A number of major automakers have recently been making bold statements regarding their plans for moving away from petrol and diesel and towards greater use of electrification, but none have gone as far as Volvo. The Swedish automaker has stated that every new model it launches from 2019 onwards will have an electric motor in it as part of the propulsion system, and this has led to it being singled out for recognition by none other than the United Nations.
In the latest report from , which is now the largest corporate sustainability initiative in the world, 10 chief executives were singled out for taking what's been described as "particularly bold and disruptive action" in supporting the delivery of the UN's Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). These 10 visionaries included Håkan Samuelsson, who is currently the president and chief executive of Volvo Cars.
Volvo is a founding member of the Global Compact, and is also recognized as a member of LEAD, which is group of those who are deemed to be the most committed, engaged and ambitious businesses that are part of Global Compact. LEAD companies number only 44 out of Global Compact's 9,500 members, and Volvo is one of only two vehicle manufacturers who are members of LEAD.
The Global Compact report that commends Volvo for its stance is entitled Business Solutions to Sustainable Development, and in it Samuelsson explains the thinking behind Volvo's electrification strategy that was announced in July.
Volvo's announcement of its move towards greater electrification of its vehicles was quickly followed by other manufacturers making similar proclamations, although none have promised to go as far as quickly as Volvo.
The Swedish manufacturer is set to launch five fully electric models between 2019 and 2021, and two of the five will be performance models from the offshoot brand, Polestar. As well as these new all-electric models there will be a raft of plug-in hybrid and mild hybrid versions of all models.
