The Volvo S60 will be the first model from the brand not to feature a traditional diesel engine

Since the automotive industry’s trend has been to abandon combustion engines in favour of electric ones, Volvo has not hesitated, making clear from the outset that it would bet heavily on electric vehicles. To get an idea of its plans, it is enough to review what they have said, focusing on the clear goal of ensuring that 50% of its sales in 2025 correspond to fully electric vehicles.

Naturally, this objective will be reached gradually, but the actions to achieve it must begin in a short period of time, and for this reason, back in 2017 they announced that by 2019 all their models would offer mild-hybrid, hybrid and fully electric variants. As you can imagine, the main mechanics affected in this case will be diesel, today on everyone’s lips as the main source of pollution, and the first Volvo model to kick off this new era of electrification will be the upcoming new generation S60.

The new generation Volvo S60 is in the final stages of ironing out the last details before its presentation, which is expected to take place this coming summer, after which production will begin at the new factory the Swedish firm has established in the city of Charleston, in the US state of South Carolina. There, the new 2019 Volvo S60 will be built entirely, and from there it will be exported to the rest of the markets where it will be sold.

Once its commercialisation kicks off, the Volvo S60 will become the first Volvo model to abandon diesel power, being available from the outset with a range of Drive-E petrol engines with four cylinders and two plug-in hybrid versions supported by petrol engines as well, similar to what was already started with the Volvo V60. It will be later, specifically the following year, when these powertrains will also be joined by mild-hybrid versions, which are expected to replace conventional petrol engines.

In the words of Håkan Samuelsson, president of Volvo Cars, the brand will stop developing technology for diesel engines, and this is the step prior to also phasing out petrol engines, something that will also happen gradually with hybrid versions as a transition option, to reach full electrification. This is the future of Volvo, and the new generation S60 will be the standard-bearer for this start of a new era at the Swedish brand.