Volvo Cars has announced that, beginning in 2019, every one of its models will have an electric motor, making it the first legacy automaker to phase out ICE-only vehicles. In the future, Volvo will offer only three powertrains: pure electric, plug-in hybrid, and mild hybrid, which uses a battery to store energy from regen, or for stop/start functionality.

Volvo also announced that it would launch five pure electric cars between 2019 and 2021 – three under the Volvo brand and two under Polestar, the high-performance subsidiary that has recently been reorganized as an electric sub-brand. The company also aims to make its manufacturing operations climate-neutral by 2025.

Volvo Cars was acquired by the Chinese firm Geely in 2010, and some believe that the new owners are behind the company’s new-found interest in electrification.

“This announcement marks the end of the solely combustion engine-powered car,” said CEO Håkan Samuelsson. “Volvo Cars has stated that it plans to have sold a total of one million electrified cars by 2025. When we said it, we meant it. This is how we are going to do it.”

Source: Volvo via Financial Times