Volvo VEA Engines Enter Production

Volvo’s innovative new VEA 4-cylinder engine is officially in production, according to reports out of Sweden, with the first production examples expected to power 2014 models arriving in European Volvo showrooms later this summer.

We covered the new VEA (for “Volvo Engine Architecture”) in broad strokes when we talked about the XC60 Plug-in Hybrid Concept, and in detail when we covered the i-ART diesels a few weeks ago. As we discussed then, Volvo’s VEA engine family is part of a sweeping bid to regain some of the market share and relevance the company lost when it was spun-off from Ford (and, afterwards, “saved” by Chinese firm, Geely).

According to Volvo, the new family of 4 cyl. gas and diesel engines, which share more than 60% of their components, will work in concert with innovative driveline electrification. Hybrids with the company’s upcoming KERS-like flywheel hybrid systems) to eventually replace the eight engine architectures currently in use across their eight vehicle platforms.

Source: Volvo, via CarScoop.