EV traction
The Lowcountry’s electric vehicle industry is set to accelerate
Volvo Cars will begin production this year at its Ridgeville plant on a pair of battery-powered SUVs — the seven-seat EX90 and the high-performance Polestar 3, for its sister brand.
Both are scheduled to roll off the line by mid-2024 with list prices starting in the $77,000 range. They’ll be built alongside the Volvo S60 sedan for the U.S. and global markets except China.
The EX90 is the successor to the popular gas-powered XC90. It’s rollout is part of Volvo’s strategy to produce only battery powered cars by 2030.
As for the Polestar 3, it’s is the first U.S.-made vehicle for the brand.
Nearby, Redwood Materials is expected to break ground on a $3.5 billion plant in the Camp Hall Commerce Park. The Berkeley County factory will recycle minerals from old lithium-ion EV batteries to make new ones, reducing U.S. reliance on China for the materials.