On a cloudy Thursday in early February, the plant in Ghent, Belgium, produced its last diesel-powered car, a V60. And just the other day, the plant in Torslanda, Sweden, saw its last XC90 diesel car roll off the production line.

This marks a huge milestone in Volvo Cars’ 97-year history as they take concrete steps to becoming a fully electric car maker as well as achieving net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2040.

For a long time, Volvo diesel engines were synonymous with reliability and efficiency, and they meant a great deal to them for many decades. Their success in diesel cars played a significant role in their evolution into a premium brand.

However, in recent years, the electric revolution has evolved quicker than most could have imagined and it’s largely propelled by tightening regulations around tailpipe emissions, as well as customer demand in response to the climate crisis and a desire for cleaner urban air.

Only five years ago, the diesel engine was Volvo Cars’ bread and butter in Europe, just like it was for most other car makers. Most of the cars we sold in Europe in 2019 ran on diesel, while electric models were just starting to gain traction.

Today, most of Volvo Cars’ sales on the continent are electrified cars. Last year, they increased sales of fully electric cars by 70 percent, and their global electric market share by 34 percent.

While Volvo’s future is fully electric, their product portfolio includes Plug-In Electric Hybrids (PHEVs) and mild-hybrid electric (MHEV) that serve as a bridge towards the future.