Volvo Cars has announced that every Volvo it launches from 2019 will have an electric motor. This step marks the historic end of cars that only have an internal combustion engine. Volvo would be the first big car manufacturer to make a step that big.
From 2019 on Volvo will not introduce a single model that is only powered by a petrol or diesel engine. This means that there will in future be no Volvo cars without an electric motor, as pure ICE (=internal combustion engine) cars are gradually phased out and replaced by ICE cars that are enhanced with electrified options.
The company will launch five fully electric cars between 2019 and 2021, three of which will be Volvo models and two of which will be high performance electrified cars from Polestar, Volvo Cars’ performance car arm. These five cars will be supplemented by a range of petrol and diesel plug in hybrid and mild hybrid 48 volt options on all models, representing one of the broadest electrified car offerings of any car maker.
“This announcement marks the end of the solely combustion enginepowered car,” said Mr Samuelsson, president and chief executive of Volvo. “Volvo Cars has stated that it plans to have sold a total of 1m electrified cars by 2025. When we said it we meant it. This is how we are going to do it.” The announcement underlines Volvo Cars’ commitment to minimising its environmental impact and making the cities of the future cleaner. Volvo Cars is focused on reducing the carbon emissions of both its products as well as its operations. It aims to have climate neutral manufacturing operations by 2025.
The decision also follows this month’s announcement that Volvo Cars will turn Polestar into a new separatelybranded electrified global high performance car company.
Philipp Kronsbein / Volvo