Volvo Says Will Build Only Electric Cars From 2019

Volvo Cars
Photo: Volvo

Volvo Cars announced that it will stop building cars with an internal combustion engine and will only build all electric vehicles.

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From 2019 onwards, all new cars launched by Volvo will come with an electric motor. The automaker said that it will introduce new electrified cars across its model range, including fully electric cars, plug in hybrid cars and mild hybrid cars.

“This is about the customer,” Volvo Chief Executive Håkan Samuelsson said in a statement.

“People increasingly demand electrified cars and we want to respond to our customers’ current and future needs. You can now pick and choose whichever electrified Volvo you wish,” Samuelsson added.

Volvo plans to launch five all electric cars between 2019 and 2021. The automaker said that it will announce full details of those models at a later date.

In addition, the carmaker said that it will introduce a hybrid engine in the rest of its conventional petrol and diesel range.

“This announcement marks the end of the solely combustion engine-powered car,” Samuelsson said. “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.”

Volvo is betting on electric cars as part of its commitment to make the cities of the future cleaner. The company said it is focused on cutting carbon emissions of both its products as well as its operations. It aims to have climate neutral manufacturing operations by 2025.

In a response to a question about diesel, Samuelsson told The Guardian: “Long-term, diesel will get more and more expensive, because it requires some after-treatment.”

Volvo, which is owned by Chinese firm Geely, said that its first electric cars will be built in China, but production of others will take place in Europe and the United States. The automaker has yet to decide on a battery supplier, according to a report from The Guardian.

In addition to Volvo, other major carmakers, including Renault-Nissan, BMW and VW, are also betting on electric cars.

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