Volvo to expand its hybrid and electric vehicle lineup in India

- Looking forward to incentives and lowered import duty
- Plans to have majority of its fleet electrified by 2020

Swedish luxury car manufacturer, Volvo, has been growing steadily in India since the launch of its first plug-in hybrid SUV, the XC90 T8 Excellence, in 2016. This time around, the company has announced that all its vehicles will get the plug in hybrid and electric iteration from 2019 and is planning on locally assembling the hybrid vehicles in India over the next two to three years. This move will help the brand stay ahead of its German competitors.

However, Volvo will wait for the government to create an ecosystem for the hybrids and electric cars by offering incentives and lowered import duty. Currently, hybrids and electric vehicles attract an overall tax of 43 per cent which is considerably higher than the conventional vehicles. Speaking to media, Volvo had revealed its plans to have majority of its fleet in India electrified by 2020. The Swedish automaker started local assembling last year with the XC90.

Speaking on the occasion, Charles Frump, Managing Director, Volvo Cars India, said, “Going forward, for us the clear path is electric but we are looking to get some understanding of the path for the future. So in our mind it is clear to take hybrid route to full electric vehicles.”