Volvo’s Australian deadline will come four years before its worldwide target to transition to electric vehicles, and comes one week after it launched its first electric car in Australia. Volvo launched its first dedicated electric vehicle in Australia last week, the C40 Recharge.

Experts said the move showed Australia still had the potential to be “a world leader in the transition to electric vehicles” despite low take-up to date. Volvo Car Australia managing director Stephen Connor made the surprise announcement on Thursday, revealing the car maker would switch to all electric vehicles by 2026 to give it a “strategic advantage” in the Australian market.

“There is no long-term future for cars with an internal combustion engine. So instead of investing in a shrinking business we choose to invest in the future, which is fully electric,” he said. “Globally, Volvo is firmly committed to becoming an electric-only car maker by 2030, but in Australia we will make the transition happen by 2026.

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