Volvo pledges to produce only electric vehicles by 2030
March 2, 2021, 11:12 am

Volvo pledges to produce only electric vehicles by 2030

In this February 6, 2020 file photo a Volvo car is parked behind the Volvo logo in the lobby of the company's corporate headquarters, in Brussels. (AP)

Volvo says it will make only electric vehicles by 2030. But if you want one, you’ll have to buy it online.

The Swedish automaker said Tuesday that it is phasing out the production of all cars with internal combustion engines — including hybrids.

“There is no long-term future for cars with an internal combustion engine,” said Henrik Green, Volvo’s chief technology officer.

Volvo’s announcement follows General Motors’ pledge earlier this year to make only battery-powered vehicles by 2035.

Volvo also said that, while its all-electric vehicles will be sold exclusively online, dealerships will “remain a crucial part of the customer experience and will continue to be responsible for a variety of important services such as selling, preparing, delivering and servicing cars.”

As part of the announcement Tuesday, the Swedish automaker will unveil its second fully electric car, a follow-up to last year’s XC40 Recharge, a compact SUV. Volvo said its goal is to have half of its global sales to be fully electric cars by 2025, with the remaining half made up of hybrids.

Electric cable connects to the XC40 after Volvo Cars revealed its first fully electric car Wednesday, October 16, 2019, in Los Angeles. (AP)

Automakers around the world are ramping up production of electric vehicles as charging technology improves and governments impose stricter pollution regulations.

“We are firmly committed to becoming an electric-only car maker,” Green said. “It will allow us to meet the expectations of our customers and be a part of the solution when it comes to fighting climate change.”

Despite the rising number of EVs available in the US, fully electric vehicles accounted for less than 2 percent of new vehicle sales last year. Americans continue to spend record amounts on gas-powered trucks and SUVs.

About 2.5 million electric vehicles were sold worldwide last year and industry analyst IHS Markit forecasts that to increase by 70 percent in 2021.

Volvo says it sold 661,713 cars in about 100 countries cars worldwide in 2020. According to Autodata Corp., 107,626 of those vehicles were sold in the US.

Founded in 1927, Volvo Cars has been owned by China’s Zhejiang Geely Holding Group since 2010.

source: The Associated Press

Image source: AP

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BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”