In a bid to promote its performance using eco-friendly mediums, Volvo Auto is likely to bring out its two all-new ‘green concept’ cars worldwide by 2015. The news has been confirmed by Volvo Auto India Managing Director Tomas Ernberg.
During the 3-day Eenadu Auto Show 2011 that flagged-off on Friday, Ernberg said that the concept cars namely ‘U’, which is a sedan and ‘Universe’, which is positioned in the S-class segment will be equipped with online communication technologies
“These cars will have online features like live streaming of videos and technologies wherein cars talk to each other,” Ernberg said, while being reluctant to divulge further details.
Ernberg confirmed that India has been one of the rapidly growing markets for Volvo in terms of premium cars, and also stated that “the prospects are fantastic”. He further added that the company was aiming to attain a 10 per cent market share in the segment by 2020, during which the sales of the domestic premium car market is expected to reach 150,000 units a year.
Volvo, which rolled-out its XC90 and XC60 sports utility vehicles (SUVs) in India last year, acquiring a market share of 0.5 per cent, is targeting to subjugate 2 per cent of the premium car market this year. The sales figures of the segment have been foreseen to touch 20,000 to 25,000 units mark this time.
On being asked as to whether the company has any plans to manufacture its SUVs in India, Ernberg said, XC90 and XC60s were currently being manufactured in Sweden and Belgium. “The sole objective of making cars locally is to bring down costs. We are already competitively-priced and hence we have no intentions to set up car manufacturing base here,” he said.
