Volvo has taken a lot of heat in Sweden about recent tests that showed that V70's, S60's and S80's show very high readings of electromagnetic fields inside the car. The reason for the high readings is that the battery is placed in the luggage compartment, and a single (positive) wire runs forward to the engine compartment. This wire gives off the field. Other cars that have a battery in the rear (Mercedes, BMW) use two wires (positive and ground) which to a large extent cancel each other out.

Although it is still an open question whether these fields cause any health effects, the Swedish press has been very critical of Volvo for not using a second wire. Apparently, Volvo explicitly considered whether to include a second wire, but thought that the health risk, if any, was small, and went for the cost savings. Now Volvo has discovered (as many others have) that when you are selling a product, its not how safe it is that matters, its how safe your customers think it is that matters.

Volvo's original reaction to the issue was to quietly install a second wire for owners who ask for it. When the news broke in the newspapers, they stopped installing the wires, and said that there was no risk. Now they have backed down and decided to start installing second wires in all new cars. They will retrofit a wire on existing cars, but will charge about 2000 kronor (about $200) labor to do so.

Here is a newspaper report in swedish

http://www.aftonbladet.se/vss/bil/story/0,2789,133631,00.html


Rich R