Swedish luxury car maker Volvo Car India on Tuesday announced that it will commence deliveries of its first full electric car — The XC40 Recharge — in October 2021.

“We are committed to becoming a leader in the fast-growing premium electric car market and plan to double our volumes in the next two years. We will commence bookings of our first pure electric SUV, XC40 Recharge, in June this year and start deliveries three months hence. By 2025, electric cars should constitute 80 per cent of our annual sales,” said Jyoti Malhotra, managing director, Volvo Car India.

As part of its sustainability initiatives, the company announced that it aims to become carbon neutral by 2040. The company is also planning to make all its dealerships in India Green Dealerships. It is undertaking skill upgradation of its dealer workforce to familiarise them with the new technology of electric cars as well as to respond to the exact requirements of its customers.

The company intends to sell only fully electric cars and phase out any car with an internal combustion engine, including hybrids by 2030.

Malhotra said, “Our first electric car XC40 Recharge has been received very well globally and we expect the same in India as well. Starting this year, we will launch one electric car every year in the Indian market and by 2030 we aspire to become a fully electric car company.”