Volvo said Wednesday that it wants half of its cars to be fully electric by 2025, the next step in its plans for a fully electrified future.
The Swedish automaker made its dedication clear at the Beijing auto show this week, where every single car on display was a plug-in hybrid model. Volvo said it plans to position itself as a major player in China to meet its ambitious 2025 goal. Chinese regulations should also help the strategy; the country will mandate that "new-energy vehicles" account for 20 percent of the country’s annual car sales by 2025. That's 7 million vehicles based on current market data.
We know the brand has plans to introduce its first battery-electric car in 2019, likely a compact model with at least 250 miles of range. We also know future Volvo electric cars will offer at least two battery-size options. Pricing for the electric car should hover around the $35,000 and $40,000 mark and production is expected to take place in China.
From there, two additional electric Volvos will launch before 2021. And the cars shouldn't be confused with Polestar, now a standalone brand. Polestar also plans to offer a range of battery-electric cars starting in 2019.
The latest announcement follows Volvo's pledge to bring an electrified option to every vehicle beginning in 2019. The cars will include mild hybrids, plug-in hybrids, and the aforementioned pure electrics. Volvo currently offers a few plug-in hybrid models, which it markets as Twin-Engine vehicles.