Automotive News Europe learned from people who attended the meeting that those five EVs will be crossovers of different sizes, joined by a sedan, and two swoopy wagons billed as “activity vehicles.” Dealers also had the opportunity to see the next-generation S90 sedan and XC90 SUV with a PHEV setup. The latter is expected to change its name to Embla, although nothing is official at this point.

According to the same report, the new wave of zero-emission models will store the battery pack underneath a completely flat floor. This layout suggests Volvo has engineered a dedicated EV platform with a longer wheelbase and shorter overhangs. The bigger distance between the axles will bring dividends in terms of legroom for rear passengers.

Dealers have been informed the first of the bunch will be a fullsize, three-row SUV with styling cues adapted from the Concept Recharge pictured here. The company’s target is to sell approximately 20,000 units in 2023. A separate crossover positioned between the XC60 and XC90 is rumored to hit the market around 2025, with an objective to sell around 100,000 units per year.

In addition, the Geely-owned marque is working on an all-electric XC60 as well as an entry-level crossover positioned below the XC40. At the same meeting in Miami, Volvo told dealers about the advancements it’s making in autonomous driving technology with LIDAR sensors.

As a final note, Volvo’s EV spinoff Polestar is also preparing a series of models due to arrive before the middle of the decade. The two companies have promised to go the extra mile and give the vehicles their own identities rather than resorting to rebadged products.

Source: Automotive News

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Interestingly, Automotive News is now reporting an additional model that will do without a combustion engine is in the pipeline. Citing two people familiar with Volvo’s agenda, AN mentions an electric crossover will enter production at the beginning of 2025 in the United States. If the report is accurate, the newcomer will be positioned between the XC60 and XC90 in the firm’s expanding SUV lineup.

Believed to be known internally by its “V546” codename, the new Volvo EV will be assembled at the factory in North Charleston, South Carolina. The Geely-owned marque plans to build 40,000 units at the plant in North America, with another 60,000 to be assembled in China. AN specifies output in the People’s Republic is programmed to commence by the end of 2024.

The model in question is said to ride on a newly developed platform engineered exclusively for electric vehicles. It makes sense since Volvo has already announced it will abandon cars with combustion engines by the end of the decade to offer a purely electric lineup. This rumored SUV doesn’t have a name just yet, but it could eschew the traditional “XC” moniker in favor of a real name.

Other details are scarce for the time being, although the report goes on to point out the midsize-to-large SUV will benefit from a highly advanced autonomous driving system. It could have support for level 3 considering Mercedes has already received a global certification for the S-Class and EQS. However, it’s better to wait for an official confirmation, which will probably come at a later date since a Volvo spokesperson denied to comment on the report when contacted by AN.

Source: Automotive News

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Smaller than the XC40 Recharge and the swoopy C40 Recharge pictured here, the entry-level electric model from Volvo is also said to adopt an actual name rather than using the traditional alphanumeric nomenclature. If we were to rely on a new report from Autocar, the model in question will therefore not be called XC20 or C20 as previously believed.

Much like the XC90 successor, the more compact Volvo EV will adopt a sleeker bodywork to maximize efficiency to achieve a greater range before having to recharge. It could become the first model from the company to utilize underpinnings developed by parent company Geely. Specifically, the Sustainable Experience Architecture (SEA), which has already served as a basis for the new Zeekr brand and its 001 shooting brake in China. In addition, SEA will be used by the electric Smart crossover.

Technical specifications remain shrouded in mystery at the moment of writing, but it’s worth pointing out the Zeekr 001 comes with a choice between 86- and 100-kWh battery packs for up to 700 kilometers (435 miles) of range. Once it’s depleted, the battery can be replenished at an impressive charging speed of 360 kW.

Based on the same report, the new EV is believed to take the shape of a compact crossover and therefore go after the Mercedes EQA. It’s unclear when the market launch is planned, with Autocar only saying it’s scheduled to arrive “in the coming years.”

Source: Autocar

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The full name of the all-electric SUV could be Embla according to a recently discovered trademark filing. The first model from the Swedish brand in more than 50 years to do away with the alphanumeric designation could use the name of the first female in Norse mythology, which would make perfect sense given Volvo’s tradition.

Offered exclusively with an EV powertrain, the XC90 successor is said to have a completely flat floor layout and will serve as a foundation for a more dynamic version taking the shape of the Polestar 3. Volvo’s head honcho told ANE it will be a true electric-only vehicle by not making any compromises associated with EVs that use platforms shared with combustion-engined cars.

The top brass at the Geely-owned automaker went on to say it’ll be a “great product” destined to hit the market in the near future, with details regarding technical specifications and final name to be announced closer to launch. Expect a high seating position and ample legroom for passengers sitting in the back, along with a generous greenhouse for great visibility all-around.

While the Volvo Embla is going to be offered with three rows of seats, the equivalent Polestar 3 will come exclusively with a two-row layout and a more sloped roofline to give it a sleeker profile. Another difference between the two will be the extra power of the Polestar version, but the Volvo will also offer a dual-motor configuration with all-wheel drive.

Production of both electric SUVs will take place at the company’s Ridgeville factory in South Carolina. The Volvo Embla and Polestar 3 are going to be officially revealed next year and should be marketed as 2023MY products in the United States. Further down the line, a bigger electric SUV previewed by the Concept Recharge pictured here will slot above the XC90 successor.

Source: Automotive News, Drive

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Getting rid of leather is easier said than done as the Geely-owned brand must remain a luxury car manufacturer at its core. Some would argue a leather-free interior is not worthy of premium car status, but we’d beg to differ and so would Volvo. What are the substitutes? Sustainable materials created using bio-based and recycled sources while making sure they’re high-quality enough to meet the firm’s standards as well as the expectations of a luxury car buyer.

A relevant example of an eco-friendly material used by Volvo is its new Nordico, consisting of textiles originating from recycled materials like PET bottles. It also uses bio-attributed material from sustainable forests in Finland and Sweden, and even corks recycled from wine bottles. We will be seeing this interior material in next-generation models, likely the new XC90 debuting in 2022.

At the same time, Volvo says it will continue to offer wool blend options, but only if it’s provided by suppliers who source the goods in a sustainable manner, without negatively impacting our already fragile environment. Another way to protect Mother Earth is by diminishing the use of residual products from livestock production for making rubber, plastics, adhesives, and lubricants.

Other methods to become greener announced by Volvo include targeting 25% of all interior materials to consist of recycled and bio-based content by 2025 when it wants all of its immediate suppliers to exclusively use renewable energy.

Source: Volvo

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The production version debuting next year will pave the way for a new era of electric models from Volvo and it will take the shape of a flagship SUV molded after the Concept Recharge. The Geely-owned marque says it will have a proper name rather than being called XC90 Recharge or the long-rumored XC100.

By riding on a dedicated electric platform without the limitations of a combustion-engined vehicle, Volvo’s engineers are able to shorten the overhangs to maximize wheelbase for greater interior legroom. Without having to cool down a gasoline or diesel engine, the designers removed the front grille, replacing it with a “shield-like structure” flanked by a fresh take on the corporate Thor’s Hammer headlights.

An impressively flat rear end accommodates extended taillights – a signature design trait for Volvos – that form an “L” with the horizontal light strip on the tailgate. At higher speeds, there’s a set of wings extending to increase the SUV’s aerodynamic efficiency, further improved by the gently sweptback shape of the roof.

Concept Recharge is also a window into future Volvo interiors, which will be fitted with a fully digital instrument cluster accompanied by a portrait-oriented touchscreen display measuring a generous 15 inches. The concept’s suicide doors are unlikely to make it to production, but that roof-mounted LiDAR sensor will come as standard equipment.

With the minimalist interior, Volvo is going for a “truly Scandinavian living room feeling” by using natural and sustainable materials. While the Concept Recharge features a four-seat layout, expect the subsequent production model to have five or more seats. We’re hoping the massive sunroof will find its way on the road-going electric SUV to make the cabin feel airy.

Volvo’s target is to become an EV-only brand by the end of the decade, and to make that happen, several zero-emissions models are in the pipeline. Beyond the XC40 / C40 Recharge and the production version of the Concept Recharge, there are plans to give the next-gen XC60 an EV version, with wagons and sedans also set to lose their combustion engines sooner or later.

Volvo is already working on tech that will enable its future EVs to cover as much as 1,000 kilometers (621 miles) in the real world by achieving a 1000 Wh/l energy density milestone. It has teamed up with Swedish battery company Northvolt in a joint effort to increase the energy density in its batteries by 50% compared to current battery packs.

Source: Volvo

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The range-topping SUV in the company’s portfolio hasn’t been spotted testing yet and the technical specifications remain pretty much shrouded in mystery. We do know straight from Volvo it will have what officials refer to as “state-of-the-art sensors,” including standard LiDAR tech created by Luminar. Not only that, but the electric XC90 will also boast a sophisticated autonomous driving computer powered by the system-on-a-chip Nvidia Drive Orin also as standard equipment.

Volvo claims these new features coming to the next XC90 will drive down the risk of collisions and the automaker hopes the reduction rate will be accelerated by tweaking the system with over-the-air updates. OTA means owners will benefit from greater safety tech even after purchasing the vehicle, with Volvo promising continuous revisions to the software.

The all-electric XC90 is going to receive the company’s Highway Pilot autonomous driving system tailored to highway use. Offered as optional equipment, it will only be available to customers in countries where the system will be legally allowed. It’s going to work with the LiDAR and a variety of backup systems necessary for automatically steering and braking the vehicle, effectively creating an unsupervised autonomous driving scenario in a safe manner.

The news about an XC90 EV comes only a few days after Volvo’s announcement about offering an electric version of the next-gen XC60 as well. These will join the XC40 Recharge and C40 models in the firm’s zero-emissions lineup, which will continue to grow in the coming years. Ultimately, combustion-engined models will be phased out by the end of the decade.

Source: Volvo

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The official announcement is tucked away in a press release talking about Volvo creating a 50/50 joint venture with Swedish battery company Northvolt to develop and manufacture batteries. These will be put to good use not only in next-gen Volvo models, but also in the sportier vehicles due to be launched by the standalone Polestar brand later this decade.

The two companies are setting up an R&D center at home in Sweden that will commence operations next year, with a Gigafactory to follow in 2026 somewhere in Europe. Volvo and Northvolt are targeting an annual production capacity of 50-gigawatt hours (GWh). In the meantime, the Geely-owned automaker will secure 15 GWh of battery cells each year starting 2024 from Northvolt’s current battery factory in Skellefteå.

Northvolt will also play a key role in helping Volvo secure the necessary battery cells to achieve its 2025 target when EVs are expected to represent 50% of all sales. The next-generation XC60 will be the first model to benefit from the next-gen batteries developed in association with Northvolt. Additional details are limited at this point, but we might find out more on June 30 when the automaker will hold a Volvo Cars Tech Moment about what it’s planning for the years ahead.

We already know that no fewer than five EVs will be launched between now and 2025 to join the XC40 Recharge and its recently unveiled coupe-styled C40 counterpart. One of them could be an all-electric version of the next-gen XC90 flagship SUV coming next year, but we’re also expecting sedans and even wagons to lose the combustion engine in the foreseeable future.

Source: Volvo

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Sold exclusively online as all electric Volvos from now on, the new C40 carries over the hardware arrangement from the conventionally styled XC40 Recharge. It will have the same all-wheel-drive layout provided by one electric motor mounted at the front and another at the rear, good for 402 horsepower and a near-instant torque of 660 Nm (487 lb-ft).

Having largely the same weight, size, and an identical powertrain, the C40’s performance chops perfectly match those of the XC40 Recharge. In other words, the 0 to 60 mph run is completed in 4.7 seconds and the electric crossover-coupe will reach an electronically governed 112 mph (180 km/h). As a refresher, all new Volvos have a top speed limiter programmed to kick in at that velocity.

Volvo cites an estimated WLTP range of 420 kilometers for the European model and an EPA-rated 210 miles for the North America version. After the battery is depleted, it takes 40 minutes to fast-charge at 150 kW from zero to 80% through a DC connection.

You’ll be happy to hear the cargo capacity hasn’t suffered following the repositioned roofline as the C40 Recharge has virtually the same storage volume as the XC40 Recharge, at 413 liters or just one liter less than the vehicle it’s based on. Needless to say, the frunk’s capacity hasn’t changed, at 31 liters.

Volvo points out that while the XC40 Recharge is sold alongside conventionally powered versions of the crossover, the new C40 Recharge won’t be available with combustion engines. In addition, it’s the first model from the brand in the modern era that doesn’t come with leather whatsoever.

The Geely-owned brand will roll out over-the-air updates following the vehicle’s launch, bringing improved range as was the case with the XC40 Recharge’s OTA earlier this week. Meanwhile, the C40 Recharge will go on sale later in 2021, with production starting this fall.

Five additional EVs will be launched by Volvo between now and 2025, with the ultimate goal being to offer a purely electric lineup by 2030.

Source: Volvo

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To get there, a bevy of EVs are going to be launched in the next years, kicking off with the C40 crossover-coupe due to be unveiled later today. A more stylish derivative of the XC40 Recharge, the second electric vehicle from Volvo will be followed by five additional zero-emissions models by 2025. A teaser image provides an aerial view of the newcomers, but without any details regarding their identities.

There have been reports in the past about the next-generation XC90 midsize luxury SUV spawning an EV version, so it might be one of the new models teased here. In addition, people familiar with Volvo’s agenda are claiming a bigger XC100 is in the works and it too could forgo the combustion engine. A couple of smaller electric cars seem to be teased here, presumably for the 60 Series of models.

According to the firm’s Chief Technology Officer, Henrik Green, “there is no long-term future for cars with an internal combustion engine. We are firmly committed to becoming an electric-only car maker and the transition should happen by 2030.”

Interestingly, Volvo says all of its future EV offerings are going to be sold exclusively online as the company aims to increase its focus on online sales going forward. 2030 is seen as the cut-off date for the ICE entirely, meaning hybrid powertrains will also become a thing of the past within the next nine years.

As a refresher, Jaguar is fast-tracking the transition to EVs by announcing plans to abandon cars with combustion engines as early as 2025.

Source: Volvo

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