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Sustainability is a key word for Volvo.

Volvo has made a very conscious effort to minimize its impact on the environment.  Earlier this year, Volvo of Lisle, the leading Chicago Volvo dealership, announced the release of Volvo’s Corporate Report, in which the automaker stressed the importance of sustainable practices.

Among the Report’s highlights were Volvo’s plans to produce a plug-in hybrid in 2012 and the introduction of seven fuel-efficient, low-emission diesel DRIVe models in Europe.  Hybrids and diesel engines are popular options among the environmentally-conscious given their reduced emissions, low fuel consumption, and consequently low operating costs.

Volvo has now taken yet another step on the road toward sustainability.

Volvo Cars has partnered with Swedish energy company Göteborg Energi to produce electric vehicles and recharging infrastructure.  As part of the agreement, Volvo will manufacture an initial group of 10 Volvo C30 electric cars for delivery in Europe this fall.

“This is a landmark first step,” said Lennart Stegland, director of the Volvo Car Corporation’s Special Vehicles division.

These initial vehicles will be equipped with advanced measuring instruments so Volvo can gather data on how driving habits and charging patterns affect the battery and lifetime of electric cars.

Often people assume that the shift to electric vehicles will necessitate great sacrifice, but that couldn’t be further from the truth.  Volvo’s C30 Electric has the same safety, comfort and interior space as the standard Volvo C30, but given its electric nature, it produces absolutely zero exhaust emissions.  The C30 can also travel 90 miles on one charge, more than enough to make the daily commute for many drivers.  And, if the C30 is recharged with electricity from renewable sources, travel becomes virtually free from carbon dioxide emissions.

“The future we see ahead is one in which our cars have no emissions that negatively impact the environment and our cars do not crash,” said President and CEO, Stephen Odell about sustainability at Volvo.  “And it’s not a question of if we get there – it’s a question of when.”

Volvo of Lisle, the first choice for customers seeking a Volvo dealer in Chicago, will be an excellent source of information on Volvo’s drive toward full sustainability.

For more information on the entire Volvo line-up, visit Volvo of Lisle on the web at: http://www.chicago-volvo.com/