Volvo Concept Recharge revealed, previews future EVs
Volvo has unveiled the Volvo Concept Recharge show car. This model previews Volvo's fully electric future models and is a significant departure from the piston engine-based design theme of its current range.
The Volvo Concept Recharge previews a new design language for Volvo. Many of the brand signature styling elements have been reinterpreted to suit an EV architecture. So the grille has been replaced by a shield-like blank space while the Thor's Hammer headlamps have been slimmed down and now incorporate the latest HD lighting. The vertical tail lamps have again been condensed, with added fins that are deployed at higher speeds to improve aerodynamic efficiency.
With the engine no longer there and a battery pack placed underneath the floor, the Volvo Concept Recharge features shorter overhangs and a lengthened wheelbase while the wheel sizes have also been increased. This has resulted in shorter overhangs and much more interior room, in contrast to the middle-ground that was reached with the earlier XC40, XC60 and XC90. With the EV architecture's new packaging, the Concept Recharge's bonnet line and roofline have been optimised.
On the inside, this new architecture has allowed designers to reposition seats, improve ingress/egress through large scissor doors. There is a flat floor inside and more space while sustainable materials have been used here. As is becoming the norm with these EVs, there is a large free-standing 15-inch screen. Driver assistance is handled by the new LiDAR-based system co-developed by Volvo with Luminar.
There is no word yet on the Volvo Concept Recharge's power outputs or its launch date, although this could well preview the next Volvo XC90. The Swedish brand has set itself some of the more ambitious electrification goals, especially in India. Volvo wants EVs to account for 80 per cent sales in India by 2025 and all sales globally by 2030. The Volvo XC40 Recharge EV has already been previewed here.
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