Photo: Volvo
The European Parliament recently approved banning the sales of cars with combustion engines by 2035. Five years before that (in 2030), Volvo wants to be selling only electric vehicles. That is not the same objective as its peers at the Association des Constructeurs Européens d'Automobiles (ACEA, or European Automobile Manufacturers Association, in English). The Swedish brand decided its only choice was to leave the association.
In a statement released on July 8, Volvo said this: “After much consideration, we have concluded that Volvo Cars’ sustainability strategy and ambitions are not fully aligned with ACEA’s positioning and way of working at this stage. We therefore believe it is better to take a different path for now. What we do as a sector will play a major role in deciding whether the world has a fighting chance to curb climate change. We have one of the most ambitious plans in the industry, but we can’t realize zero-emission transport by ourselves.”
Volvo is not the first carmaker to abandon ACEA’s ship. Stellantis announced the same decision on June 14. The automotive titan said it would only remain as an ACEA member until the end of 2022, something that Volvo will also follow.
Stellantis said it would not be part of ACEA anymore because it would focus on the Freedom of Mobility Forum, an annual event to debate the options for clean yet accessible vehicles. Volvo did not disclose if it will join this forum or if it intends to create a new organization – with companies more aligned with its own goals.
Carlos Tavares seems to oppose the direction Volvo is taking. He said multiple times that the electric car might kill affordable vehicles because of the cost of the battery packs. The Stellantis CEO also noted that electric cars were not something customers demanded but rather a choice politicians made on their behalf.
Volvo is not the first carmaker to abandon ACEA’s ship. Stellantis announced the same decision on June 14. The automotive titan said it would only remain as an ACEA member until the end of 2022, something that Volvo will also follow.
Stellantis said it would not be part of ACEA anymore because it would focus on the Freedom of Mobility Forum, an annual event to debate the options for clean yet accessible vehicles. Volvo did not disclose if it will join this forum or if it intends to create a new organization – with companies more aligned with its own goals.
Carlos Tavares seems to oppose the direction Volvo is taking. He said multiple times that the electric car might kill affordable vehicles because of the cost of the battery packs. The Stellantis CEO also noted that electric cars were not something customers demanded but rather a choice politicians made on their behalf.
Google News