Volvo is introducing a Recharge sub-brand for its fully electric and plug-in hybrid models as it also announces ambitious new climate plans.

The Recharge car line aims to further boost sales of Volvo’s fully electric and plug-in hybrid cars

Debuting on the XC40 Recharge EV, the Recharge car line aims to further boost sales of Volvo Cars’ electrified cars. It will also encourage plug-in hybrid drivers via incentives to use ‘Pure’ mode as much as possible, as controversy continues over drivers’ misuse of PHEVs.

The XC40 Recharge will mark the start of a move by Volvo Cars to disclose the average lifecycle carbon footprint of each new model as it also embarks on plans to radically reduce carbon emissions.

The carmaker is aiming to reduce its lifecycle carbon footprint per car by 40% between 2018 and 2025 as a first step towards its ambition of becoming a climate-neutral company by 2040. This will draw upon measures such as its existing plan to generate 50% of global sales from fully electric cars by 2025 as it phases out cars powered only by an internal combustion engine.

And Volvo will also tackle carbon emissions in its manufacturing network, its wider operations, its supply chain and through recycling and reuse of materials. Ambitions include a 25% reduction of CO2 emissions related to its global supply chain by 2025, a 25% share of recycled plastics in new Volvo cars by 2025, and a 25% reduction of carbon emissions generated by the company’s overall operations, including manufacturing and logistics.

The carmaker said the plans shows it’s taking concrete actions in line with the global Paris climate agreement of 2015, which seeks to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels.

“We are transforming our company through concrete actions, not symbolic pledges,” said Håkan Samuelsson, president and chief executive officer of Volvo Cars. “So at Volvo Cars we will address what we control, which is both our operations and the tailpipe emissions of our cars. And we will address what we can influence, by calling on our suppliers and the energy sector to join us in aiming for a climate-neutral future.”