Volvo Car AB
Company History
Volvo Cars History: Founding, Growth & Key Milestones
Founded 1927 in Gothenburg, Sweden
When was Volvo Cars founded?
Volvo Cars was founded in 1927 in Gothenburg, Sweden by Assar Gabrielsson and Gustaf Larson, making it 99 years old.
- Founded
- 1927
- Founding place
- Gothenburg, Sweden
- Founders
- Assar Gabrielsson and Gustaf Larson
- Headquarters today
- Gothenburg, Sweden
- Milestones documented
- 11 (1927–2026)
- Current CEO
- Håkan Samuelsson
- Acquisitions
- 3
| Year | Event |
|---|---|
| 1927 | Volvo founded in Gothenburg |
| 1927 | First Volvo Car |
| 1959 | Three-point seatbelt introduced |
| 1999 | Ford buys Volvo Cars |
| 2010 | Geely acquires Volvo Cars |
| 2020 | Acquired Zenseact |
| 2021 | Nasdaq Stockholm listing |
| 2021 | Volvo Cars IPO |
| 2022 | Jim Rowan Becomes CEO |
| 2025 | Håkan Samuelsson returns as CEO |
| 2026 | Klaus Zellmer named next CEO |
- Where was Volvo Cars founded?
- Volvo Cars was founded in Gothenburg, Sweden in 1927. wikidata.org
- Who founded Volvo Cars?
- Volvo Cars was founded by Assar Gabrielsson and Gustaf Larson.
- When did Volvo Cars start?
- Volvo Cars was founded in 1927.
- How old is Volvo Cars?
- Volvo Cars is 99 years old as of 2026.
Founding Story
Volvo Cars was founded in 1927 in Gothenburg, Sweden by Assar Gabrielsson and Gustaf Larson. Because Sweden possesses incredibly brutal winters and terrible, icy roads, they realized that imported American and French cars simply could not survive the harsh Scandinavian climate. They decided to build a car (the 'ÖV 4') explicitly designed for absolute safety, rugged durability, and extreme weather. This foundational obsession with protecting human life led Volvo to completely revolutionize global automotive safety, most famously by inventing the three-point seatbelt in 1959 and selflessly giving the patent away to the world for free.
Founders
Assar Gabrielsson
Assar Gabrielsson co-founded Volvo in Gothenburg in 1927 together with engineer Gustaf Larson, with SKF backing the venture. He led the business and commercial side of the young company as managing director. Assar Gabrielsson was born in 1891 in Korsberga. Education: Stockholm School of Economics. Assar Thorvald Nathanael Gabrielsson was born on August 13, 1891 and died on May 28, 1962.
Gustaf Larson
Gustaf Larson co-founded Volvo in 1927. An incredibly pragmatic, highly skilled engineer, he designed the absolute core mechanical architecture of Volvo's first cars. He was deeply obsessed with metallurgical quality, ensuring that the steel used in Volvo chassis could withstand the absolutely brutal, freezing conditions of Swedish roads without shattering. Gustaf Larson was born in 1887 in Sweden. Education: Royal Institute of Technology. Erik Gustaf Larson was born on July 8, 1887 and died on July 4, 1968. He held a master's degree in mechanical engineering from the Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm.
Key Milestones
Volvo founded in Gothenburg
Assar Gabrielsson and Gustaf Larson start series production with the ÖV 4.
Source: volvocars.comFirst Volvo Car
The first Volvo car, the OV4, left the Gothenburg factory in April 1927.
Source: en.wikipedia.orgThree-point seatbelt introduced
Nils Bohlin's three-point seatbelt becomes standard in Volvo cars.
Source: volvocars.comAcquired Zenseact
Volvo Car AB acquired Zenseact. When the Zenuity joint venture with Veoneer was split in 2020, Volvo Cars took full control of the software development that became Zenseact.
Source: en.wikipedia.orgJim Rowan Becomes CEO
Jim Rowan became chief executive of Volvo Cars in March 2022.
Source: en.wikipedia.orgKlaus Zellmer named next CEO
Zellmer will take over no later than 1 October 2027.
Source: volvocars.comMajor Acquisitions
Zenseact
2020When the Zenuity joint venture with Veoneer was split in 2020, Volvo Cars took full control of the software development that became Zenseact.
Polestar Performance
2015Acquired 100% of Swedish performance-tuning and motorsport partner Polestar Performance, including the Polestar brand name.
Luxe
2017Acquired on-demand valet, parking, and concierge service startup Luxe to absorb software engineering talent and digital automotive delivery technology.
Keep researching Volvo Cars
Volvo Cars Company History FAQ
When was Volvo founded?
In 1927 in Gothenburg, Sweden, by Assar Gabrielsson and Gustaf Larson. The first series-built car, the ÖV 4, appeared in April 1927.
When did Ford and Geely own Volvo Cars?
AB Volvo sold its car business to Ford in 1999. Ford sold Volvo Cars to Zhejiang Geely Holding in 2010.
When did Volvo Cars go public?
Volvo Car AB listed on Nasdaq Stockholm in October 2021 under the ticker VOLCAR B.
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