Volvo aims to take an early lead among established automakers when it comes to vehicle electrification.
The Swedish automaker on Wednesday made the bold statement that every car it launches from 2019 will be equipped with an electric motor. The cars will include mild hybrids, plug-in hybrids and pure electrics.
Volvo already offers a handful of plug-in hybrids which the automaker markets as Twin Engine cars. Examples include the XC90 and S90 T8 Twin Engine models.
Volvo CMA modular compact car platform in electric configuration
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Volvo’s first pure electric car will arrive in 2019 and be built at a plant in China. It will be a compact model with at least 250 miles of range and a starting price between $35,000 and $40,000. Two other Volvo electric cars will be launched between 2019 and 2021.
Another two electric cars will be launched by Polestar which in June became a standalone brand for high-performance electrified cars. The former Volvo tuner’s first two electric cars will also be launched between 2019 and 2021.
Volvo is yet to announce any mild hybrids. These will use a 48-volt electrical system and feature an electric motor that aids engine performance but can’t power a vehicle exclusively. Audi and Mercedes-Benz have also made announcements that mild hybrid technology will start to become a standard feature of their respective lineups.
Eventually, Volvo’s entire lineup will consist of pure electric cars. Just don’t expect the internal combustion engine to disappear from the lineup anytime soon.
Volvo has set itself the goal of selling one million electrified cars by 2025, which would be quite the achievement considering Volvo’s total sales in 2016 were 534,332 cars. The automaker is also focused on reducing emissions from its operations. For example, it aims to have climate neutral manufacturing operations also by 2025.
“This is about the customer,” Volvo CEO Håkan Samuelsson said in a statement. “People increasingly demand electrified cars and we want to respond to our customers’ current and future needs.”
