Big changes are coming at Volvo. We know this because the brand has pledged to go all-electric by 2030, yet currently, here in 2021, the XC40 Recharge is the only pure-electric Volvo-branded vehicle one can buy in a dealership. (The C40 Recharge is available online.) So…Volvo will need a bunch of new cars.
We know a bit about what changes are coming. Volvo SUVs make up around 75 percent of sales. So the next generation will be more SUV-centric, paring back the traditional sedan and wagon lineup. And now, Volvo has offered us a glimpse of what that change will look like with the Concept Recharge, which looks a bit like a V60 Cross Country from the future.
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VolvoUnlike the current Volvo electric cars, the new EVs will use a dedicated EV architecture. And like other EVs running on those platforms, Volvos will get a longer wheelbase with shorter overhangs and flat floors to maximize interior space. Concept Recharge employs a lower hood for better sightlines and aerodynamics. There’s a LIDAR sensor at the front of the roof.
Volvo says it will continue using its Scandinavian minimalism design aesthetic, which has produced some of the best car interiors around, and incorporate sustainable materials.
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VolvoHow will Volvo resolve the great EV grille conundrum (electric cars don’t need grilles but look weird without them)? The space where the grille on a combustion car would be will have a “shield-like structure” with a diagonal bar and logo as a nod to the original design.
