Electric cars are the future of the automotive industry, and Volvo is onboard and ready to push forward. The Swedish automaker announced that they will retire all remaining diesel models by early 2024 to become an all-electric car manufacturer. By 2030, they plan to be fully electric and stand for sustainability and environmental friendliness.
This announcement makes Volvo one of the first legacy car manufacturers to phase out diesel-powered cars. In 2021, Volvo was one of six automakers that signed and agreed to phase out gas-powered vehicles by 2040, and now they've stepped ahead even further and announced that they'll be ditching diesel ten years earlier than required.
Diesel cars have already been declining in popularity in Europe following Volkswagen's emissions scandal in 2015. Some diesel cars were producing over 40 times the legal limits for emissions, and Volkswagen was forced to implement a $14.7 billion buyback program to make it right.
Historically, diesel cars represented a huge portion of Volvo sales, but in 2022, they accounted for a mere 8.9% of the company's sales, while hybrid and fully electric Volvo models have made up the difference. Approximately 33% of their sales are fully electric or hybrid models, as seen in statistics reported in August 2023.
So, what EVs does Volvo have lined up for us? They have at least seven so far, and I have my eye on the EX30. They have four fully electric models that they recently announced, and all of the SUVs are worth taking a look at.
2024 Volvo EX30
This is the SUV on my wishlist. It is fully electric, has five seats, a lot of cargo room, and looks perfect for cruising around town with my kids. It comes in some pretty exterior color options, and the interior color options are excellent, too. It has a range of up to 275 miles, has a 26.5-minute charging time, and can accelerate 0-60 in 3.4 seconds—good specs for a mom car, with a starting price of $35k.
2024 Volvo XC40 Recharge
The C40 is also fully electric, a five-seater and comes with a much higher price tag of $53,550. The specs don't look as good to me. It has a range of 223 miles, takes 37 minutes to charge, and its 0-60 mph acceleration comes in at 4.7 seconds. The reason is that this is a bigger car, offering more head-to-space than the EX30 and more cargo room. It comes in 8 different color options and has three equipment levels.
2024 Volvo EX90
The EX90 is the biggest Volvo SUV option, and it has seven seats with plenty of cargo space. This SUV received Volvo's highest safety rating, which makes for a perfect family ride. It's got a range of 300 miles, a 30-minute charging time, and can hit an impressive 496 horsepower, giving this SUV a nice kick. The starting price is steep compared to the others, starting at just under $80,000.