Sponso’s Message
Electrifying business The Volvo range has undergone an exciting transformation over the last few years and has made significant steps into the electrification space. As we see plug-in hybrid and electric car sales in the UK accelerate, Volvo is well placed to support you and your businesses with taking the next step
Ever since its inception, the Volvo brand has always been synonymous with safety. And we continue to lead the way with the safety technology on our vehicles. But in a world where the threat of climate change is growing and global warming is heading towards three degrees, it’s important that our approach to safety extends to protecting the world around us. For Volvo Cars it’s about minimising our environmental impact, maximising our social impact and caring for our customers and employees. And for our fleet and business customers specifically it is about assisting and supporting you with your own CSR objectives and helping steer you through what can be a challenging area. Volvo Cars has one of the most ambitious sustainability programmes in the automotive sector and was recognised in 2019 by the Ethisphere Institute, a global leader in defining and advancing the standards of ethical business practices, as a World’s Most Ethical Company®. This is the third consecutive year that Volvo Cars has received this recognition. And recently our CEO Hakan Samuelsson received Autocar’s most prestigious personal award in recognition of his leadership – a large part of which was
his ambitious electrification strategy. By 2025 Volvo has three headline sustainability ambitions. The first is to have one million electrified cars on the road and half of all annual sales to be fully electric. We already offer plug-in hybrids across our entire range. And over the next five years we will launch five pure electric vehicles, starting with our XC40 P8 which is available to order now. Our second ambition is for at least 25 per cent of the plastics used in every newly launched Volvo to be made from recycled materials. And our final 2025 target is that we aim to achieve climate neutral manufacturing operations. This is part of a wider climate plan that aims to reduce the overall carbon footprint per car by 40 per cent between 2018 and 2025. And by 2040, Volvo Cars aims to be a climate-neutral company. Plug-in hybrid technology Right now, plug-in hybrid technology is a great option for fleets. Although the initial capital outlay can look high compared to traditional engine alternatives, over the life of the vehicle your business stands to make significant savings due to lower running costs and tax benefits. Lower Benefit-in-kind rates
Steve Beattie Head of Fleet and Remarketing Volvo Car UK
mean plug-in hybrids can also be a costefficient option for company car drivers too, providing the vehicle is driven appropriately and the battery is charged regularly. When it comes to electrified vehicles, range anxiety is still a concern amongst drivers and whilst a more extensive charging infrastructure is established nationwide, plug-in hybrids help alleviate that worry. With a pure electric range of up to 36 miles our Volvo plug-in hybrids will comfortably manage the average UK commute emission free. Volvo has branded its plug-in hybrid range ‘Recharge’. By introducing new powertrains, we have been able to increase the choice when it comes to power output and list price. For example, our award-winning XC40 is now available as a T4 plug-in hybrid. Built on our CMA platform it is our entry level PHEV with a P11D of under £40,000. And at 12 per cent BIK it will cost a 40 per cent tax payer just £156 a month. The diversity of our plug-in hybrid powertrains is further demonstrated by our recently launched T6 available now on the XC60 mid-size SUV and the V60 estate. Once again we see low BIK rates resulting in attractive monthly costs for drivers – and that’s before taking in to account the money saved through reduced fuel costs. Also available to order now is our XC40 Recharge P8 pure electric which was the first fully electric premium compact SUV on the market in the UK. The 75kwh lithium-ion battery delivers an estimated range of over 250 miles on a single charge and 408 hp. It’s an exciting time for Volvo and with our ‘Recharge’ range of vehicles, we feel we have the right products at the right time. In addition to our cars we also offer expert and dedicated fleet support to our business customers. Our aim is to be a brand that is easy to do business with and which ensures that our customer’s individual needs are always met. If you would like to speak to one of the team for advice on how Volvo can support your business please contact us below. L FURTHER INFORMATION 0345 600 4027 volvocars.co.uk/business
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