Author: GasanZammit Editor

One millionth Volvo plug-in hybrid now on road Volvo Cars reached an important milestone in its electrification journey in September, as it delivered its one millionth plug-in hybrid. The company is transitioning towards becoming a fully electrified car maker, with plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) a significant pillar of the company’s growth today, as signified by this milestone. PHEVs made up 23 per cent of Volvo Cars’ global sales in the first half of 2025. PHEV sales grew from almost 46,000 units in 2019 to over 177,000 units in 2024, underpinned by strong demand for the XC60 and XC90 PHEV in all three main sales regions. The XC60 was the best-selling PHEV in Europe in 2024 and led the premium PHEV segment globally in the last three years. It continues to be a segment leader in 2025. Both the XC60 and XC90 were renewed last year, reinforcing their appeal in key markets such as Sweden, the US and China.   Thanks to the robust demand for its PHEVs, Volvo Cars has the highest share of PHEV sales of its total sales among all legacy premium car makers. It also continues to roll out new PHEVs, as demonstrated by the recently launched XC70 SUV, which is Volvo Cars’ first long-range plug-in hybrid with an electric range of over 200 kilometers under the CLTC testing cycle.   “Volvo Cars is committed to a fully electric future, and we will get there in a pace that suits our customers,” says Erik Severinson, chief commercial officer at Volvo Cars. “Our plug-in hybrid cars are a crucial bridge towards that future for those customers who are not yet ready to go fully electric.”   Internal Volvo Cars data shows that its PHEVs are often used as if they were fully electric, especially in urban areas. On average, drivers of Volvo PHEVs use their car without internal combustion power for around half of total driving time.   “While we invest and grow our presence in the growing premium fully electric segment, we will also continue to update and refresh our hybrids,” says Erik Severinson. “This allows more time for charging infrastructure to be built up, thereby easing the transition to a fully electric world.”   Volvo Cars has been a leading maker of plug-in hybrids for over a decade. It launched its first PHEV already in 2012, when it started selling a diesel PHEV variant of the V60 estate. For several years after, it was the only global car maker that offered a PHEV version of every model in its line-up. It currently offers PHEV variants on five different models, which complement a line-up of six fully electric models. This balanced product portfolio provides Volvo Cars with a strategic advantage, allowing it to offer premium electrified cars in all shapes and sizes to global customers.  ——————————-  Volvo Cars in 2024 For the full year 2024, Volvo Car Group recorded a record-breaking core operating profit of SEK 27 billion. Revenue in 2024 amounted to an all-time high of SEK 400.2 billion, while global sales reached a record 763,389 cars. About Volvo Car Group Volvo Cars was founded in 1927. Today, it is one of the most well-known and respected car brands in the world with sales to customers in more than 100 countries. Volvo Cars is listed on the Nasdaq Stockholm exchange, where it is traded under the ticker “VOLCAR B”. “For life. To give people the freedom to move in a personal, sustainable and safe way.” This purpose is reflected in Volvo Cars’ ambition to become a fully electric car maker and in its commitment to an ongoing reduction of its carbon footprint, with the ambition to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2040. As of December 2024, Volvo Cars employed approximately 42,600 full-time employees. Volvo Cars’ head office, product development, marketing and administration functions are mainly located in Gothenburg, Sweden. Volvo Cars’ production plants are located in Gothenburg, Ghent (Belgium), South Carolina (US), Chengdu, Daqing and Taizhou (China). The company also has R&D and design centres in Gothenburg and Shanghai (China). 

Upgraded EX90 charges even faster and delivers new and improved features Volvo Cars is opening the order books for the 2026 Volvo EX90, now enhanced with hardware and software upgrades. Powered by the company’s new 800-volt electric system, the EX90 can charge even faster*, while a core computer upgrade enables new and improved safety, collision avoidance and driver support features. New features include connected safety alerts for slippery roads, hazards ahead, and accidents ahead, along with the integration of automatic e-call** functionality with Emergency Stop Assist (ESA).  ESA is designed to bring the car to a controlled stop in its lane if the driver fails to respond to attention or hands-off warnings, for example due to sudden illness. Once the car is stationary, the new e-call feature will automatically connect the car to an emergency call centre linked to Volvo Cars. The centre can then speak with the occupants and contact emergency services if needed. Other new features include expanded automatic emergency steering functionality in darkness, along with Park Pilot assist for parallel parking. With the upgrade to a dual NVIDIA DRIVE AGX Orin-based core computer, the EX90 now has 500 TOPS (Trillion Operations Per Second) of computing power, giving Volvo Cars the ability to push safety and performance even further through data, software and AI. The upgrade is not just limited to new EX90s: owners of the 2025 EX90 will receive a one-time free upgrade of their car’s core computer through a scheduled Volvo workshop visit. “The additional computing power enables us to harness the power of AI, data and software to further enhance safety and overall performance of the EX90,” says Anders Bell, chief technology & engineering officer at Volvo Cars. “This means we can provide our customers with advanced safety and driver support features, along with continuous improvements to the infotainment and battery management systems – all delivered seamlessly over the air.” More power, faster chargingCompared to the previous model year’s 400V system, the new 800V architecture reduces heat generation during charging, enabling faster charging speeds. The charging performance is further improved by our in-house developed battery management software. Using a smart algorithm, it works in tandem with the 800V system to optimise charging, making it significantly faster than previously possible and adding up to 250 km of range in just 10 minutes. On top of that, the 800V technology delivers more power for faster acceleration, while using energy more efficiently. Plus, the shift reduces material use, which helps lighten the weight of both the battery and the electric motors. “The EX90 now features our most advanced electric system, delivering faster charging and higher efficiency, so you can feel more confident and in control,” says Anders Bell. Additionally, the EX90 will now come with an electrochromic panoramic roof, first introduced on the recently launched Volvo ES90. This new roof lets you adjust the glass transparency, helping to reduce glare or boost privacy at the touch of a button. These upgrades represent some of the most significant advancements coming to the 2026 EX90. Visit the EX90 model page [NK1] on volvocars.com for the full list of updates. The small print *Charging times can vary and depend on various factors such as outdoor temperature, battery condition and car condition. Our charging time was based on testing at 350 kW charging facilities. ** Availability of the automatic e-call function varies by market. If the function is available in the country where the incident takes place, the call centre can talk directly with the occupants in the car and contact emergency services if needed.   About Volvo Car GroupVolvo Cars was founded in 1927. Today, it is one of the most well-known and respected car brands in the world with sales to customers in more than 100 countries. Volvo Cars is listed on the Nasdaq Stockholm exchange, where it is traded under the ticker “VOLCAR B”. “For life. To give people the freedom to move in a personal, sustainable and safe way.” This purpose is reflected in Volvo Cars’ ambition to become a fully electric car maker and in its commitment to an ongoing reduction of its carbon footprint, with the ambition to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2040. As of December 2024, Volvo Cars employed approximately 42,600 full-time employees. Volvo Cars’ head office, product development, marketing and administration functions are mainly located in Gothenburg, Sweden. Volvo Cars’ production plants are located in Gothenburg, Ghent (Belgium), South Carolina (US), Chengdu, Daqing and Taizhou (China). The company also has R&D and design centres in Gothenburg and Shanghai (China).

The new Volvo ES90: a big electric car with a small carbon footprint With the new and fully electric ES90, which starts production later this summer and is produced with climate-neutral energy, Volvo Cars launches a car designed with sustainability in mind. This is reflected by the new Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) report for the ES90, which describes which materials and processes contribute to the car’s carbon footprint over its life cycle. The total carbon footprint of the ES90 is 31 tonnes when using a European energy mix to charge it. When using wind energy to charge the ES90, that figure falls to 26 tonnes. With a European energy mix, the ES90’s footprint is approximately 50 per cent lower than the Volvo S90 mild hybrid variant, and 30 per cent lower than a plug-in hybrid S90. It is also lower than the EX40 and EC40. This means the ES90 has one of the lowest carbon footprints of any Volvo car to date. It also demonstrates that fully electric cars are a good choice both for customers and for the climate. The third-party verified LCA report identifies the key contributing materials and processes to the car’s carbon footprint. Focused on greenhouse gas emissions, the report covers the car’s life cycle, starting with the extraction and refining of raw materials and ending with the car’s end-of-life. “We go above and beyond existing legislation and have clear ambitions because that is important to us,” says Vanessa Butani, head of global sustainability at Volvo Cars. “We aim to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2040, and our ambition to be a leader in electrification is one step in that direction. The ES90 represents our holistic approach to sustainability, including the circular economy, climate-neutral manufacturing and responsible business.”  A holistic approach beyond what is required When it launched its first fully electric car in 2019, Volvo Cars was the first car maker that pledged to release LCA reports for all its global fully electric models. By publicly issuing the reports, the company aims to help customers make informed decisions when choosing their next electric car. It has since issued LCA reports for five models: the Volvo EX40, EC40, EX30, EX90 and now the ES90. In addition to being a fully electric car with zero tailpipe emissions, the ES90 has been designed with a holistic approach towards sustainability. For example, it is the first Volvo car equipped with the company’s new 800-volt electric system. This creates benefits in terms of charging and energy efficiency, thanks to lighter components that reduce the car’s overall weight. The car’s design also helps to improve efficiency and delivers a drag coefficient of 0.25, the best in Volvo Cars history. The ES90 is built with 29 per cent recycled aluminium, 18 per cent recycled steel, as well as 16 per cent recycled polymers and bio-based materials such as real, FSC-certified wood in the cabin. Inside, customers can pick a Nordico upholstery option made from recycled material such as PET bottles and bio-attributed material. The ES90 also comes with Volvo Cars’ world-first battery passport, based on blockchain technology that allows the company to track the origin of raw materials and the overall health of the battery. The first customer-bound ES90 will roll off the production line this summer. It is available for order now in Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom, with other markets added later this year and in 2026. For more details, check the Volvo Cars webpage.  ——————————-  Volvo Cars in 2024 For the full year 2024, Volvo Car Group recorded a record-breaking core operating profit of SEK 27 billion. Revenue in 2024 amounted to an all-time high of SEK 400.2 billion, while global sales reached a record 763,389 cars.  About Volvo Car Group Volvo Cars was founded in 1927. Today, it is one of the most well-known and respected car brands in the world with sales to customers in more than 100 countries. Volvo Cars is listed on the Nasdaq Stockholm exchange, where it is traded under the ticker “VOLCAR B”. “For life. To give people the freedom to move in a personal, sustainable and safe way.” This purpose is reflected in Volvo Cars’ ambition to become a fully electric car maker and in its commitment to an ongoing reduction of its carbon footprint, with the ambition to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2040.  As of December 2024, Volvo Cars employed approximately 42,600 full-time employees. Volvo Cars’ head office, product development, marketing and administration functions are mainly located in Gothenburg, Sweden. Volvo Cars’ production plants are located in Gothenburg, Ghent (Belgium), South Carolina (US), Chengdu, Daqing and Taizhou (China). The company also has R&D and design centres in Gothenburg and Shanghai (China).  For further information please contact: Volvo Cars Media Relations +46 31-59 65 25 media@volvocars.com  Volvo Cars Investor Relations  +46 31-793 94 00 investors@volvocars.com 

The XC60 is now the best-selling Volvo car of all time With more than 2.7 million cars sold, the Volvo XC60 has surpassed the iconic Volvo 240 as the best-selling Volvo model ever. Since its debut in 2008, Volvo Cars’ mid-size SUV has remained a favourite among customers, appealing to a wide range of drivers who value safety, quality and a premium driving experience. Initially built exclusively in Europe, the XC60 later became the first global Volvo model to also be produced in China, supporting local sales. In 2018, it was named World Car of the Year. The current generation XC60 introduced plug-in hybrid drivetrains to a broader audience, and it was the best-selling plug-in hybrid in Europe last year. For the 2026 model year, the XC60 has undergone a significant refresh with a modernised design, more intuitive user experience, improved comfort, and a more responsive infotainment system. “Growing up in Sweden in the 1980s, the Volvo 240 was the iconic family car – you could spot one in almost every driveway,” says Susanne Hägglund, head of Global Offer at Volvo Cars. “Today the XC60 has taken over that position in two ways. Not only as the family favourite, but also becoming our all-time top-seller, which in itself is the ultimate proof point of a successful car. And now, with the latest updates, it gets even better.” The perfect family carThe XC60 is the ideal all-rounder for families, effortlessly combining cutting-edge safety features, Scandinavian design and SUV practicality into one confident package. It has rightfully earned its position as a cornerstone in Volvo Cars’ proud tradition of building cars that families trust. For years, the Volvo 240 estate was the most popular choice for families all over the world, loved for its safety qualities and fine driving characteristics. In many people’s eyes, it defined what an estate car should be. Today, the SUV has replaced the estate as the obvious family pick, and the XC60’s new status as Volvo Cars’ best-selling model of all time clearly reflects this shift in what customers want and need. Many who grew up with the Volvo 240 are now choosing the XC60 for their own families. And just like the 240 helped shape their childhoods, today’s XC60 is creating memories for a new generation. Two cars, one safety heritageWhen the Volvo 240 was introduced in 1974, it set safety benchmarks that would remain relevant for decades. For its time, it featured an advanced body design with front and rear crumple zones, along with a reinforced passenger compartment. This kind of safety cage continues to protect Volvo occupants on the road today. The 240 was also among the first cars to incorporate enhanced side-impact protection, which later evolved into Volvo’s patented Side-Impact Protection System (SIPS). Additionally, the introduction of the Child Booster Cushion in 1978 marked a world-first innovation. The Volvo XC60 has continued to introduce numerous advanced safety technologies, such as City Safety – the world’s first standard low-speed automatic emergency braking system designed to help avoid or mitigate a collision at speeds up to 30 km/h. Launched in 2008, this feature has since become commonplace on new cars around the world. In another world-first, the XC60 introduced Oncoming Lane Mitigation in 2017 with a system capable of steering you back into your lane if you drift into oncoming traffic. These innovations have earned the car several independent safety awards. Just as the 240 was at the time, the refreshed Volvo XC60 is one of the safest cars on the road. With its advanced safety cage and the latest active safety and driver support tech, it’s designed to help protect you and your passengers. Bridging the gap to a fully electric futureThe refreshed XC60, along with other recent upgrades across the lineup, also play a key role in Volvo Cars’ electrification strategy, offering pure electric driving with the reassurance of a combustion engine for those not quite ready to go fully electric. Volvo Cars’ data shows that around half of the distance covered by the latest plug-in hybrid Volvo cars globally is powered purely by electricity.* The small print The Volvo 240 was produced between 1974 and 1993 with 2,685,171 cars built. The 240 was made in Gothenburg and Kalmar, Sweden as well as in Ghent, Belgium. The final Volvo 240 rolled off the line at the Torslanda plant in Gothenburg on 5 May, 1993. The XC60 is currently produced at our plants in Torslanda and Chengdu, China. *Volvo Cars data covering long-range plug-in hybrid cars in global markets: on average 48% of distance driven uses electric-only power. Volvo Cars in 2024For the full year 2024, Volvo Car Group recorded a record-breaking core operating profit of SEK 27 billion. Revenue in 2024 amounted to an all-time high of SEK 400.2 billion, while global sales reached a record 763,389 cars.   About Volvo Car GroupVolvo Cars was founded in 1927. Today, it is one of the most well-known and respected car brands in the world with sales to customers in more than 100 countries. Volvo Cars is listed on the Nasdaq Stockholm exchange, where it is traded under the ticker “VOLCAR B”.   “For life. To give people the freedom to move in a personal, sustainable and safe way.” This purpose is reflected in Volvo Cars’ ambition to become a fully electric car maker and in its commitment to an ongoing reduction of its carbon footprint, with the ambition to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2040. As of December 2024, Volvo Cars employed approximately 42,600 full-time employees. Volvo Cars’ head office, product development, marketing and administration functions are mainly located in Gothenburg, Sweden. Volvo Cars’ production plants are located in Gothenburg, Ghent (Belgium), South Carolina (US), Chengdu, Daqing and Taizhou (China). The company also has R&D and design centres in Gothenburg and Shanghai (China).   For further information please contact: Volvo Cars Media Relations+46 31-59 65 25media@volvocars.com Volvo Cars Investor Relations+46 31-793 94 00investors@volvocars.com