With the world slowdown in electric car uptake Volvo has announced it has
dropped plans to only sell electric cars from 2030 and will now further develop
hybrid power beyond that date. The Swedish company now claiming it will aim for
only 90 to 100 percent of its sales to be electrified by that date, the remaining 0-10
percent to be mild hybrid. The major about face comes after the Swedish
company announced in 2021 that it would become a fully electric car company by
2030. To further confuse the issue Volvo Australia had been preparing to go fully
electric from 2026 four years ahead of its parent. Locally, Volvo sales are running
20 percent below the same time last year - it currently only has one electric model
– the small EX30 SUV which has quickly become its second-best seller behind its
best-selling mid-size XC40. I’m David Berthon