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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

Volvo launches next-gen Sensus Connect infotainment system [w/videos]

To borrow a line from another automaker, the Volvo S60 has the power to surprise - it's likely not top of mind for most entry-level luxury sedan buyers, but it's good enough that it probably should be. There's long been one pretty serious chink in its armor, though, and that goes for the company's entire model line: infotainment. The Swedish marque's offerings just haven't been that feature-rich, but Volvo is working to improve things with its updated Sensus Connect, a suite of functions just launched at this week's CES in Las Vegas.
The new system updates center on cloud-based connectivity advancements that include a novel Park&Pay feature that allows drivers to search for parking and pay for their space from the comfort of their car. Other functions that show off the diversity of Sensus Connect include embedded, Pandora-streaming internet radio, Wikipedia, remote start via smart phone, dealer appointment booking, destination attraction searches and an available wifi hotspot.
All of this increased functionality sounds like a big step in the right direction, and Volvo is noting it has refreshed the system's interface with "graphically themed center and driver displays" along with improved voice control and text-to-speech capabilities.

Volvo will start testing wireless charging with XC40 taxis

Volvo announced it will start testing wireless charging systems with its Volvo XC40 Recharge electric SUVs. It's doing so by creating a small fleet of XC40 Recharge taxis for Cabonline, the largest cab operation in the Nordic nations. The testing in Volvo's hometown of Gothenburg, Sweden, will last for three years, and Volvo notes that the driving conditions will involve 12 hours a day of driving with cars racking up 100,000 kilometers (about 62,000 miles) per year. The charging stations come from American company Momentum Dynamics. They're embedded into the pavement of the Volvos' parking spaces and begin charging automatically when parked correctly (which is aided by the on-board surround-view camera). The charging speed is 40-kW, which is close to the maximum charging speed of many electric cars' on-board chargers when connected to a DC station. Interestingly, Momentum Dynamics lists systems capable of charging speeds as high as 450 kW on its website. Volvo did not make any announcements regarding future availability of wireless charging. We would imagine the results of this testing will affect whether the company intends to make it a factory offering. Related video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.