Volvo’s Plug-In Electric Car Sales More Than Doubled Last Month

Earlier this week, Volvo Cars was proud to announce their best January in company history in terms of vehicle sales. In total, 59,588 units were sold all across the globe, a 30.2 percent increase year-over-year.

Perhaps more indicative of the company’s automotive future however, is their impressive sales of electric plug-in models. Last month, Volvo’s plug-in electric car sales more than doubled, accounting for 23 percent of their overall sales result.

According to estimates by Inside EVs, that’s more than 13,700 plug-in electric vehicle models, a 122 percent increase year-over-year. In Volvo’s home continent of Europe specifically, the share of Volvo’s Recharge cars (both BEVs and PHEVs) expanded to an impressive 41 percent in total!

"European sales for the month increased by 9.0 percent to 24,857 cars sold, helped by strong performances in key markets such as Sweden, Germany, and the Netherlands. Recharge cars amounted to 41 percent of total European sales."

When comparing these sales figures to the rest of the world, Volvo is certainly strongest in their local market. With nearly 700 units in the U.S. and 1,200 units sold throughout the rest of the world, it’s clear that Volvo still has a ways to go before becoming a household name globally when it comes to plug-in electric vehicles.

To continue their electrification plans at a high speed, the Swedish-made luxury auto brand will need to improve its EV position in multiple markets, especially China, which is the second-largest EV market in the world.