S60 saloon first Volvo model to be produced without diesel engine

The new Volvo S60 saloon will be the first Volvo to be produced without a diesel engine, as part of Volvo Cars’ commitment to phasing out soley ICE engine cars.

All new Volvo models launched from 2019 will be available as either a mild petrol hybrid, plug-in petrol hybrid or battery electric vehicle.

“Our future is electric and we will no longer develop a new generation of diesel engines,” said Håkan Samuelsson, President and Chief Executive of Volvo Cars. “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, Volvo Cars reinforced its electrification strategy by stating that it aims for fully electric cars to make up 50 per cent of its global sales by 2025. The announcement was made at the 2018 Beijing Auto Show, positioning it as a powerful player in China, the world’s leading market for electrified cars.

The new S60, a premium mid-size sports saloon, is based on Volvo’s in-house-developed Scalable Product Architecture (SPA) platform.

The new S60 will initially be available with a range of four-cylinder Drive-E petrol engines as well as with two petrol plug-in hybrid versions. Mild-hybrid versions will follow next year.

The S60 will be launched later this springand production is due to start this autumn in South Carolina.