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Volvo won’t give up on the XC90

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Three years ago, Volvo took big steps towards the complete electrification of its fleet, but problems with production and a drop in demand, confronted the Swedish company with reality. Customers still remained loyal to ICE cars, so Volvo decided to keep its largest SUV powered by an internal combustion engine in the range.

In September, Volvo revealed a refreshed edition of the XC90 SUV, which retained the design of its predecessor with the addition of some details such as redesigned “Thor’s Hammer” lights and diagonal slats of the radiator grille. The interior is also slightly improved, with a new 11.2-inch touchscreen instead of the old 9.0-inch one, optimized operating system, the center console provides additional storage space, while the wireless smartphone charger has been relocated.

Under the hood is a 2.0-L four-cylinder turbo engine combined with a 48-volt electric motor with a total power from 247 hp to 295 hp, and customers will also be able to choose a hybrid version with 455 hp. All versions come with an eight-speed automatic transmission that sends power to all wheels. It should be noted that the refreshed edition has better handling thanks to the optional air suspension, which provides a comfortable and isolated ride, but also coped well with most road situations.

Volvo has announced that it will continue to produce cars with internal combustion engines after 2030, but they will have mild hybrid systems and will be produced in limited series. This does not mean that they have given up on full electrification, as Volvo is one of the few European manufacturers that are still strongly advocating EVs.

Source: Volvo

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Volvo won't give up on the XC90
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The VDA proposes a ban on the sale of fossil fuels in Germany from 2045

The European Union plans to ban the sale of new cars with internal combustion engines from 2035, meaning buyers will be able to choose electric or hydrogen cars, but some members are against it. Now, the German Association of the Automotive Industry (VDA) is proposing a ban on the sale of fossil fuels in the EU from 2045.

Germany was one of the proponents to extend the sale of cars with ICE after 2035, but on the condition that only synthetic fuels are used. However, not everyone is convinced that this is a good thing. The chairman of the management board of BMW Oliver Zipse recently said that lawmakers shouldn’t rush with shutting down internal combustion engines. Instead, the EU should encourage the adoption of low-CO2 fuels as soon as possible. Not only for new cars but also for the existing fleet, because there are over 250 million cars in 27 EU countries.

“At the moment there are many indications that the European Commission is looking for a false solution whereby the ban on internal combustion engines is relaxed through an obviously misleading solution in the form of synthetic fuels,” Zipse said.

However, the VDA wants to ban the sale of petrol and diesel for new and old cars so that drivers switch to synthetic fuels, in order to reduce CO2.

Germany plans to have 15 million electric vehicles on its roads by 2030, but the reality is somewhat different, considering that this country is recording the biggest drop in sales of electric vehicles.

Source: Reuters

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Toyota is developing new gasoline engines

Toyota is currently working on two new gasoline engines, showing its commitment to keep traditional power units alive, despite many automakers switching to EVs. These are the 1.5-L and 2.0-L engines that will power the future cars of the Japanese manufacturer.

A few months ago, Toyota officially announced that it will develop new engines in cooperation with Subaru and Mazda. These engines will be efficient, powerful and ready for hybrid technology, and will be able to use alternative fuels. Toyota also mentioned that the new 2.0-L engine will be more powerful than the current 2.4-L turbocharged engine. It will be smaller and with lower fuel consumption, and will meet strict gas emissions. In addition, it will be able to use carbon neutral fuels, which will keep it alive even after the ban of traditional ICEs.

The 2.0-L engine will be produced in different versions, and the most powerful of them will deliver almost 600 hp without electric assistance, which is really impressive for a small engine. According to some rumors, Toyota could use these engines for some cars that are almost forgotten like the MR2 Roadster. There is also a high-performance GRMN model, which could use a 2.0-liter engine combined with Toyota’s GR-Four all-wheel drive. However, that version could only be sold in Japan in a limited number of copies with a price tag of around $70,000.

For standard road cars, Toyota plans two versions of the 2.0-L engine. The high-performance version will develop 400 hp (298 kW) and 405 lb-ft (550 Nm) of torque, while the weaker version will come with 300 hp (224 kW) and 295 lb-ft (400 Nm) of torque.

Source: Toyota