<p class="title">Swedish automaker Volvo Cars aims to locally assemble plug-in hybrid variant of its premium SUV XC 90 in India from next year, a top company official said on Thursday.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The company is also gearing up to drive in four additional plug-in hybrid models in the country over the next three years as part of its plans to build a portfolio of environment-friendly vehicles.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"We are going to be the first car company to assemble plug-in hybrid cars locally in India. The first model would be introduced in the last quarter of next year. The localisation of plug-in hybrids marks the future of electrification for us," Volvo Car India Managing Director Charles Frump told reporters here.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The company would be rolling out the locally-assembled XC 90 T8 plug-in hybrid from its Bengaluru facility. It currently imports the vehicle as completely built-up units (CBUs).</p>.<p class="bodytext">In a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV), the battery can be recharged by plugging it into an external source of electric power.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Volvo, which sells a total of ten models in India, currently assembles three models -- XC 90, XC 60, S90 in India.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"As a responsible luxury car company, we believe electrification is the future. However, till the time we have a supporting infrastructure for fully-electric vehicles, plug-in hybrids offer an immediate solution," Frump said.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The company would also continue to look at opportunities to introduce full battery electric vehicles in the country, he added.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Globally, Volvo Cars has announced that every vehicle it launches from 2019 will have an electric motor and is aiming to have one million electrified cars on roads by 2025.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"We expect India to be an important part of this one-million-cars target. We at Volvo firmly believe that road to full battery electric vehicles runs through plug-in hybrids," Frump said.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The company has also rolled out various initiatives to generate awareness about air pollution.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The Indian government had last year said it plans to have 100 per cent electric vehicles in public transport and 40 per cent in personal mobility by 2030.</p>.<p class="bodytext">However, earlier this year it changed its stance and decided against formulating an electric vehicle (EV) policy saying technology should not be trapped by rules and regulations.</p>
<p class="title">Swedish automaker Volvo Cars aims to locally assemble plug-in hybrid variant of its premium SUV XC 90 in India from next year, a top company official said on Thursday.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The company is also gearing up to drive in four additional plug-in hybrid models in the country over the next three years as part of its plans to build a portfolio of environment-friendly vehicles.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"We are going to be the first car company to assemble plug-in hybrid cars locally in India. The first model would be introduced in the last quarter of next year. The localisation of plug-in hybrids marks the future of electrification for us," Volvo Car India Managing Director Charles Frump told reporters here.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The company would be rolling out the locally-assembled XC 90 T8 plug-in hybrid from its Bengaluru facility. It currently imports the vehicle as completely built-up units (CBUs).</p>.<p class="bodytext">In a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV), the battery can be recharged by plugging it into an external source of electric power.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Volvo, which sells a total of ten models in India, currently assembles three models -- XC 90, XC 60, S90 in India.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"As a responsible luxury car company, we believe electrification is the future. However, till the time we have a supporting infrastructure for fully-electric vehicles, plug-in hybrids offer an immediate solution," Frump said.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The company would also continue to look at opportunities to introduce full battery electric vehicles in the country, he added.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Globally, Volvo Cars has announced that every vehicle it launches from 2019 will have an electric motor and is aiming to have one million electrified cars on roads by 2025.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"We expect India to be an important part of this one-million-cars target. We at Volvo firmly believe that road to full battery electric vehicles runs through plug-in hybrids," Frump said.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The company has also rolled out various initiatives to generate awareness about air pollution.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The Indian government had last year said it plans to have 100 per cent electric vehicles in public transport and 40 per cent in personal mobility by 2030.</p>.<p class="bodytext">However, earlier this year it changed its stance and decided against formulating an electric vehicle (EV) policy saying technology should not be trapped by rules and regulations.</p>