Volvo Cars on Wednesday became the first mainstream automaker to sound the death knell of the internal combustion engine, saying that all the models it introduces starting in 2019 will be either hybrids or powered solely by batteries.

The decision is the boldest commitment by any major car company to technologies that currently represent a small share of the total vehicle market but are increasingly viewed as essential to combating climate change and urban pollution.

While most major automakers offer hybrids and battery-powered options, none of them have been willing to forsake cars powered solely by gasoline or diesel fuel. On the contrary, United States automakers have continued to churn out S.U.V.s and pickup trucks, whose sales have surged because of relatively low fuel prices.

Yet Volvo’s move may be the latest sign that the era of the gas guzzler is slowly coming to an end. Tesla, which makes only limited numbers of electric cars, surpassed Ford and General Motors this year in terms of stock market value, despite making significantly fewer cars than those automotive giants — a clear indication of where investors think the industry is headed.</s>Volvo cars will start moving away from normal gas or diesel engines in 2019.

According to the automobile manufacturer, all Volvo cars that come out after 2019 will be either electric or hybrid vehicles. The company says that it will start this process with the introduction of three new electric cars from 2019 through 2021.

The reason for Volvo cars switching to electric power likely has to do with carbon emissions. There are tighter restrictions on these and the move will help it reduce its carbon footprint. The change will also make it the first major automaker taking a strong step toward switching to electric vehicles.

“This is about the customer,” Volvo Cars CEO Hakan Samuelsson told USA Today. “People increasingly demand electrified cars and we want to respond to our customers’ current and future needs. You can now pick and choose whichever electrified Volvo you wish.”

The switch to electric and hybrid cars may not be the best decision for the company. Hybrids currently only make up 2% of passenger car sales in the United States, and that number is declining. Electric cars also remain a niche product due to how expensive they are, as well as their limited range.

However, other automakers are also putting out their own hybrid and electric vehicles. Tesla Inc (NASDAQ: ) is an example of a company that only makes electric cars. There’s talk that the combustion engine is reaching the end of its life and it may be best for Volvo Cars to prepare for the change in advance.

As of this writing, William White did not hold a position in any of the aforementioned securities.</s>Renowned Swedish carmaker Volvo is on the threshold of a landmark achievement. The firm has announced that it made arrangements to go all electric from 2019 thus marking a historic end of cars that only have an internal combustion engine (ICE) while placing electrification at the core of its future business engagements.

The decision, the firm insists, is based on its belief that customers come first. "People increasingly demand electrified cars and we want to respond to our customers' current and future needs," said Håkan Samuelsson, President and Chief Executive, Volvo. "You can now pick and choose whichever electrified Volvo you wish."

Also read: Tesla beware! Volvo to turn Polestar into a standalone performance electric car brand

The announcement that is bound to change the way people commute means that in future there will be no production of Volvo cars without an electric motor. The trend we have seen so far is that pure ICE cars are gradually phased out and replaced by ICE cars that are enhanced with electrified options.

 To realise its goal, Volvo Cars will introduce a portfolio of electrified cars across its model range, including fully electric cars, plug in hybrid cars and mild hybrid cars. In between 2019 and 2021, it will launch five fully electric cars of which three will be Volvo models and two will be high performance electrified cars from Volvo Cars' performance car arm, Polestar. These five cars will then be supplemented by a range of petrol and diesel plug in hybrid and mild hybrid 48 - volt options across the models.

According to Samuelsson, Volvo Cars had stated that it plans to sell a total of 1 million electrified cars by 2025. "When we said it, we meant it. This is how we are going to do it," he reiterated.

 Although carmakers across the globe have included electric and hybrid powertrains, probably none of them has forsaken petrol and diesel powered models to fully embrace the former. Yet when Volvo does go all electric, the company could benefit largely from Sweden and China, two of its home markets. The countries offer large benefits on the hybrid and electric models.

While the transition to electric cars may not hold a great appeal immediately, the decision means that niche all electric carmaker Tesla could feel the heat in the long run. The historic decision by Volvo Cars to shift from the diesel/petrol powered models to electric and hybrid cars comes at a time the California-based electric car specialist Tesla Motors is set to roll out Model 3, touted the most affordable car of the company.</s>Volvo has announced that starting from 2019, all of its new cars will be fully electric or hybrid — a significant step in efforts to develop green options for vehicles and move beyond the internal combustion engine that has featured in automobiles for more than a century.

"This announcement marks the end of the solely combustion engine-powered car," said CEO Håkan Samuelsson in a statement.

"Volvo Cars has stated that it plans to have sold a total of 1m electrified cars by 2025. When we said it we meant it. This is how we are going to do it."

The Swedish carmaker's new vehicle range will be a mix: Some will be fully electric, while others will be hybrids. It plans to launch five electric cars between 2019 and 2021, "three of which will be Volvo models and two of which will be high performance electrified cars from Polestar, Volvo Cars’ performance car arm," it wrote in its announcement.

"This is about the customer," Samuelsson said. "People increasingly demand electrified cars and we want to respond to our customers’ current and future needs. You can now pick and choose whichever electrified Volvo you wish."

Car companies are increasingly waking up to the need to develop environmentally friendly options as humanity battles with climate change and its implications for society.

Electric car firm Tesla is now worth more than veteran auto company Ford — despite Ford selling an order of magnitude more vehicles. In 2016, Ford sold 6.7 million vehicles, while Tesla delivered 25,000 cars in the first quarter of 2017, according to the BBC.

However, there's still a long way to go: The Financial Times reports that overall, just 1% worldwide were electric cars in 2016.</s>The Volvo brand is to launch five electric cars from 2019 onwards. It is a case of waving goodbye to the internal combustion engine for Volvo. This is indeed a golden move by the automaker. In fact, it is the first one in its genre in the entire industry.

This marks the grave-digging of cars in this brand which ran on an internal combustion engine (ICE). The series of automobiles by Volvo will involve all-electric, plug-in hybrid and semi-hybrid models.

Between the years 2019 and 2021, five electric cars, three of which are from Volvo and two from Polestar, will hit the showrooms. Both petrol and diesel plug-in hybrid 48 volt alternatives will exist on these vehicles.

The big boss at Volvo spoke of how this was all in response to the demands made by the customers. People have had enough of the gas guzzling vehicles and so electric vehicles seemed to be the wave of the future. Now they could select and pick any such car they wanted from the five that will be on display starting from 2019.

By the time 2025 comes along, Volvo plans to sell one million electric cars. The boss spoke of how when he said this it was not in jest. He meant every word and thus that was the way it was going to be.

ICE cars will be given the pink slip slowly but surely. In their place will come cars with other options especially electrified ones. The time frame for this operation remained an uncertain one though.

“This announcement marks the end of the solely combustion engine-powered car,” said Håkan Samuelsson, president and chief executive. “Volvo Cars has stated that it plans to have sold a total of 1m electrified cars by 2025. When we said it we meant it. This is how we are going to do it.”

Volvo wants to have a beneficial effect on the climate instead of destroying it. Thus the curtailment of carbon emissions lies in the cards.

Volvo also looks forward to making Polestar into a mature electric car manufacturing agency. Many car makers have decided to dump the ICE models of cars in recent years.

These include in their ranks such golden oldies as Volkswagen and Citroen. Yet up until now no vehicle manufacturer has been so audacious as to declare that all of its cars will be electric in their nature.</s>A Volvo XC 90 during an interview with Volvo Cars CEO Hakan Samuelsson at Volvo Cars Showroom in Stockholm, Sweden, Wednesday. Samuelsson said that all Volvo cars will be electric or hybrid within two years. The Chinese-owned automotive group plans to phase out the conventional car engine. (Jonas Ekstr�mer/TT via AP)</s>Swedish car maker Volvo says all its new cars from 2019 will have an electric motor, ending altogether the manufacture of automobiles that have only a combustion engine.

Volvo Cars, which describes the decision as "one of the most significant moves by any car maker," says it will have a range of models, including fully electric vehicles and hybrid cars.

CEO Hakan Samuelsson said today the policy reflects the wishes of customers.

He said: "People increasingly demand electrified cars and we want to respond to our customers' current and future needs."

Volvo said that it will launch five fully electric cars between 2019 and 2021.

Three of them will be Volvo models and two will be electrified cars from Polestar, Volvo Cars' performance car arm.</s>Volvo has become the first traditional car maker to announce that all of its new models will have an electric motor.

From 2019, the Swedish manufacturer will only launch cars that are either pure electric or hybrids combining electric and conventional engines.

Volvo Cars president Hakan Samuelsson said the step "marks the end of the solely combustion engine-powered car" and he hopes there will be strong demand for the vehicles in the UK.

He told a press conference: "I think we have a very flexible concept.

"The infrastructure for charging is a limitation but I think we have this twin engine which is much more suitable.

"If you have a garage of your own you can charge it overnight.

"I think it's a car for the UK."

Air pollution is linked to an estimated 40,000 early deaths a year in the UK and 37 out of 43 areas are exceeding legal European Union limits for the key pollutant nitrogen dioxide, much of which comes from diesel engines.

Volvo Cars will launch five fully electric cars between 2019 and 2021, three of which will be Volvos and two from Polestar, its high-performance car arm.

Mr Samuelsson said: "This is about the customer. People increasingly demand electrified cars and we want to respond to our customers' current and future needs."

He added: "Volvo Cars has stated that it plans to have sold a total of one million electrified cars by 2025.

"When we said it we meant it. This is how we are going to do it."

Volvo claims the announcement underlines its commitment to minimising its environmental impact and making cities cleaner.

It has committed to having a climate-neutral manufacturing operation by 2025.

Greenpeace UK clean air campaigner Paul Morozzo said Volvo had "recognised the huge gains to be made by leading the way in electric".

He went on: "We know electric vehicles are the future, and it's not a case of if, but when, old style cars powered by climate wrecking fossil fuels will be a thing of the past.

"Instead of continuing to invest in new diesel technology, all car manufacturers should be turning their attention solely to electric and hybrid technology."

US firm Tesla announced on Monday that its first mass-market electric car, the Model 3, will go on sale on July 28 after passing regulatory requirements.

Latest figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders show that 59,000 new alternatively fuelled vehicles have been bought in the UK so far this year.

This represents a market share of 4.2%, up from 3.2% last year.

The Government published long-awaited plans to cut pollution in May, with measures including a scrappage scheme for the worst polluting vehicles, retrofitting bus and lorry fleets, removing road humps to improve traffic flow and encouraging more electric cars.

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Looking for an older story? Search our archives</s>HELSINKI – Volvo will begin producing electric motors on all its cars from 2019, becoming the first traditional automaker to forgo the combustion engine altogether.

The Swedish company, which has been making cars since 1927 and has in recent decades become famous for its station wagons and safety features, said Wednesday that the decision was prompted by the wishes of customers, describing it as “one of the most significant moves by any car maker.”

Volvo Cars said it aims to reach its target of selling 1 million electrified cars by 2025, with a range of models, including fully electric vehicles and hybrid cars.

“This announcement marks the end of the solely combustion engine-powered car,” CEO Hakan Samuelsson said. “People increasingly demand electrified cars and we want to respond to our customers’ current and future needs.”

Volvo, which since 2010 has been owned by Chinese firm Geely, will launch five fully electric cars between 2019 and 2021. Three of them will be Volvo models and two will be electrified cars from Polestar, Volvo Cars’ performance car arm. It also plans to supplement them with a range of gasoline and diesel plug-in hybrid and mild hybrid, or 48-volt, options on all models, which the company said would be one of the “broadest electrified car offerings of any car maker.”

Volvo Cars has said it is committed to help improve the environment and make cities cleaner by reducing carbon emissions, aiming to have climate neutral manufacturing operations by 2025.

Last year, the company had record sales of 534,332 cars in 100 countries, up more than 6 per cent from 2015.

Volvo shares were up 1.4 per cent at 146.7 kronor in midday trading Wednesday in Stockholm.</s>Volvo has announced that starting in 2019, all of the new models it produces will be electric or hybrid.

"This announcement marks the end of the solely combustion engine-powered car," said Hakan Samuelsson, Volvo president and chief executive, in a statement. "Volvo Cars has stated that it plans to have sold a total of 1 million electrified cars by 2025. When we said it we meant it. This is how we are going to do it."

The move makes Volvo the first traditional automaker to set a date to phase out cars powered only by internal combustion engines, Reuters reports.

The company said it will launch five fully electric cars between 2019 and 2021. Three of these will be Volvos, and two will be sold under the company's Polestar "electrified performance brand."

"This is about the customer," Samuelsson's statement said. "People increasingly demand electrified cars and we want to respond to our customers' current and future needs."

While all of its new car lines will be "electrified" starting in 2019, for a few years Volvo will continue production of existing models that don't have electric motors.

In addition to meeting customer demand, the move to electric will help the company reduce its carbon footprint and improve air quality, Samuelsson said.

Volvo's announcement comes the same week that Tesla rolls out its Model 3 electric car, which at $35,000 costs roughly half the starting price of its other sedan, the Model S.

In a press conference in Stockholm on Wednesday, Samuelsson called Tesla "a tough competitor," and said that with this decision, "we are really becoming the second premium carmaker in the world which will be ... also electrified."

Last week BMW announced it would introduce an all-electric version of its 3-Series line of cars, in what could be an attempt to compete with Tesla's Model 3.

Ford sold Volvo to the Chinese car company Geely for $1.8 billion in 2010. Volvo, founded in 1927, said that production of its new electric cars would be worldwide, beginning in China and followed by Europe and its new factory in the United States. The company said it had not yet chosen a battery supplier, and urged more development and competition in the battery industry.

Electric cars and hybrids still make up a small portion of new cars bought, but at the high end where Tesla and Volvo operate, such cars have been making inroads, Reuters reports. Many in the industry expect a broader range of buyers to increasingly choose electric cars, the news service reports.

Samuelsson emphasized that Volvo would be selling in the premium market. China leads the world in electric car sales, the Financial Times reports, with 265,000 sold there last year. Samuelsson noted that while China makes up a large part of the market, many of the electric cars sold there are lower-priced models.

Volvo posted record sales last year, the Associated Press reports: 534,332 cars in 100 countries, a more than 6 percent increase over 2015.
Volvo says it plans to phase out fossil fuels by building only electric or hybrid cars.