All models go electric by 2019

VOLVO PLEDGES MOVE FROM SOLELY INTERNAL COMBUSTION

Volvo Cars says every model it launches from 2019 will have an electric motor, marking the end of cars that have only an internal combustion engine ( ICE) and placing electrification at the core of its future business.

Volvo Cars, a Swedish company owned by the Chinese conglomerate Geely Holdings, aims to have sold a million electrified cars by 2025.

The announcement highlights how, about 150 years after the invention of the ICE, electrification is paving the way for a new chapter in automotive history.

“This is Volvo Cars' T8 Twin Engine Range; president and chief executive Hakan Samuelsson. about the customer,” said Hakan Samuelsson, president and chief executive. “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.” The marque will introduce a portfolio of electrified cars across its model range, embracing fully electric , plug- in hybrid and mild hybrid cars.

It will launch five fully electric cars between 2019 and 2021, three of which will be Volvo models and two of which will be highperformance electrified cars from Polestar, Volvo Cars’ performance car arm.

Full details of these models would be announced later.

These five would be supplemented by a range of petrol and diesel plug- in hybrid and mildhybrid 48- volt options on all models, one of the broadest electrified range offerings.

The company said there would, in future, be no Volvo cars without an electric motor, as pure ICE cars were gradually phased out and replaced by ICE cars enhanced with electrified options.

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

“Volvo Cars has stated that it plans to have sold a total of 1 million electrified cars by 2025. When we said it we meant it. This is how we are going to do it.”

He said the announcement underlined Volvo Cars’ commitment to minimising its environmental impact and making the cities of the future cleaner.

Volvo Cars said it was focused on reducing the carbon emissions of its products and its operations. It aimed to have climate neutral manufacturing operations by 2025.

The decision also follows this month’s announcement that Volvo Cars would turn Polestar into a new separately branded electrified global high- performance car company.

The company has also confirmed these models will be sold in New Zealand.

Thomas Ingenlath, senior vicepresident design at Volvo Cars, will lead Polestar as chief executive officer.