📺 Stream EntrepreneurTV for Free 📺

Volvo to Go All Electric by 2019 The move marks 'the historic end of cars that only have an internal combustion engine.'

By Angela Moscaritolo

entrepreneur daily

This story originally appeared on PCMag

via PC Mag

Volvo on Wednesday announced that every vehicle it launches from 2019 will have an electric motor.

The move marks "the historic end of cars that only have an internal combustion engine (ICE)," the Swedish car maker says. In other words, "there will in future be no Volvo cars without an electric motor, as pure ICE cars are gradually phased out and replaced by ICE cars that are enhanced with electrified options."

Volvo plans to launch five fully electric cars between 2019 and 2020, three under the namesake brand itself and two from Polestar, the company's performance car arm. Volvo will also offer gas and diesel plug-in hybrids, as well as "mild hybrid" 48-volt options on all models.

"People increasingly demand electrified cars and we want to respond to our customers' current and future needs," Volvo's President and Chief Executive, Håkan Samuelsson, said in a statement. "You can now pick and choose whichever electrified Volvo you wish."

The company aims to sell 1 million electrified cars -- and have "climate neutral manufacturing operations" -- by 2025.

Meanwhile, Volvo is also aiming to bring fully autonomous vehicles to market in the next few years. The company has been testing its autonomous vehicles in Australia, where it's encountered a particularly challenging obstacle: kangaroos. Volvo Australia's Technical Manager David Pickett told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation that the unusual way the marsupials move confuses the company's autonomous vehicles.

"When it's in the air it actually looks like it's further away, then it lands and it looks closer," Pickett said, according to the report. The company is, however, confident it can solve the problem, and says the issue won't delay the rollout of autonomous vehicles in Australia.

Angela Moscaritolo has been a PCMag reporter since January 2012. 

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Editor's Pick

Devices

Working Late? This Charging Pad and Nightlight Combo is $60 Off.

Get your bedside table up to snuff with this clever device.

Side Hustle

3 Secrets to Starting a Small Business Side Hustle That Gives Your Day Job a Run for Its Money, According to People Who Did Just That — and Made Millions

Almost anyone can start a side hustle — but only those ready to level up can use it to out-earn their 9-5s.

Growing a Business

Hiring an Agency of Some Kind Is Inevitable as You Grow — These Are My Insider Recommendations For a Successful Agency Relationship.

For many entrepreneurs, hiring an agency — whether it's a PR agency, a branding agency or a sales training agency — is new ground. I've been in your shoes and I've worked on both sides; these are my suggestions to find the right agency partnership.

Franchise

These 5 Bad Habits Are Hurting Your Business — Here's How to Break Them

When you develop these negative habits, it can severely impact work performance and, because the behavior has become so routine, you may not even realize the harm you're causing. Here's how to tackle these 5 bad business habits head-on.

Growing a Business

This Is the Overlooked Partnership You Need to Overhaul Your Growth Strategy

One beneficial relationship could make the difference when it comes to engaging more customers and lifting your company to new heights.