Volvo Concept Recharge: the present and future of Volvo's electric cars

At an interesting technical event that covered many topics, from safety to software development, Volvo presented the intriguing Volvo Concept Recharge, which gives us a preview of what will be the second generation of Volvo electric cars.

Let’s remember that Volvo already has its first electric car on the market, the Volvo XC40 Recharge. In the road test of the electric XC40 we found how well the Swedish SUV performs, despite being an electrified version of a car that is also offered with combustion engines, and even as a plug-in hybrid.

But in future Volvo models there will be no combustion engine, which allows them to be built on a flat platform, like the one used in this Concept Recharge. The advantages are clear, as we are already seeing in other 100% electric cars designed from the start to run exclusively on batteries.

Designed to be 100% electric

For example, they can make use of a long wheelbase and large wheels, with very short overhangs. They can also do away with the central transmission tunnel, which means more interior space. In addition, placing the battery low and flat lowers the centre of gravity, which improves dynamic behaviour. The first Volvo to use this new platform will be the replacement for the XC90.

While we wait, the Concept Recharge prototype shows the direction Volvo’s designers have taken for the look of its future models. Without losing its signature features, such as the headlights shaped like “Thor’s Hammer”, aerodynamics will play a bigger role. The rear end, unusually vertical for the brand’s current style, is also recognisable as a Volvo model thanks to the distinctive shapes of the light clusters. The concept of rear doors opening in the opposite direction to the front ones and without a central pillar will be harder to bring to production. But remember, this is only a prototype.

The minimalist approach to the interior, however, is one to keep an eye on, as it will carry over to the brand’s future models. Sustainable materials for a more Scandinavian design than ever, and a new user experience thanks to the next generation of the infotainment system that Volvo is already working on, and the company will not forget to keep innovating in safety. The special LiDAR sensor located on the roof will be one of the key elements in the brand’s future models to keep advancing in autonomous driving.

Range and fast charging: target, 1,000 km on a single charge

Volvo has not disclosed technical details about the Concept Recharge’s propulsion system. But at its technical event it did make its goal clear: to produce battery cell technology that delivers more range and shorter charging times. We will see that in the future electric XC90, as well as in the replacement for the XC60, which will also be electric and will be unveiled in 2025.

For now, in the short term Volvo has announced the intention to increase the energy density of its battery cells by up to 50% compared with what is currently on the market, thanks to its collaboration with Northvolt. In a second step, the aim is to reach an energy density of 1000 Wh/l, in order to announce real-world ranges of 1,000 km.

As for charging, the XC90 will not only charge faster, it will also adopt bidirectional charging as standard. This will allow a Volvo driver to supply energy back to the grid when electricity is at its most expensive, and recharge the car when the tariff is lower.