Tesla managed to hire a top engineering talent from the Swedish automaker Volvo. Electrek has learned that Anders Bell, Senior Director of Engineering at Volvo and the automaker’s ‘Head of Interior Engineering’ is joining Tesla in an equivalent role this month.
The engineer confirmed the move on his LinkedIn profile over the weekend.
After spending his entire career at Volvo and leading all interior engineering from concept development & design to launch for the past two years, he will be moving from Sweden to California to join Tesla.
Prior to his executive role overseeing all interior operations, Bell has led several engineering programs at Volvo since joining the automaker fresh out of engineering school in 1998, according to his LinkedIn profile.
He was in charge of the programs to create the interior of the Volvo S60L 2015, and the SPA cross carline front seat system that was introduced in the Volvo XC90 2015:
-
- Volvo SPA seat profile
-
- Volvo S60L DP Controls
Before becoming head of all interior engineering at Volvo, he did an almost 4-year stint in China after Geely bought the company from Ford.
In China, he built up the Interior and Climate engineering department of the new ‘Volvo Cars China’ and oversaw the launch of the Volvo XC60:
-
- Twilight Bronze, Exterior, Front, Side
-
- Production of the Volvo S60L and XC60 at the plant in Chengdu, China
-
- Production of the Volvo S60L and XC60 at the plant in Chengdu, China
At Tesla, he will have his work cut out for him. Rave reviews and awards aside, one of the main complaints about Tesla’s vehicles is that the interior is not on par with other luxury vehicles.
It will be interesting to see what Bell can do about that and what he can do with the most puzzling interior of all, the Tesla Model 3’s interior.
Featured Image: Interior of the Volvo XC90 and feast your eyes on another gallery of the XC90 interior:
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
Comments