Saar: The new Volvo S60, which is due to launch later this year, will become the first Volvo product without a diesel engine.
Swedish carmaker Volvo Cars has confirmed that the next-gen Volvo S60, which will launch later this year, will become the first product from the company to be manufactured without a diesel engine. This in line to the company’s commitment of reducing its carbon footprint globally and eventually offer electrified variants of all its products.
The company reiterated that all new models launched from 2019 will be powered by either a mild petrol hybrid, plug-in hybrid or all-electric engines only. This will essentially act as the base that the company needs if it wants to meet its own goal of 50 per cent sales from pure EVs (electric vehicles) by 2025.
In a press release, Håkan Samuelsson, president and chief executive of Volvo Cars, said:
“Our future is electric and we will no longer develop a new generation of diesel engines. We will phase out cars with only an internal combustion engine, with petrol hybrid versions as a transitional option as we move towards full electrification. The new S60 represents the next step in that commitment.”
Last month, during the 2018 Beijing Auto Show, Volvo showcased the plug-in hybrid variants of its smallest SUV, XC40. It wore a T5 badge and that means its electric engine was mated to a traditional petrol-powered internal combustion engine. Rumour has it that engine in question will be a 1.5-litre, 3-cylinder engine which will produce around 180PS of power on its own. The electric motor will have 75PS on tap and the combined powerplant output will be 250PS/400Nm.
Volvo Cars Plant In Charleston, South Carolina
As for the new Volvo S60, which will also make its way to India eventually, will revive its rivalry with the BMW 3 Series, Mercedes-Benz C-Class, Jaguar XE and the Audi A4. The new Volvo will be built on the company’s SPA (Scalable Product Architecture) platform, which also underpins the flagship 90 Series cars. Volvo confirmed that the new S60 will be initially available with a range of 4-cylinder Drive-E petrol engines and two plug-in hybrid powerplants. Mild hybrids are also in the pipeline but will only launch in 2019.
The new Volvo S60 will only be produced in the company’s facility in Charleston, South Carolina. That means American-built S60s will not just be sold in the USA but also in international markets. For India, Volvo is currently gunning to launch the XC40. The launch is expected within the next couple of months.
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