Yahoo Autos Volvo Wants to Sell Only EVs by 2030
Volvo aims to be an EV-only automaker by 2030, and will focus on the premium electric market, amid a similar step by Jaguar earlier this winter.
The Swedish automaker plans to offer electric models online-only in the near future, transitioning its dealer network mostly to a service operation.
Volvo plans to expand its subscription model, folding insurance and other services into a monthly payment, instead of third-party leasing and insurance.
Volvo plans to switch to an all-electric lineup by the year 2030, the announcement coming in the wake of similar plans unveiled by several other automakers in recent months. The Swedish automaker went a step further, however, indicating that it may upend the entire way it sells cars: Volvo said its new family of electric cars would be available online-only in the near future.
To accomplish this, Volvo plans to invest seriously in its online sales channels, and "radically reduce complexity" in its lineup. It also aims to establish set pricing models. Put together, this could mean that traditional dealers would effectively be relegated to car delivery and service.
"The future of Volvo Cars is defined by three pillars: electric, online, and growth," said Lex Kerssemakers, head of global commercial operations at Volvo Cars. "We want to offer our customers peace of mind and a carefree way of having a Volvo, by taking away complexity while getting and driving the car. Simplification and convenience are key to everything we do."
The online sales direction is not an entirely new endeavor for Volvo; the automaker had announced a few years ago that it would experiment with online sales as well as a subscription model called Care by Volvo, so Volvo dealers have been on notice for some time now.
The plans announced this week, however, represent an accelerated timeline of how Volvo plans to change itself and its dealer network in several markets.
