Sweden - Volvo has announced that "every new Volvo launched from 2019 onwards will feature an electric motor".
Volvo President and CEO, Hakan Samuelsson, said: "This is about the customer. 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.
"This announcement marks the end of the solely combustion engine-powered car. Volvo Cars has stated that it plans to have sold a total of one million electrified cars by 2025. When we said it, we meant it. This is how we are going to do it."
The Swedish automaker will introduce a new portfolio of battery-powered throughout its range as it embraces EVs and plug-in hybrids.
EV roll-out
The automaker plans to roll-out five new electric cars from 2019 to 2021, three of which will be Volvos and two will be high-performance models from Polestar, Volvo Cars’ performance brand. Full details of these new models will be announced closer to their respective roll-out dates.
The new EVs will be supplemented by a range of petrol and diesel plug-in hybrids, as well as mild hybrids (48 volt), derivatives in all ranges.
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What does this mean for Volvo?
Volvo said: "This means that there will in future be no Volvo cars which do not feature an electric motor, as pure internal combustion engine (ICE) cars are gradually phased out and replaced by ICE cars that are enhanced with electrified drivetrains."
Green focus, Polestar change
The decision follows the June 2017 announcement that Volvo Cars will turn Polestar into a new separately-branded electrified high performance car company.
Volvo says it aims to have climate-neutral manufacturing operations by 2025.