Source to Volvo’s recent announcement, by 2030 Volvo plans to sell only fully electric cars, and by 2040 aims to be a climate-neutral company. That clear roadmap towards all-out electrification represents one of the most ambitious transformation plans of any legacy car maker. At Climate Week NYC Volvo announced the end of production of all diesel-powered Volvo Car models by early 2024. In a few months from now, the last diesel-powered Volvo car will have been built.

“Electric powertrains are our future, and superior to combustion engines: they generate less noise, less vibration, less servicing costs for our customers, and zero tailpipe emissions,” says Jim Rowan, Chief Executive at Volvo Cars. “We’re fully focused on creating a broad portfolio of premium, fully electric cars that deliver on everything our customers expect from a Volvo – and are a key part of our response to climate change.”

Volvo’s decision to completely phase out diesel by early 2024 illustrates how rapidly both the car industry and customer demand are changing in the face of the climate crisis.

Only four years ago, the diesel engine was Volvo’s bread and butter in Europe, as was the case for most other car makers. The majority of cars we sold on the continent in 2019 were powered by a diesel engine, while electrified models were only just beginning to make their mark.

That trend has largely inverted itself since then, driven by changing market demand, tighter emission regulations as well as brand’s focus on electrification. The majority of Volvo’s sales in Europe now consists of electrified cars, with either a fully electric or plug-in hybrid powertrain.

Fewer diesel cars on the streets also have a positive effect on urban air quality; while diesels emit less CO2 than petrol engines, they emit more gases such as nitrogen oxide (NOx) that have an adverse effect on air quality especially in built-up areas. (Source: Volvo)