Even Volvo Is Pushing Back Its Electric-Only Target

It’s a narrative we’ve become increasingly familiar with over the last few months: Manufacturer X is pushing back the date by which it originally said it would only sell electric cars. The latest company to do so, though, comes as something of a surprise: it’s Volvo.

The Swedish company announced right back in early 2021 that it was planning on going fully electric by 2030, making it one of the first mass-market legacy car makers to do so. It was still vocally sticking to that plan as recently as a few months ago, even as many rivals, including Mercedes, Audi and Cadillac rolled back their own EV-only aims.

Now, though, it appears that various factors have forced Volvo to have a bit of a rethink. It now says that come 2030, it wants 90 to 100 per cent of its car sales to be electrified which it classifies as a blend of full EVs and plug-in hybrids. The remaining wiggle room, it says, will allow for the sale of a “limited number” of mild hybrid cars, should the demand be there for them.

It still expects over half of its sales to be electrified by next year, and “well before” the end of the decade, it plans for all of its models to have full EV versions, meaning it can make the transition to fully electric sales as soon as the market allows.

This announcement came ahead of the unveiling of a facelifted XC90, featuring both plug-in and mild hybrid powertrains. The seven-seater SUV was originally expected to be replaced by the all-electric EX90, but the two will instead be sold side-by-side for the time being.

Volvo places the blame on a slower-than-expected implementation of charging infrastructure, the end of various government EV incentives, and the uncertainties created by tariffs on EVs in some markets.

The company’s still investing long-term in full EVs, with CEO Jim Rowan stating “We are resolute in our belief that our future is electric.” At any rate, don’t expect a return to Volvos with torquey diesels or warbling five-pots.