If this is the electric Volvo of 2026, the future might not be all bad
When Volvo replaces the XC90 SUV next year, it will do it using a new platform, called a spa2, which includes the battery-electric version option. As a smaller car maker, Volvo must use its resources wisely, which means designing vehicles with such flexibility. But it’s not longer. Just like spa2 leads in the new range of Battery EVs for Swedish companies, Volvo will switch from internal combustion engines around the middle of the decade.
Volvo has worked on what happened next, and on Wednesday it gave us a glimpse of the future with the concept of rechargeable. Think of it as the next XC90 – one XC90, Volvo’s idea for what great EV, luxury must be in 2025 or 2026.
The large part of powertrain is battery, so there is a long wheelbase with a short and rear front. This package is fully structural, with cells sandwiched between two sheets of metal. The battery, then, is the monocoque chassis floor, reducing the overall weight of EV and therefore increases range efficiency. In 2030, Volvo and his partner Northvolt planned to produce 70 GWh batteries every year, and Volvo said that at that time, he hoped to increase energy density past 1 kWh / l.
No need to pack the machine allow lower hoods, and no more grille. But the “Palu Thor” headlights that are familiar are still in front. (I can see some similarities with the Polestar Presept concept there too.) At the back, there is an elegant signature of the LED taillights that Volvo can recognize. It’s just that, don’t expect it’s still called XC90; Volvo said he would start using the real name for his vehicle at that time instead of the alphanumeric code that we knew today.
Volvo said he was using the next generation EV architecture as an excuse to clean some cruft. Over the past few decades, the addition of safety features and new comfort for our car has become an additional process. Suppliers will develop new ABS modules or seat controllers, and OEM then integrate it, add a new black box and some extra-plus cable a lot of code does not enter the architecture of the vehicle. But over time, the black boxes have breeded, and now there are more than a hundred of them in a large car like XC90.
All this explains why Volvo moved to a centralized approach. It will replace as many distributed modules as well as the core computing system, both to simplify and separate the hardware of the software, move the latter at home to less dependent on suppliers.
A core computer trio (powered by NVIDIA GPU) will work together – one interpret input from various lidar, cameras, and other sensors, one manages general computing, and the third handles infotainment needs. Like VW, Volvo writes OS car itself, but still will work with Google and use Android automotive for infotainment.
Finally, Volvo did not leave the idea of a car that pushed himself – at least some time. At the event, the company explained how to think about the topic, remove the complicated (and, frankly, never intended for the public) SAE levels for concepts that are much simpler: drives, cruise, and ride. Modern Volvo can do the first two; “Drive” is when humans do all the work, and “cruise” is an electronic safety net that (when engaged) maintains your speed on the highway and keeps you completely controlled. When Volvo starts adding “Ride” to the car, the feature will only operate under a strict controlled state (also called the operational design domain), most likely on a limited highway.