Volvo Cars Korea said Monday it will no longer offer pure diesel or gasoline cars starting with its 2021 models and instead sell only hybrid cars.

According to the automaker, Volvo cars will be available only in mild hybrid or plug-in hybrid vehicles starting with its 2021 models in Korea, as it aims to become carbon neutral by 2040.

Korea will be the first country where Volvo won’t sell pure diesel cars at all, the company said.

Volvo Cars Korea will replace D5, T4, T5 and T6 internal combustion engines with new B4, B5, B6 and T8 hybrid powertrains which offer 197, 250, 300 and 405 horsepower, respectively.

A powertrain, which consists of a car’s engine, transmission and driveshaft, provides energy to the vehicle. A hybrid powertrain, by adding one or more electric motors to a conventional system, enhances the car’s fuel efficiency and reduces carbon emissions.

Volvo’s new standard B powertrain series can boost fuel efficiency by 10 percent and cut carbon dioxide emissions by 7 grams per kilometer.

“Our new eco-friendly powertrain is a responsible solution not only on the road but to the world. It will take our vehicles to the next level, making them more environment friendly, efficient, and above all, more fun to drive,” Volvo Cars Korea CEO Lee Yoon-mo said.

By Kim Byung-wook (kbw@heraldcorp.com)