LONDON (UK) – Volvo’s entire car line-up is gearing up to go fully electric by 2030, the Chinese-owned company said on Tuesday. With this Volvo will join a growing number of carmakers planning to phase out fossil-fuel engines by the end of this decade.
Owned by Hangzhou-based Zhejiang Geely Holding Group, Volvo said it will launch a new family of electric cars in the next few years, all of which will be sold online only. Volvo will unveil its second all-electric model, the C40, later on Tuesday.
“I am totally convinced there will be no customers who really want to stay with a petrol engine,” Volvo Chief Executive Håkan Samuelsson told reporters when asked about future demand for electric vehicles. “We are convinced that an electric car is more attractive for customers.”
The Swedish carmaker said 50% of its global sales should be fully-electric cars by 2025 and the other half hybrid models.
Samuelsson said Volvo will include wireless upgrades and fixes for its new electric models – an approach pioneered by electric carmaker Tesla Inc.
Volvo said it will invest heavily in online sales channels to “radically reduce” the complexity of its model line-up and provide customers with transparent pricing.
The carmaker’s global network of 2,400 traditional bricks-and-mortar dealers will remain open to service vehicles and to help customers make online orders.
Via volvocars.com customers will be able to choose from a simplified range of pre-configured electric Volvos for quick delivery – but they will still be able to order custom-made models.