When it gets it next big overhaul in 2022, the Volvo XC90 will comes in an all-electric variant. This is according to a report by Autocar website, which cites comments made by Volvo CEO Hakan Samuelsson.
Last October Volvo unveiled its first all-electric model, the XC40 Recharge, and Volvo said last Friday that that model has generated “several thousands of firm orders”.
Presumably, those numbers have convinced the brain-trust at Volvo that it’s on track to reach the target it set itself a few years ago of having half of its sales consist of all-electric vehicles by 2025. Hybrid models will, it believes, make up the rest of the company’s sales.
The redesigned XC90 will sit on an updated version of the SPA (Scalable Product Architecture) platform that we first saw with the current XC90. The electric variant, presumably to be called the XC90 Recharge, will hit the market after the XC40 Recharge. The battery pack would be enclosed in a safety cage under the middle part of the floor, lowering the vehicle’s centre of gravity.
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We can expect to see hybrid and plug-in hybrid versions to be developed as well.
The next XC90 will likely also integrate several autonomous driving functions. Particularly it will probably come with a higher level of self-driving capability on certain highways, much like Cadillac with its Super Cruise system.
There’s another notable change coming with the next generation of the XC90. Currently, Volvo models destined for the North American market are built by the company in Sweden. The next edition will likely come out of the Volvo plant located near Charlestion, South Carolina. That factory currently produces the S60 sedan for the entire globe.