The Swedish vehicle industry is now very focused on technologies that increase fuel efficiency in order to comply with the EU Directive Regulation CE/443 of 2009 that sets emission performance standards for new passenger cars as part of the EU's integrated approach to reduce CO2 emissions.

Increasingly, customers are seeking more fuel-efficient vehicles. The research focus from the industry has been to make the ICE more efficient, and governmental funding has promoted further efforts in the field of batteries and EV.

In the future, plug-in hybrids, pure electric vehicles, and perhaps fuel cell vehicles will be seen as an viable purchase alternative for consumers when compared the an traditional ICE vehicle. One big challenge will be the development of batteries that will operate well in the harsh climate of the Nordic winter.

Future sales of hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) in Nordic countries may have gotten a huge boost after the successful 2011 “Winter Test” results for three HEV models in the Finnish magazine Tekniikan Maailma.

Volvo C30 all electric. Image courtesy of Volvo.