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. 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," said CEO Håkan Samuelsson in a statement. “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. 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. 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.
Volvo says it plans to phase out fossil fuels by building only electric or hybrid cars.