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Volvo ditches the diesel engine

Having already committed to producing nothing but electric vehicles by 2030 and being "climate neutral" by 2040, it doesn't come as a major surprise that Volvo will stop building and selling diesel-fueled vehicles next year. Way back in 2017, Volvo signaled its intention to phase out diesel engines due to rising costs of emissions technologies. Still, hearing that the very last Volvo ever to be fitted with a diesel engine will be built "a few months from now" may raise an eyebrow or two and serves as a clear reminder that in a few short years we'll be reading similar press releases about gasoline from the Swedish automaker and many others. There are two clear reasons why Volvo is ditching diesel. The first, according to Volvo Chief Executive Jim Rowan, is that electric is simply better. “Electric powertrains are our future, and superior to combustion engines: they generate less noise, less vibration, less servicing costs for our customers and zero tailpipe emissions,” says Rowan. The second reason behind the decision to depart the diesel market is similarly clear: climate change. Rowan says, "It is high time for industry and political leaders to be strong and decisive, and deliver meaningful policies and actions to fight climate change. WeÂ’re committed to doing our part and encourage our peers as well as political leaders around the globe to do theirs." Highlighting how quickly things have changed for Volvo, the automaker says that the majority of cars it sold in Europe as recently as 2019 were powered by diesel engines. Now, in the year 2023, the company says "that trend has largely inverted itself since then, driven by changing market demand, tighter emission regulations as well as our focus on electrification. The majority of our sales in Europe now consists of electrified cars, with either a fully electric or plug-in hybrid powertrain." Related video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Green Volvo Emissions Diesel Vehicles Electric Luxury

Verizon buys Telogis in connected vehicle market push

(Note/disclaimer: We are owned by Verizon, by way of AOL. This gives us no inside track whatsoever when it comes to news.) With a lot of tech companies and automakers staking their claims in the connected car space, now there are signs that others are looking to move in, too. Today, telecoms giant Verizon announced that it is acquiring Telogis, a California-based company that develops cloud-based solutions for mobile workforces, and specifically telematics, compliance and navigation software used by Ford, Volvo, GM and other car companies, as well as Apple and AT&T. Financial terms of the deal have not been disclosed, although we'll try to find out. Considering that Verizon in 2015 reported full-year revenues of $131.6 billion, the price would have to be very high to be considered "material" and may not be made public for some time, if ever. Telogis in its time as a startup raised a substantial amount of money, just over $126 million in all, including $93 million in 2013, supposedly ahead of an IPO, all from Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers. Back in 2013 when KPCB made its investment (which was the first from a VC firm in the company), Telogis told TechCrunch it was profitable and forecasting revenues of $100 million annually for the year. It's not clear what size those revenues are now, but if it was on the same growth trajectory as before the funding, sales would be around $150 million annually, with profitability, at the moment. Other investors include some very notable strategics: the investment arm of General Motors, and Fontinalis Partners, which also invests in Lyft and was co-founded by Bill Ford, the executive chairman of the Ford Motor Company. Before the acquisition, Verizon actually had a business in fleet management and telematics; in fact, the two companies competed against each other for business from the trucking and other industries. Verizon Telematics, as the business is called, is active in 40 countries. But in a way, Verizon buying Telogis is a sign that the latter may have proved to be the more superior, and the one with the key customer deals.

Heico jacks up Volvo V40 Cross Country to create XC40

Because life isn't fair, we don't get the stylish wagon known as the Volvo V40 in the United States. That means we don't get its soft-roading cousin, the V40 Cross Country. So, naturally, if Volvo tuner Heico Sportiv ever produces this ruggedized, XC-styled V40 Cross Country, it most certainly wouldn't cross the pond, either.
That makes us sad, because despite holding a tiny bit of contempt for small luxury crossovers, this is a very, very cool looking vehicle. It's just a render right now, but Heico Sportiv is looking to offer the kit to V40 Cross Country owners who want a smaller version of the Volvo XC60.
Converting a V40 CC into an XC40 would start with some suspension tweaks. The ride height would be raised by just over an inch, in order to improve the looks of the soft-roader and deliver a more CUV-like ingress and egress. New shocks would also be fitted, as well. Wheel-arch extensions were also added to complete the look.