Volvo Vision 2020
Every new Volvo car launched from 2019 onwards will have an electric motor. This ambitious commitment shows that at Volvo Cars we dare to take the lead and embrace a cleaner mobility. It underlines our aim to reduce the environmental impact of our products, and to improve air quality in our cities. Most of all, it shows that we listen to our customers and their needs.
This year, we take the next step towards electrifying our range by launching our first ever fully electric car: the XC40 Recharge. It represents a true milestone for Volvo Cars and is the first of a family of fully electric Volvos. Over the next five years, we will launch a fully electric car every year as we aim to make all-electric cars 50 per cent of global sales by 2025, with the rest hybrids. Recharge will be the overarching name for all Volvos with a fully electric or plug-in hybrid powertrain.
Volvo Cars will introduce a range of electrified cars over the coming years, and there'll be something for everyone. The latest generation of Volvos has been designed from the outset for electrification and the choices will include fully electric cars and plug-in hybrid models, as well as new mild-hybrid models.
Our first fully electric car, the XC40 Recharge, was launched earlier this year and will be followed by a range of fully electric cars in the coming years. These cars will be Volvo models as well as high-performance models from Polestar, Volvo Cars' performance brand.
Every model in Volvo Cars' line-up is also available as a petrol plug-in hybrid variant, from the small XC40 SUV via the 60 Series cars to the company's flagship, the large XC90 SUV. Volvo Cars is the only car maker to offer a plug-in variant on every model in its line-up.
The mild hybrid configurations deliver a better every day driving experience while reducing fuel consumption and emissions by up to 15 per cent.
Taken together this means that, in future, there will be no Volvo cars without an electric motor. And to make sure we have plenty of batteries to power all those electrified Volvos, we have signed large supply deals with LG Chem and CATL, two of the world's leading lithium-ion battery makers.
At Volvo Cars, we always keep moving forward by developing new technologies. Innovation is in our DNA. That same innovative spirit is the basis for our ambitions for the coming years around electrification, safety, autonomous drive and connectivity.
By the middle of next decade, we expect half of our global annual sales volume to be fully electric. One-third of our global volume will be fully autonomous cars and we will have established over five million direct consumer relationships - all while still being a leader in safety. We will offer our customers the freedom to move, in a personal, sustainable and safe way.
The safety brand, then and now
With the advent of autonomous driving technology, we see new opportunities to further advance traffic safety by taking human mistakes out of the equation. And we believe that it is autonomous drive technology that will further take society towards a future without accidents and traffic fatalities, in line with our safety vision.
Autonomous cars are not yet in the public domain. But in the next few years, we will see them on our roads and an autonomous Volvo car will be as safe as Volvo customers expect. And further into the future, autonomy offers huge promise to revolutionise the way we travel. As we demonstrated in our 360c autonomous concept, it could radically change how we use our cars, where we work and where we live.
The next generation of Volvo cars will be fully electric and fully connected. Representing the future of Volvo and the industry as a whole, 100% battery-powered and zero-emission premium cars will increasingly take the place of hybrids. Our first fully electric car, the XC40 Recharge, is now available and is the first of a family of fully electric Volvos to come.
Inside, we will take our intuitive infotainment system to the next level, together with our partners at Google. Powered by Android with the Google Assistant, Google Maps and Google Play built-in, the next generation of infotainment introduces new levels of personalisation and connectivity. Just like with your smartphone, you will have access to many of your favourite apps and your car will fit you and your lifestyle even better, like a well-tailored suit.
Via Volvo on Call, our connected car platform, you can already now access numerous connected services related to your car. Pre-heat your car on a freezing winter morning, or have the mailman drop your latest online shopping delivery in your car. And if you would ever get in trouble, the Volvo on Call service centre is there to help you, available 24/7.
But what does your car really mean? Consumers around the globe are rethinking traditional car ownership. Instead of buying and owning a car, some drivers prefer to have temporary access to a car whenever they want it. Others like to subscribe to a car the way they already subscribe to music, films and smartphones, or share a car with friends. In coming years, we will expand our business with new ways of offering people access to a Volvo.