Volvo Cars Ghent searches 500 employees to meet EV demand

Demand for electric Volvo’s is going strong. To meet that growing demand Volvo Cars Ghent is scouting for an extra workforce of 500 people More specifically, the factory is looking for operators and troubleshooting technicians who can fix the tooling.

“These profiles are in very high demand in the sector”, says Barbara Blomme, pr for the factory. So the news is good, but the search might be cumbersome. Therefore, also 700 interim contracts are being converted into fixed ones.

Key role

The plant in Ghent plays a key role in EV production for the brand, which vowed to become all-electric in 2030. Though the assembly of electric Volvo’s is also starting in China, the Flemish factory serves as a pioneer and plays a role model.

Earlier was announced that the production of all-electric cars would rise to 135 000 by mid-2022. “It’s clear that gradually the EV portion at our site will keep expanding. Expectations are that the mix next year will be 14% ICE and 86% hybrids and full-electric. But, corona and the chip crisis have shown us that we need to remain very cautious about what can happen.”, continues Blomme.

Two EVs

The most recent production data available stem from 2020. Of the total output of that year, 194 890 units, there were 30 844 electric vehicles (15,8%). With hybrids added that figure doubles. Blomme comments that in the year 2021 there was another doubling for electrified cars, leading up to a share of 60%.

At its peak, in 2011, the factory produced more than 265 000 cars annually. Hopes are that the EV push will step by step ramp the output back up to maximum capacity.

Currently, Volvo Cars Ghent produces two EVs: the XC40 Recharge and its coupe version, the C40 Recharge. The latter one is set for commercial launch next month in October.