Volvo's New Product Roadmap Includes More Hybrids and Plug-In Hybrids
Like other automakers, Volvo is questioning its commitment to a fully electric future. The Swedish company recently revealed its plans to introduce ten new and updated models over the next two years, which will include a refresh of its flagship SUV and a few EVs.
Volvo plans to roll out a revised XC90 SUV and will begin sales of the all-electric EX90 at some point in the near future. Following that, we’ll see an EX60 electric crossover and an ES90 electric sedan. The automaker is also readying a plug-in hybrid crossover. In other markets, Volvo will release a new model and introduce more frequent updates to existing products.
The company recently noted a decision to pull back on some of its electrification targets, saying that it would instead focus on higher-volume mild- and plug-in hybrid vehicles. Volvo’s Chief Commercial Officer, Bjorn Annwall, told reporters, “We’re making sure that we’re going to keep the mild hybrid and the plug-in hybrid technology competitive and in the range until 2030 and beyond, if need be.”
Volvo’s upcoming plug-in hybrids promise a significant range bump over current models, with officials saying they would surpass the XC90 PHEV’s 33-mile range by a large margin. The automaker is also readying longer-range battery packs and more efficient electric motors that will aid in that pursuit.
The ES90 sedan will follow Volvo’s EX30 and EX90 SUVs, hitting the market with up to 400 miles of range on a charge. It will ride on Volvo’s SPA3 platform with in-house-developed electric motors and a targeted 93-percent efficiency rate with the new motors, an improvement from the company’s current 91-percent benchmark
[Images: Volvo]
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Chris grew up in, under, and around cars, but took the long way around to becoming an automotive writer. After a career in technology consulting and a trip through business school, Chris began writing about the automotive industry as a way to reconnect with his passion and get behind the wheel of a new car every week. He focuses on taking complex industry stories and making them digestible by any reader. Just don’t expect him to stay away from high-mileage Porsches.
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