2018-05-15 16:30
Volvo is set to ditch diesel by never launching a new car with a diesel engine, according to new reports.
The Swedish manufacturer is expected to announce the decision on Wednesday at the Financial Times’ Future of the Car Summit in London. Speaking to Financial Times, Volvo’s chief executive Hakan Samuelsson said: “We’re not saying diesel is more dirty, but it’s more complicated and more expensive.”
• New Bosch tech drastically cuts diesel NOx emissions
Volvo made headlines last year by announcing all new cars from 2019 will feature some form of hybridisation or electrification. The brand is now taking the pledge further, as the new S60 saloon is set to be the first Volvo in decades to come without a diesel engine in its line-up.
Although diesels currently emit more CO2 per kilometer than their petrol counterparts, Samuelson said hybridisation will help match figures achieved by diesels.
Speaking to the FT, Hakan said the only advantage diesels currently have for drivers is better fuel economy, but “you can get that back with a mild-hybrid engine.”
• UK petrol and diesel 'ban': all new cars must have a 50-mile electric range by 2040
The announcement means Volvo joins the likes of Toyota, Nissan and Fiat Chrysler in phasing out diesels from their line-up. The decision is likely to be influenced by the recent decline in new diesel vehicle sales.
According to the latest figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, new diesel registrations slumped by 24.9 per cent in April and have fallen by nearly a third in the first four months of the year.
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