Volvo Cars starts first shift at Valaliky EV plant, adding 300 jobs

The first work shift started on 21 Sep 2026 at Volvo Cars' new electric-car plant in Valaliky near Košice, where headcount has passed 1,000, around 95% of production staff being Slovak. About 300 more people are to be hired by the end of the year; test production begins within weeks, with series production scheduled for 2027 (TASR/teraz.sk and STVR, 21 Sep 2026). Update (21 Sep 2026): According to The Slovak Spectator, testing that had already been under way in parts of the plant was extended to final assembly on 21 Sep 2026, so test vehicles now pass through the whole production process; they are for testing and development, not for sale. Series production is due to start around the turn of 2026/27, with about 350 cars a day on one shift planned by summer 2027 (The Slovak Spectator, 21 Sep 2026).