Volvo has announced ambitious plans to cut the CO2 emissions produces across the full lifespan of a car by 40 per cent.
The Scandinavian firm has said it wants to reduce its lifecycle carbon footprint by 40 per cent between 2018 and 2025 — not only the CO2 produced throughout the car’s use, but also during the build and destruction of the car.
Volvo says its proposals are in-line with those of the 2015 Paris climate agreement — a global pledge to help lessen the impact of climate change.
One of the key ways Volvo will aim to meet this pledge is through its plan to have 50 per cent of all its sales to be all-electric by 2025. But it will also focus on its global supply chain, with a bid to reduce CO2 output of that by 25 per cent in 2025.
The brand says its cars will be built from a quarter of recycled materials, too, by that time, along with cuts in manufacturing and logistical CO2 output.
Håkan Samuelsson, president and chief executive officer of Volvo Cars, said: “We are transforming our company through concrete actions, not symbolic pledges.
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“So at Volvo Cars we will address what we control, which is both our operations and the tailpipe emissions of our cars. And we will address what we can influence, by calling on our suppliers and the energy sector to join us in aiming for a climate-neutral future.”
Earlier this year Volvo became the first manufacturer to offer a plug-in hybrid version of each of its cars, while it has also recently revealed its first EV – the XC40 Recharge. This will go on sale towards the end of 2020, and promises to be a turning point in the brand’s pledge to become a greener car manufacturer.
