Volvo Car Group has signed long-term agreements with leading battery makers CATL and LG Chem.

Volvo say that this deal is to ensure the multi-billion dollar supply of lithium ion batteries over the coming decade for next-generation Volvo and Polestar models.

The agreements cover the global supply of battery modules for all models on the upcoming SPA2 and the existing CMA modular vehicle platforms, and represent a major step towards realising Volvo Cars' ambitious electrification strategy.

In 2017, Volvo Cars made a commitment that all new Volvo cars launched from 2019 would be electrified. The company has since reinforced this strategy by stating that it aims for fully electric cars to make up 50 per cent of its global sales volume by 2025.

"The future of Volvo Cars is electric and we are firmly committed to moving beyond the internal combustion engine," said Håkan Samuelsson, President and CEO of Volvo Cars. "Today's agreements with CATL and LG Chem demonstrate how we will reach our ambitious electrification targets."

CATL of China and LG Chem of South Korea are renowned battery manufacturers, both of which have long and successful track records supplying lithium ion batteries to the global automotive industry. They fulfil Volvo Cars' strict sourcing guidelines in terms of technology leadership, responsible supply chains and competitive cost models. In China, battery supply will benefit from the scale of the wider Geely Group.

Volvo Cars' first battery assembly line is currently under construction at its manufacturing plant in Ghent, Belgium, and will be finalised by the end of this year. The first fully electric Volvo to be built in Ghent will be the XC40 small SUV; plug-in hybrid variants of the XC40 are already manufactured there.