Volvo to go all-electric

The clock is ticking for the traditional combustion engine in Sweden, as Volvo has announced that all cars manufactured from 2019 onwards would contain an electric motor. The 90-year-old car maker will launch a range of fully electric cars as well as plug-in and conventional hybrids. “This is about the customer,” said Volvo president and chief executive, Håkan Samuelsson. “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.” Five fully electric cars will be launched between 2019 and 2021, three of which will be Volvo models and two of which will be produced under Volvo’s high-performance Polestar marque. Further hybrid models will also be launched to supplement the all-electric range. Volvo will release further details later. “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.” Volvo also aims to have climate neutral manufacturing operations by 2025, as it seeks to minimise its environmental impact. The move to an all-electric fleet follows Volvo’s announcement earlier this month that Polestar will be rebranded as a separate, electrified global high-performance car company. The current senior vice president of design at Volvo, Thomas Ingenlath, will lead Polestar as its new chief executive officer. So far this year, 432 Volvo passenger and commercial vehicles have been sold in New Zealand, with commercial sales in particular increasing in 2017.