Volvo has announced it will go fully electric by 2030, and at a tech event on Wednesday, the Swedish automaker unveiled its Concept Recharge, showcasing its vision for where things are heading.
Volvo’s electric vehicles will run on the company’s proprietary operating system, featuring in-house-developed software, a central computing platform, and LIDAR-informed driver assistance systems for all its vehicles. The automaker also revealed more details about a collaboration with battery supplier Northvolt that could enable the company to transition to a cell-to-pack strategy, sounding similar to Tesla’s structural pack approach, by the mid-2020s.
The Concept Recharge is a preview of a future flagship electric production vehicle that marks the beginning of Volvo’s design for vehicles without accommodations for internal combustion. This is a different approach than the next-generation XC90 SUV, available in 2023 in both electric and hybrid versions.
As presented by Senior Design Vice President Robin Page, the Concept Recharge showcases the flexibility of a dedicated EV design, featuring a longer wheelbase, shorter front and rear overhangs, greater emphasis on aerodynamics, and a more spacious cabin with flexible seating. It introduces a new interface, with a “floating” instrument display above the steering wheel and a next-generation 15-inch infotainment system. The vehicle also debuts a new generation of Volvo’s Thor’s Hammer front headlight design and a set of more vertical rear lights.
Volvo will deviate from its current nomenclature with the electric crossover, likely in the mid-2020s. It will have a name instead of being part of the “XC” alphanumeric family, said CEO Håkan Samuelsson.
For future Volvo vehicles, starting with the XC90 next year, Volvo will incorporate Luminar Lidar and a “one pilot” strategy, meaning a single central processing system will be responsible for three modes of operation: Drive, Cruise, and Ride.
Volvo seems to suggest that its driver assistance features will be included in all its vehicles. “If it’s technology that can save lives, it’s very hard to see that as optional,” said CEO Håkan Samuelsson.
Moreover, Volvo is moving toward a distributed computing system, with VolvoCarsOS at the core. To achieve this, it is transitioning from a strategy that currently involves various pieces of compiled code from suppliers and moving internally. It’s shifting to a single centralized computer for the entire vehicle; in its current form, the system uses two—one primarily for vehicle control and the other for autonomous capability.
Volvo also outlined three battery development stages, moving from the current Gen 1 battery setup to a Gen 2 system using cells and modules in a skateboard design, and then, by the mid-2020s, to a Gen 3 “sandwich” battery, where the upper housing of the pack will actually be the vehicle floor. It promises over a 20% increase in specific energy over Gen 2.
Through these advancements, Volvo anticipates achieving 700 watt-hours per liter with the evolution of current cell technologies, with energy density in the range of 1 kWh per liter possible with solid-state technology.
Volvo is developing technology and cars that can use it in conjunction with battery supplier Northvolt. Northvolt recently acquired Cuberg for its solid-state technology and is closely linked with VW; however, VW appears to be favoring QuantumScape’s solid-state technology. Northvolt and Volvo are working together to build a raw material and component ecosystem, while Volvo is moving towards producing its “e-machine” propulsion components in Sweden.
Volvo and Northvolt announced last week that they will begin producing 15 GWh of cells annually in Sweden from 2024, and then jointly build a “gigafactory” generating 50 GWh per year, powered by 100% clean energy, in Europe by 2026.
Over the next two battery generations, Volvo is also aiming for significant charging advancements: approximately four times the regained range in the same time as today, with 15 minutes and 80% target, regardless of battery size. It also sees a WLTP range of 900 km (560 miles) as achievable with the Gen 3 strategy and an evolution of current cell technology.
Henrik Green, CTO of Volvo, emphasized that with these advances, Volvo is no longer talking about platforms with longevity and antiquity. “We’re talking about several generations of the same technology,” said Green, noting that advancements won’t always align with platforms, under a strategy that “requires every single part of the car to evolve as fast as possible.”
So, while Volvo’s Gen 1 battery might have been launched, and Gen 2 is set to arrive next year, the automaker won’t wait until the vehicle is redesigned to update the technology.
However, the Recharge Concept is not just a flagship; according to Volvo, it demonstrates the design philosophy it plans to carry to all its next-generation cars, which, given the entirely different technology on board, doesn’t hesitate to move rapidly into the future.
