The Volvo EX60 wasn’t just a new battery-electric SUV. It served as a statement of intent. The opening salvo in Volvo’s product blitz. Now, the Swedish automaker has revealed the next step, which will see it introduce 13 new cars: seven for the western countries and six specifically for China. It consists of full EVs and hybrids tailored for every region where Volvo has a presence. Every model will be software-defined, featuring compting power from NVIDIA and Qualcomm, as well as consistent over-the-air updates.
Let’s start with what we’re not getting. The six cars made specifically for China and select other markets feature their own tech stack. Additionally, they’ll share common platforms and components with other brands in the Geely umbrella. That allows Volvo to bring the vehicles to market faster. The first of these was the reborn XC70, which arrived as a plug-in hybrid. In addition, these vehicles will be locally produced, utilitizing existing plants in Taizhou, Daqing, and Chengdu.
Volvo: The Electrification Continues
Now for the good stuff. For western markets, Volvo announced that it will introduce seven new vehicles. These feature the technologies introduced in the EX60, including the SPA3 platform and the HuginCore tech stack. Additionally, the third generation hybrid system complements the EV models, all while leveraging past investments. We already know the next vehicle coming from this group: the EX50, a small SUV based on the SPA3 platform and manufactured at Volvo’s new Kosice, Slovakia plant. Meanwhile, the so-called “low” cars are likely the ES60 sedan and wagon respectively. Both are likely SPA3 vehicles, too. On the other hand, the large cars and mixed propulson models for the U.S. are likely the next-generation XC90 and XC60.
These vehicles aim to put Volvo in a stronger position. By leveraging existing components, specifically the plug-in hybrids, its new SPA3 EV-only platform, the HuginCore tech stack and synergizing with Geely, it can better tailor its vehicles to every region. We can’t wait to see these new models, especially the so-called “low cars” and the second SPA3 vehicle. If the EX60 and the updated plug-in hybrids are any indication, these new models have game-changing potential.
Source: Volvo
