Volvos to turn electric, hybrid starting 2019

ALL Volvo cars to be launched starting 2019 will either be electricor hybrid-powered, the car maker said in a statement.

Volvo said the development is “one of the most significant” by any car company as it moves away from the internal-combustion engine and toward electrification. The car maker said its portfolio will include fully electric cars, as well as plug-in hybrid and mild hybrid models.

“People increasingly demand electrified cars and we want to respond to our customers’ current and future needs,” said Hakan Samuelsson, president and chief executive of Volvo Cars.

Volvo said it will launch five fully electric cars between 2019 and 2021, three of which will be Volvo models and two will be high- performance cars wearing the Polestar badge — Volvo’s performance- car arm. These will be supplemented by a range of gasoline and diesel plug- in hybrid, and mild hybrid options, on all models that will still be powered by internal- combustion engines.

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

The company added it also plans to reduce the carbon emissions of its products and operations as it aims to achieve climate- neutral manufacturing operations by 2025.