Volvo has become an electrified brand, with huge customer interest in BEV and PHEV models, says David Thomas, Managing Director at Volvo Car Ireland

WHAT IS YOUR VIEW ON CAR BUYER SENTIMENT?
Cautiously optimistic. There are some concerns about the cost of living and interest rates but the level of interest in electrification combines well with our PHEV and BEV offers.

WHAT TRENDS HAVE YOU NOTED ABOUT CAR BUYER PREFERENCES?
Electrification! We have now become an electrified brand with huge customer interest in BEV and PHEV. We’ve also seen a continued dominance in our XC and C models

HOW IS VOLVO’S SUPPLY LINE OF NEW VEHICLES?
With a very high share of Electric Vehicles and Plug-in Hybrids, we have been able to secure good supply of these models, enabling us to grow by nearly 28% in 2022. Our plan for 2023 is for even higher growth so I’m confident about our supply for the year and 231 registration period.

HOW IS VOLVO POSITIONED IN THE HYBRID AND ELECTRIC VEHICLE SEGMENTS?
Very strongly. Our Plug-in Hybrids (PHEV) are 60 % of our volume and Electric Vehicles (BEV) over 30%. With a very strong product offer, I expect this trend to continue into 2023.

WHAT WAS VOLVO’S MOST POPULAR MODEL IN 2022?
XC40 and particularly XC40 BEV is our most popular model, as it combines all of Volvo’s traditional strengths with a pure electric drivetrain.

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WHICH EXECUTIVE MODEL DO YOU RECOMMEND?
XC60 is a fantastic product that offers style, space and safety in either mild hybrid or PHEV variants. The XC60 Polestar Engineered plug-in hybrid offers the environmental benefits of fully electric driving with a range of 74km, a luxurious interior, and exceptionally dynamic performance.

WHAT NEW MODELS ARE ON THE WAY FROM VOLVO IN 2023?
We’ve just announced the all-new EX90, which is an all-electric large SUV, the only BEV to offer seven seats. We will see that towards the end of 2023 and it heralds an exciting programme of all-new models in the coming years.

Photos: Conor McCabe