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Volvo Car South Africa introduces range of electrified cars

vuyi on March 14, 2022

By H&H Admin

Volvo Car South Africa has announced that its local range of vehicles is now almost entirely electrified.

Volvo Car South Africa has announced that its local range of vehicles is now almost entirely electrified as the Swedish luxury firm moves a step closer to its global ambition of transforming into a fully electric car company by 2030.

The updated South African line-up now comprises predominantly all-electric, plug-in hybrid and mild-hybrid options.

Greg Maruszewski, Managing Director at Volvo Car South Africa, said the move is in line with the Gothenburg-based company’s global strategy and affords South African motorists the opportunity to experience the various benefits of the three stages of vehicle electrification.

“Our mild-hybrid vehicles boast reduced tailpipe emissions, improved fuel economy and stronger on-road performance, making them ideal stepping stones to our plug-in hybrids – which add the major advantage of a pure-electric driving mode – and ultimately our all-electric offering. In short, our completely renewed line-up covers all of the electrification bases,” said Maruszewski.

According to Maruszewski, Volvo Car South Africa’s decision to shift its primary focus to hybrid vehicles is based on the belief that this type of powertrain currently represents the ideal solution for the majority of the company’s local customers.

With the S90 and V90 Cross Country line-ups now also featuring exclusively mild-hybrid powertrains, the only purely petrol-powered options that remain in Volvo’s local range are the T-badged derivatives in the popular XC40 line-up.

Maruszewski further pointed to not only the world-class safety technology intrinsic to Volvo’s vehicles but also the class-leading connectivity available in various models, including the company’s latest Android-powered infotainment system, which ships complete with built-in Google apps and services.

In global terms, Volvo’s electrified line-up continues its rapid growth, with Recharge models making up 34 percent of the company’s global sales volume in the fourth quarter of 2021 and plug-in hybrids accounting for 28 percent.

Volvo Cars recognised for its leadership in climate action

vuyi on December 13, 2021

Volvo Cars has been recognised for its sustainability strategy by global environmental non-profit CDP, securing an A-score for its actions aimed at cutting emissions, mitigating climate risks and becoming a climate-neutral company.

This places Volvo Cars in the highest tier of CDP’s climate change list, together with only a smaller number of companies. More than 13,000 companies participated by disclosing data on their environmental impacts, risks and opportunities, and Volvo Cars’ high score reflects its position as a leader in environmental ambition and climate action.

Volvo Cars Torslanda becomes company’s first climate neutral car plant

“We are very proud to see that our hard work to cut emissions and becoming climate neutral is being recognised by CDP,” says Anders Kärrberg, Head of Global Sustainability at Volvo Cars. “Receiving the prestigious A-score shows that we are on the right track, and hopefully we can inspire other companies to do even more.”

Volvo Cars aims to become a fully electric car maker by 2030 and plans to roll out a whole new family of pure electric cars in coming years, one of the auto industry’s most ambitious electrification plans. This is part of its ambition to become a climate neutral company by 2040, as it works to consistently cut carbon emissions across its business.

The company seeks to reduce the lifecycle carbon footprint per average car by 40 per cent between 2018 and 2025, including through reducing carbon emissions in its supply chain by 25 per cent by 2025.

Volvo Cars is taking active steps to address these emissions, including through planned collaborations with Swedish steel maker SSAB to develop fossil free steel and with Swedish battery company Northvolt to develop and manufacture the next generation of sustainable battery cells.

In conjunction with signing the zero emission road transport declaration at the UN climate change conference COP26 in November, Volvo Cars also introduced an internal carbon price of 1,000 SEK for every tonne of carbon emissions from across its entire business, becoming the first car maker to implement such a carbon pricing mechanism across its complete operations.

WATCH: This is how autonomous cars will talk to each other

vuyi on October 15, 2021

For more than a century, internal combustion engines have provided the soundtrack to cities.

Walking through a city centre, the noise is constantly there. It’s a part of life in the city – and in the suburbs too. Those sounds – while annoying to some – are vital for safety. There are other aspects of driving today that bolster safety too – thanks to a language of human-to-human communication.

Take, for instance, the eye contact between road users that establishes the fact that “yes, I see you” or that friendly “go ahead” wave. But what if a car no longer makes a noise and it has no driver? What then? Autonomous cars will still have to communicate with pedestrians and cyclists – we just have to create a new, universal language for them.

Here Mikael Ljung Aust, senior technical leader for collision avoidance functions at the Volvo Cars Safety Centre, points out some of the challenges and the solutions.

Volvo Announces Pricing and Exclusive Online Sales for XC40 P8 Recharge All-Electric

vuyi on May 10, 2021

All-electric vehicles sold in South Africa have traditionally come with hefty price tags – and this has undoubtedly been a deterrent
– Greg Maruszewski, Managing Director at Volvo Car South Africa

Volvo Car South Africa has announced the pricing for one of the most eagerly awaited cars to be launched in South Africa this year, namely the XC40 P8 Recharge all-electric. Orders for the Volvo XC40 P8 Recharge opened on Monday 10 May with deliveries commencing in August this year. Pricing for the car will start at R1,2 million (incl. VAT).

According to Greg Maruszewski, Managing Director at Volvo Car South Africa, the company has worked hard to offer this luxury all-electric vehicle at a competitive price.

“All-electric vehicles sold in South Africa have traditionally come with hefty price tags – and this has undoubtedly been a deterrent. We know that there is an appetite in South Africa for electric cars and we were determined to give customers an attractive price,” he says.

In addition to the announcement of the competitive price tag, the company also announced that the car will be sold exclusively online via the company’s new website, My Volvo.

This unique online store enables South Africans to purchase or rent a new car in as little as 20 minutes – and without leaving their home. Customers only need to follow five easy steps to select the car and arrange both finance and delivery (or collection).

The Volvo XC40 P8 Recharge all-electric is clearly a sign of things to come
– GREG MARUSZEWSKI, MANAGING DIRECTOR AT VOLVO CAR SOUTH AFRICA

Included in the pricing of the Volvo XC40 P8 Recharge is the Volvo CARE package. This includes a five-year maintenance plan and warranty, three years of insurance, use of a petrol car for two weeks per year for three years and a home charger that includes charge cables.

“The Volvo XC40 P8 Recharge all-electric is clearly a sign of things to come; last month the company announced that it would only manufacture electric cars by 2030, with all sales to be online. So, our future is clear, and it will be fully electric, sustainable, and online,” concludes Maruszewski.