Volvo Just Became The Latest Automaker To Back Out Of Previous Electric Vehicle Promises

As car companies around the world realize that most consumers aren’t interested in electric vehicles and producing them often leads to massive financial losses, it’s not surprising that one after another has announced plans to scale back production of EVs.

The latest example involves Volvo, which had an ambitious goal of going fully electric across its lineup by the beginning of the next decade.

That won’t be happening, the company announced this week. As TheBlaze reported:

Volvo said the company needed to “adjust its electrification ambitions due to changing market conditions and customer demands.”

“Going forward, Volvo Cars aims for 90 to 100 percent of its global sales volume by 2030 to consist of electrified cars, meaning a mix of both fully electric and plug-in hybrid models – in essence, all cars with a cord,” the car company stated in a press release shared on Wednesday.

Volvo noted, “This replaces the company’s previous ambition for its lineup to be fully electric by 2030.”

“We are resolute in our belief that our future is electric,” said Jim Rowan, CEO of Volvo Cars. “An electric car provides a superior driving experience and increases possibilities for using advanced technologies that improve the overall customer experience.”

Rowan admitted, “However, it is clear that the transition to electrification will not be linear, and customers and markets are moving at different speeds of adoption. We are pragmatic and flexible, while retaining an industry-leading position on electrification and sustainability.”

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Such an announcement shouldn’t be all that surprising given the widespread unpopularity, with a few notable exceptions, of EVs.

No, the issue is that EVs stink. Range numbers are BS, particularly in cold weather. Nobody wants to charge their car for 3 hours. People realize that electrical infrastructure isn't sufficient to support a change to electric vehicles. It's a poorly thought out mandate.

— GTRxMan 🇺🇸 (@gtrxman) September 6, 2024

Just got rid of mine. Lost well over half its value in two years. The range was a total lie. Charging away from home was extortionate. Lots of electrical issues so it spent months in the garage. EV’s are the betamax of cars! Your use of the word ‘crave’ is laughable. Every car…

— Clara🐈🐈‍⬛🦕 (@flavell5) September 6, 2024

Even Kamala Harris acknowledged the trend and announced she no longer supported an EV mandate:

Kamala Harris is flip flopping on so many of her previous policies, it’s hard to keep up. She’s now also flipping on the EV mandate, which required all vehicles be electric by 2040. The Democratic policies have been so ineffective and so unpopular they are now doing everything… pic.twitter.com/RWdkzO8s5u

— Conservative News Feed (@C_N_F__on__X) August 28, 2024

Volvo’s decision came on the heels of similar announcements by other automakers, including Ford, as Wired reported last month:

Noting that the Dearborn, Michigan, company is responding to market demand, chief financial officer John Lawler told reporters on a call today that Ford would be “pivoting” away from its existing electric future and instead expand its other platforms.

“What we’ve learned is that customers want choice, and so we’re providing that choice, with a full lineup of EVs, hybrid, electric, gas and diesel products,” said Lawler.

Ford’s limited number of existing EVs, including the Lightning and Mach-E, would remain in the portfolio in North America, he said, but announced the cancellation of higher-range all-electric EVs with three rows of seats, which Ford CEO Jim Farley previously described as a “personalized bullet train.”

Here’s some additional coverage of the trend: