Are gasoline pumps soon a thing of the past? Image source: Shutterstock (#556957450)
The Swedish carmaker has announced that it will only be producing vehicles that are partially or completely battery-powered from 2019 onward. Such a clear commitment might be mark the beginning of the industry starting down the road to a zero emissions future if other follow suit.
According to the US Environmental Protection Agency, 95 percent of energy to power cars still comes from petrol and diesel. But Volvo’s chief executive has set his mind: “I think things have changed, and you can change your mind as well. We were sceptic[al] about the cost level of batteries and the lack of infrastructure to charge all-electric cars,” Håkan Samuelsson told a press conference in Stockholm.
The company’s goal is to sell 1 million electric vehicles by 2025, plug-ins, hybrids and pure battery-powered cars. “The announcement marks the beginning of the end of the company’s relationship with fossil fuels,” Steve Gooding, director of the RAC Foundation, remarks.
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