Volvo announces the end of production of all diesel-powered Volvo Car models by early 2024 at Climate Week NYC with a few months before the last diesel-powered car will have been built.
This follows the group’s decision to exit the development of new combustion engines. In November 2022, the company sold its stake in Aurobay, the joint venture company that harboured all its remaining combustion engine assets. The company has not since invested any portion of its R&D budget on developing new internal combustion engines.
“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,” said Jim Rowan, Chief Executive at Volvo Cars. “
Only four years ago, the diesel engine was Volvo Cars’ bread and butter in Europe, as was the case for most other car makers. The majority of cars 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 our focus on electrification. The majority of Volvo Cars’ sales in Europe now consists of electrified cars, with either a fully electric or plug-in hybrid powertrain.
