advanced Automotive Battery and Ultracapacitor Conference and Symposia in Tampa, Florida on May 12-16 to meet international representatives from the vehicle battery industry. The aim is to strengthen the Swedish vehicle battery cluster with further investment.

Key representatives will show off innovative Swedish hybrid technology projects, including the Swedish Hybrid Vehicle Centre (SHC). Hans Folkesson, chairman of the SHC research centre said: "The only vehicle with zero emission in the tailpipe is an electrical vehicle. Our biggest challenge at the moment is the energy storage needed to realise this."

Large investments
Sweden spearheads research in hybrid technology for plug-in hybrid vehicles. Over a five-year period, some $40 million will be invested in a joint venture to develop next-generation plug-in hybrid vehicles. The project sees Volvo, SAAB, energy company Vattenfall, and ETC Battery and FuelCells Sweden join forces with the Swedish State and the Swedish Energy Agency to reduce fuel consumption and emissions.

Fredrik Arp, president and CEO of Volvo Car Corporation, said: "I see this project as a positive further development of sustainable personal transport. We have a unique opportunity to take the lead when it comes to innovations for advanced green-car technology," he said.

"Within the next decade, electric vehicles are going to be needed if we are to meet forthcoming CO2 legislation," Arp added.

Great opportunity
There are great investment opportunities in the automotive industry in Sweden, particularly in the field of alternative fuel offerings. As vehicle manufacturers like Volvo, SAAB and Scania expand their hybrid technology vehicle line-up, there's a need for specialists in this field to establish themselves in the Swedish battery cluster.

"Sweden can be a world leader when it comes to creating the solutions needed to adapt means of transport - solutions that are now in demand throughout the rest of the world," said Andreas Carlgren, Sweden's minister for the environment.

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