VOLVO is offering car buyers one year’s free electricity to charge their new plug-in hybrid car.
The brand has launched its innovative Take Charge campaign which will reimburse customers for the costs of charging their EV.
The offer is available across Volvo’s market-leading range of plug-in hybrid models.
Free power to the people
Volvo’s aim is to maximise the potential fuel- and emissions-saving potential of its hybrid technology by encouraging people to plug in their car and keep the hybrid system’s high-voltage battery charged.
This will ensure their car can make full use of electric power, reducing tailpipe emissions and fuel consumption on any journey. It will also encourage those who rarely plug-in, to do so.
The offer is automatically available to any customer purchasing a new Volvo plug-in hybrid, from now until 30 June 2020. The electricity costs for charging their car will be calculated from May 2020 and repaid to them at the end of the 12-month period, based on a third-party-provided average cost of electricity in the UK.
Just how much energy each customer uses will be monitored via the Volvo On Call app. This logs how much power the car consumes, and also allows the owner to monitor the charge status of their car’s battery via their mobile device.
The offer is open to both private and business customers. Because Volvo’s intention is to encourage drivers to get into the habit of keeping their car’s hybrid battery charged, it’s the company car driver who will receive the refund at the end of the year rather than their employer.
Market-leading plug-in hybrid range
Volvo leads the UK market in offering a plug-in hybrid version of every model in its range, so whether buyers are seeking a saloon, estate car or SUV, the stylish Swedish brand has every base covered.
The new offer applies to the entire line-up, including the recently launched XC40 T5 plug-in hybrid premium compact SUV. With a 180hp petrol engine and an 82hp electric motor, it is the most efficient version of the multi-award-winning XC40, offering official fuel economy of up to 141.1mpg (WLTP Combined cycle) and CO2 emissions from just 38g/km.
Kristian Elvefors, Volvo Car UK Managing Director, said: “At Volvo, in keeping with our Swedish roots, we’ve always taken a keen interest in looking after the environment. Our recently stated ambition to become a carbon-neutral company by 2040 shows we are serious about addressing climate change.
“It’s crucial that we help our plug-in hybrid customers understand how they can make the most of their car’s electric potential. So, by meeting their electricity charging costs for a year, we can encourage them to develop the good habit of regularly recharging their car’s battery, as well as saving them money at the same time.”
Volvo’s carbon-neutral ambition
The free electricity initiative is just one element in Volvo’s far-reaching plans to achieve a substantial reduction in the lifecycle carbon footprint of all its new cars. The company recently announced its intention to achieve a cut of 40% between 2018 and 2025, a key step towards its goal of becoming a climate-neutral business by 2040.
By adopting cleaner, electrified powertrains, it will bring down overall tailpipe emissions by 50% by 2025, while also working to significantly reduce the environmental impact of its manufacturing, supply chain, logistics and other operations, targeting a 25% reduction by 2025.
From next year, the first question asked of visitors to Volvo’s customer website will be whether they want their car with a plug, or not. At the same time, a new Recharge branding will be introduced for the company’s growing range of plug-in hybrid and fully electric cars.
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