Volvo Withdraws From Ambitious Plan Withdrawal? They Are Not the Only Ones
100% of production will be electric cars – this is the ambitious plan that Volvo, among others, has set for itself. However, the company is apparently just preparing the ground for a serious change in these assumptions.
As reported by motorauthority.com, Volvo’s CEO was quoted as saying that mild hybrids and plug-in hybrids are a bridge technology for electric vehicles and the brand continues to invest in them. However, this contradicts the manufacturer’s previous promises, which assumed that from 2030 it would produce only electric vehicles. Perhaps Volvo understood that such a policy may end badly for the company.
Customers decided with their wallets
The market in which such swallows indicate a change in the previous, strict assumptions may simply have an influence demand for electric cars is slower than expected. In the case of the American market alone, Volvo has now focused on a petrol-powered hybrid, but also powered by an electric motor and battery. Motorauthority, citing information obtained by Automotive News, indicates that The well-known manufacturer is to focus on selling plug-in hybrids and electric vehicles in the next decade.
There are still possibilities to simultaneously “keep” the promise and maneuver to meet the needs of the market. The current activity of Volvo’s parent company, the Chinese Geely, is not without significance here. This year, the automotive giant entered into cooperation with Renault Group to create joint venture focusing on hybrid engines. In this case, Volvo can use this option as a source of components that the company will no longer produce itself.
Interestingly, this is not the only such case of changing ambitious plans in response to the real market situation, especially in the context of electric car production. A similar direction is also to be taken by Volvo Mercedes-Benz and Cadillac, which have already withdrawn from their previous announcements of completely abandoning the production of combustion cars. Porsche has also recently lowered its ambitions in this respect, announcing that it will not give up the hybrid version of the Cayenne despite the introduction of an electric version in the next few years.
