Sources: Volvo Penta Press Releases, IBI News, Boating, Trade Only Today
Volvo Group announced that the company will focus on sustainable solutions in all business areas, from trucks and buses through construction to its marine division. The group objective is to become a zero-emission company by 2050, at the latest.
As part of this changeover, the Volvo Penta division, the world leader in marine engine and propulsion systems, is cutting its outboard engines production and sales. This reverses a major acquisition the company made in 2017.
Seven Marine was acquired by Volvo Group in 2017 in a move to enter and expend the outboard engine market globally. Top models of Seven Marine, 527 hp, 577 hp and 627 hp, were launched in 2018 and quickly were recognized as the most powerful outboard engines in the world.
Volvo Penta integrated all Seven Marine outboards within the company’s Electronic Vessel Control (EVC) and associated solutions such as DuoProp in 2019. The Volvo Penta Integrated Outboard Experience was launched with the Tiara Sport 38LS. The system won the NMMA Innovation Award in the outboard category at the 2019 Miami Boat Show. Serial production was started at the Volvo Penta gasoline engines plant in Tennessee in February 2020.
However, despite this evident success, Volvo decided to stop selling and marketing the Seven Marine engines after Jan. 1, 2021. Further investments in the outboard segment do not meet the group’s new priorities. Deemed non-sustainable, the Volvo Penta outboard range will be discontinued once the 2020 demand is met.
Committed to achieve the ambitious goal of greater fuel efficiency and the zero CO2 emission in three decades, Volvo Penta is focusing now on new technologies and further development of its Integrated Propulsion System (IPS) and sterndrive engines. The electric, hybrid and renewable fuels are in the center of the research and development of sustainable solutions.
In order to give more visibility to the initiative, Volvo Penta is participating in the Science Based Targets movement promoted by the non-profit World Resources Institute. SBT provides companies with a clearly-defined path to reduce emissions in line with the Paris Agreement goals. PSR
Natasa Mulahalilovic is Marine Pleasure Boat Analyst Europe for Power Systems Research
