VOLVO is eliminating diesel powertrains from its model line up from 2019.
Volvo says that all new models launched from 2019 will be available as either a mild petrol hybrid, plug-in petrol hybrid or battery electric vehicle.
Volvo says that this is the most comprehensive electrification strategy in the car industry. Volvo Cars was the first traditional car maker to commit to all-out electrification in July 2017.
“Our future is electric and we will no longer develop a new generation of diesel engines,” said Håkan Samuelsson, president and chief executive of Volvo Cars. “We will phase out cars with only an internal combustion engine, with petrol hybrid versions as a transitional option as we move towards full electrification. The new S60 represents the next step in that commitment.”
Last month, Volvo Cars reinforced its electrification strategy, by stating that it aims for fully electric cars to make up 50 per cent of its global sales by 2025. The announcement was made at the 2018 Beijing Auto Show, the world’s leading market for electrified cars.
The new Volvo S60 saloon, which will be launched later this spring, has no diesels in its range from the onset.