Volvo Will Sell Electric Car By 2019; Plug-in Hybrid S90 Sooner

Volvo's drivetrain choices are getting simpler: one engine ("DriveE" 2.0), a couple of states of tune (240 or 300 HP), and an optional electric rear axle. If anything, things were way more complicated under Ford: 4, 5, 6 or 8 cylinders on the same platform, most available in turbo and non-turbo.

@heavy handle Hmm, fair enough. I just feel they're unproven. I don't like the twin-engine stuff either.

@Corey Lewis All new engine families start-out unproven. That's OK, because I'll bet most Volvos are leased. Any reliability issues with the new 4 will hopefully be reflected in off-lease prices.

@heavy handle I don't like to think of cars as lease propositions. Especially a brand like Volvo, which is/should be a "Buy it and drive for 250k then give to my son." sort of thing.

@heavy handle My issue with lease brands is there is no incentive to design a quality product while there IS incentive to push the envelope on product performance/options to the point of early failure. VOLVO: Check out our turbo and supercharged 2.0L I4 which cranks out 450hp! Check out our 10 way adjustable seats and power [insert] ME: That's very impressive but what is the estimated longevity of the transmission? Turbo components? Cylinder heads? Timing belt/water pump? How do I clean the throttle body? How do I change a sensor in the cabin or change cabin air filter? VOLVO: ...

@heavy handle 28, If by "VOLVO" you mean a sales person, then yes. You can take a short walk to the back door of the dealership and ask a tech the same questions and get your answers. The same is true of all brands really. I don't think that Volvo is more of a lease brand than others in the same category. Acura, Audi, Lexus, Lincoln, they're all lease brands. Try them out for three years, buy the lease out if you like it, lease something else if you don't.

@heavy handle I shopped Zegna when I was at the Crystals attached to the Aria in Las Vegas, and believe me s*it is f*cking expensive. I mean its the if you ask you can't afford it kind (I needed a specific shade of blue tie/pocket square to match my lapis lazuli cufflinks and I was killing time waiting for a ride. Yes I knew it was not cheap going into the store). But the thing is, the clothing is of a high quality and will last a long time when cared for in the proper manner. I still have my blue one which I got in high school. If I am spending a decent buck, I really want the same in my automobile with odd exotics as the only exception. There is NOTHING special about lease grade A4, Q5, ES350, TLX, or MKC (not to say any is bad or I wouldn't drive one). While you will get reliability in some of those models/marques, when your brand becomes a "lease only" brand the product tends to go down hill with maybe Lincoln being the notable excretion. Lexus, Acura, and Infiniti as much as they may do leasing (or target certain models for lease) they are not lease brands. People can keep their cars after the period is over. The German brands moved to a leasing model and we all know what can happen after the lease period (not does, but can). When you have the cachet to pull this off you do, Volvo just does not and I doubt ever will.

@heavy handle Pocket square? It's been ages since I've seen someone with a pocket square! I thought those were sort of done like the double breasted power suit.

@heavy handle I'm still not convinced that Volvo is any more or less of a lease brand than Audi or Lexus. What makes them lease brands is the price level. They are expensive enough that owners can afford to replace them every three/four years, and some get a significant tax benefit from leasing. In Europe the same segment is called "company car." Basically, anything more expensive than a loaded Camry is likely to be written-off as a business expense and/or leased.

@heavy handle I have one tie with a matching pocket square. I wish I had more. It really does help break up the expanse of gray.

@heavy handle When I have bought, leased, or bought via loan my new Volvos I have always had the intent of keeping the vehicle for the long haul. I don't know whether that is typical of Volvo owners in general or just me. However, having stated this, my actions have not typically matched-up with my intent (I recently have bought new and within a few years sold a 2008 XC70 and 2012 XC70). My current V60 is driven about 30k miles per year so I should soon know whether the new 2.0 e-drive engine will present any long term troubles. This time around I plan to hold-out for the long haul (just for the sake of experimentation to see how well the thing holds up). I will keep my fingers crossed in the hope that there are no problems.

@heavy handle Funky, Do keep us informed on your Volvo Drive-E experience. Volvo's definitely on the list for my next new car. They would move to the top of the list if the upcoming V40 was offered with a manual (and 300 hp, it goes without saying).

@Corey When I get home I will shoot a pic of what I bought so you can get an idea. I always wear a handkerchief or pocket square. @HH "What makes them lease brands is the price level" I see the logic here, and I can't speak for wha goes on in Europe, but I can lease a CLA that costs 30K which is in line with KIA's midlevel loaded offerings and I can lease a K900 which loaded is similar in price to the loaded Merc E-class. I don't think price is the factor anymore, or at least isn't the only one. I think the illusion of heritage and prestige plays a major factor in becoming a lease only brand. Volvo does have rich heritage that it generally forgets and its more recent offerings of the last dozen years are something it should want to forget. If they tried to play up the 140 angle or P1800 a little in marketing its a maybe, but all of the sudden connecting with heritage is not going to convince the perpetual leasers to give you a whirl. @Funky Historically you are the atypical owner but I'm not sure who was buying those S80s when they were craptastic. I imagine if those were traditional owners they said bye bye a long time ago or they went against their nature and traded early to avoid problems. The later P3s were much better from what I am told so maybe the new motor will work out. I think Volvo needs to focus on building a quality product which is reliable, Maybe they did they just that, but I'm skeptical.

Swede-Chinese? Really? Did you call Volvo Swede-American when they were owned by Ford? Do you call Infiniti Japanese-French? All this anti-Chinese BS needs to go away. You typed that post on a Chinese made computer and you've texted within the last hour on a Chinese made phone. Volvo gets it as a global automaker. Most of the Ford tech you see now has Volvo origins that was stolen from them. The Ford Explorer is an updated S80 on stilts, you know.

Are you always out of meds?

You're right about the taxes, and it will be the same problem in the US. The only fair solution is this: Road tax = annual miles x weight Then EVs, big trucks (heh), gas cars, and diesels all pay for the road upkeep, according to how much they damage the road.