Gothenburg - driving progress towards smart and sustainable mobility

For more than a decade our investment advisor Joel Görsch has been spreading word of the good things happening in Gothenburg, and helping companies turn expansion plans into successful projects. Geely Technology Europe, Artifex Systems and KPIT are just a few of the companies he has supported.

“Gothenburg is the city where Volvo was born, nearly 100 years ago. So, we’ve long been an automotive city. Today, we are one of Europe’s top mobility clusters and a world-class innovation hub,” says Joel. 

According to Joel, Gothenburg is particularly strong in terms of software-defined vehicles, safety and electrification. 

“From advanced driver assistance systems and in-vehicle intelligence to smart charging and mapping and location technology. Solutions developed in Gothenburg are used in millions of vehicles worldwide and are helping to shape the future of mobility,” he says. 

Volvo Cars and the Volvo Group, Sweden’s two largest companies by turnover, remain driving forces in Gothenburg’s automotive and mobility sector. Together they employ nearly 30,000 people in the region. 

But the sector has grown and become more diversified. Progressive premium car brands Polestar, Zeekr and Lynk & Co and smart transport innovator Einride all operate key sites here. 

Gothenburg is also home to many large and specialised tech, design and service companies, including Ericsson, Telia, Wireless Car, Zenseact, SKF, Smart Eye, EcarX, Wireless Car, Aurobay and Kognic. Furthermore, it has a strong startup scene, connected largely to smart and sustainable mobility.

We have a culture of collaboration and a lot of interesting innovation-driven companies to be partnering up with. We also have a very good environment for developing new products and services, and getting them to market.

- Joel Görsch, investment advisor for automotive and battery at Business Region Göteborg.

A hotspot for Swedish research and innovation 

The Gothenburg region offers an array of test environments, including Sweden’s testbed for electromobility SEEL; Gothenburg Green City Zone, where the city serves as a testbed for new emission-free transport solutions; and AstaZero, an independent, full-scale test environment for advanced safety systems. 

It also has open innovation environments bringing together large companies and startups, established networks, a top technology university, and a science park that hosts leading development projects within mobility and AI.

In addition, Gothenburg has a highly skilled workforce and boasts the highest concentration of engineers and natural scientists among Sweden’s metropolitan regions. 

These are just few of the reasons why global companies invest more in R&D here than anywhere else in Sweden. And why Gothenburg has become an engine for Sweden's growth and innovation. 

“We have a lot happening here and we are seeing large-scale and long-term investments being made in the region,” says Joel.  

The Volvo Group, which is leading the transition of trucks and buses to net-zero, is expanding and modernising its Gothenburg campus. Together with Daimler Trucks, it has also established a joint software company in the city, which already employs around 160 people. It also plans to build a large-scale battery cell production facility and energy park in Mariestad, in West Sweden.

Meanwhile, Volvo Cars has been investing heavily in its electrification journey and software-defined vehicles. Together with Steptura it is also building a new 200,000-300,000 sqm mobility innovation neighbourhood beside its Gothenburg campus. 

“Competition is fierce, but there’s probably no better place in Europe for any person or company who wants to play a key role in the transition to smart and sustainable mobility,” says Joel Görsch.   

Facts 

• The automotive and mobility sector directly employs around 50,000 people in the Gothenburg region
• Gothenburg is a strong ICT hub employing over 40,000 people in the region. Strengths include AI, quantum technology, software development, communication and connectivity.
• Gothenburg is an export-intensive region, accounting for 16% of Sweden’s goods exports. The majority of the region’s exported goods are vehicles and other transportation equipment.
• In September 2026, Volvo Truck’s new electric range won the prestigious International Truck of the Year 2027 award.
• In March 2026, Volvo Cars was recognised by S&P Global Mobility as a world-leader in software-defined cars.