Volvo Cars is leaning into a cleaner, greener future, arguably more aggressively than any legacy automaker.
The Swedish automaker's 2023 model year lineup in the U.S. is mild hybrid, hybrid or electric only. Globally, Volvo intends to go all-electric by 2030 and carbon neutral by 2040.
Starting next year, Volvo will launch seven new and redesigned electrified models, including five battery-electric vehicles, the company told dealers in February.
"We are now looking at things through the lens of electrification," Volvo Cars CEO Jim Rowan told Automotive News Europe last month. "We are totally focused on battery-electric vehicles."
The battery pack in the next-generation electric vehicles will sit under the flat floor, letting designers extend the wheelbase and create more interior space. The design also enables a lower hood and roofline for enhanced aerodynamics without compromising visibility.
The first EV will be a three-row large crossover that will arrive next year and borrow styling cues from the Concept Recharge prototype. Volvo expects to sell about 20,000 units of the crossover next year, dealers were told.
Also in the pipeline are an all-electric version of the XC60 midsize crossover and an EV positioned below the compact XC40.
Elsewhere in the lineup, the automaker has trimmed its long-roof models, and the long-term prospects for those nameplates in the U.S. are uncertain, with the market's waning enthusiasm for wagons.Volvo says it sold just 456 V60s last year, down 65 percent from 2020. Just 168 V90s were delivered in 2021 compared with 279 a year earlier.
Electric large crossover: Volvo will offer an electric large crossover, similar to the XC90, the brand's top-of-the-line model, in the second half of next year.
The U.S.-built crossover is based on the electric-only SPA2 platform and will include advanced safety and automated driving technologies. Its front fascia features a closed grille and headlights that retain Volvo's signature Thor's Hammer design but sport a unique lighting feature that mimics an opening eye.
Electric midsize crossover: An all-electric version of the XC60 crossover arrives in the first half of 2025. A dealer described it as being larger, sportier and more off-road-capable — with a new front and rear design. It also has a newly designed instrument cluster and a floating center display inside.
The vehicle is based on the Geely Group-developed SEA 2 platform, which stands for Sustainable Experience Architecture. The electric-only modular platform, shared by multiple brands, can support sedan and utility models from subcompacts to full size.
XC40 Recharge: The battery-powered version of the XC40 midsize crossover receives a new front bumper and a frameless grille plate for the 2023 model year. The signature Thor's Hammer headlights take a new shape and offer pixel LED light technology.
The dual-motor XC40 Recharge delivers 402 hp and an EPA-estimated 208 miles of range. A redesign should come in 2026.
C40 Recharge: The battery-powered sporty version of the XC40 arrived in the spring. It fills the space previously occupied by specialty and sporty coupes such as the Volvo C70 and Bertone Coupe.
The C40 Recharge features a closed grille and a new front fascia design. The dual-motor EV is based on Volvo's Compact Modular Architecture platform and powered by a 78-kilowatt-hour battery that delivers 210 miles on a full charge. The next-generation C40 arrives in 2026.
Electric subcompact crossover: The electric crossover arriving in the U.S. by 2026 will slot below the XC40 Recharge. It could be built in China on the SEA platform.
XC90: Volvo has confirmed there will not be a third-generation XC90 large crossover with a combustion engine or plug-in hybrid powertrain, though the brand indicates the current generations of each may get updates.
XC60: Volvo's bestseller received an update last year that delivered a 48-volt mild-hybrid powertrain and the Android Automotive infotainment system. It's unclear whether the XC60 midsize crossover will be redesigned or simply continue to receive updates.
XC40: The compact crossover moves to all mild-hybrid powertrain options and gains Google's Android-powered infotainment system in a freshening this year. XC40 production ends in 2026, and a next generation is not planned, according to AutoForecast Solutions.
S90: The large sedan received a 48-volt mild-hybrid powertrain and the addition of the Android Automotive infotainment system last year. A redesign will arrive in 2024. According to a dealer, the next-gen sedan has a raised profile and updated rear lighting. A large floating center display anchors an all-new interior.
V90: Volvo pulled the standard gasoline-powered V90 large wagon from the U.S. this year. But the raised V90 Cross Country remains in the lineup and features a 2.0-liter turbo-four that pumps out 316 hp. Another generation of the large wagon is not expected.
S60: Volvo's entry-level sedan received a 48-volt mild-hybrid powertrain and the addition of Android Automotive infotainment last year. A freshening coming this year for the 2023 model year brings a new front grille design and tweaked rear bumper inserts. A redesign is expected in 2025.
V60: Volvo has stopped selling the gasoline version of its standard compact wagon in the U.S. But the raised V60 Cross Country wagon will be freshened in the second half of 2022. It is available with a 2.0-liter turbo-four that delivers 250 hp. A plug-in hybrid variant combines a supercharged and turbocharged gasoline engine with an electric motor for a combined 415 hp. A redesign of the Cross Country could arrive mid-decade in a more SUV-like body style.
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