Swedish car giant Volvo has built its last-ever diesel car.
In early February, the Volvo plant in Ghent, Belgium, produced its last diesel-powered car, a V60. And last month, the plant in Torslanda, Sweden, saw its last XC90 diesel car roll off the production line.
Volvo said this marks a huge milestone in its 97-year history. “With this move, we’re taking a big step towards our ambitions of becoming a fully electric car maker, as well as achieving net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2040,” it stated.
Just five years ago, the diesel engine was Volvo’s bread and butter in Europe. The majority of the cars it sold in Europe in 2019 ran on diesel, while electric models were just starting to gain traction.
Today, most of its sales on the Continent are of electrified cars. Last year, it increased its sales of fully electric cars by 70% and its global electric market share by 34%.
Volvo said that while its future is fully electric, its mixed portfolio includes plug-in hybrids and mild-hybrid models, which will act as a “perfect bridge” towards that future.
