Volvo's fours, then no more

Volvo's latest generation of Drive-E powerplants could be the last internal combustion engines the brand makes. At least that's the opinion of the executive that heads up the brand's all-important 'Cluster 90' cars, Kent Falck.

Falck has overall responsibility for Volvo's premium line of vehicles including the XC90 SUV and the brand's latest release – the all-important S90 large sedan and V90 wagon.

Speaking at this week's international first drives of the four-cylinder-only executive class vehicles, Falck admitted that the latest generation of four- (and soon, three-) cylinder petrol and diesel engines would see the company out.

Asked if these were the last generation of internal combustion engines, Falck stated without hesitation: "I think so".

"If we as human beings shall take care of the environment in some way, there is no future in this [IC engines]," Falck told motoring.com.au.

"I can see different kinds of cars in the future. If you need a very, very long distance [between recharges] then in the future there must be something that can give you that long range. But three out of four cars or more cars will be electric."

Falck says most consumers will have EVs only. They will rent or swap hybrids but only if and when they need them.

Efficiency gains are now moving out of the engine bay and into the battery and EV infrastructure areas, he says.

"If you spend your [development] money on the electric motor side, or the battery side, you can make it [the vehicle] much more efficient. This is because these kind of [turbo-petrol] engines are so efficient today. There is not [so] much more new technology [left] to leverage."

Falck says research with buyers in large markets like the USA indicates that cylinder count is no longer a clear factor when purchasing decisions are made.

Volvo is pushing a high-tech story on its latest Drive-E powertrains and Falck says consumers are listening.

"Can we see that [four cylinders] as a sales problem? No.

"We started to sell [the message] that we consider V8 as a dinosaur... When we say that word they [our customers] started to think," Falck opined.

Falck says there are no market segments Volvo is excluded from with its current range of four-cylinder and partially electrified powertrains.

But as inevitable as the march of electrification has become, the 'Cluster 90' boss believes the current engines will have a relatively long life span.

"We have an ambition that by 2025 we will have sold one million hybrid or fully electric cars... [But] Do I believe we still have combustion engines after 2025? Yes, I think so.

"Hybrids, no doubts," he stated.