autoevolution
 

Forget About The Volvo XC90: Its Successor Will Have a Proper Name

Before anything else, we apologize to our readers for writing about the next-generation XC90. But, in our defense, we didn’t know the current one would be the last. Håkan Samuelsson, Volvo’s CEO, clarified that to Automotive News at the Volvo Cars Tech Moment on June 30. According to him, the vehicle that will succeed the XC90 as the company’s flagship will have a proper name.
Volvo's Future Flagship 13 photos
Photo: Volvo
2023 Volvo XC90 rendering by Theottle2023 Volvo XC90 rendering by TheottleVolvo Concept Recharge new manifesto for Volvo Cars pure electric futureVolvo Concept Recharge new manifesto for Volvo Cars pure electric futureVolvo Concept Recharge new manifesto for Volvo Cars pure electric futureVolvo Concept Recharge new manifesto for Volvo Cars pure electric futureVolvo Concept Recharge new manifesto for Volvo Cars pure electric futureVolvo Concept Recharge new manifesto for Volvo Cars pure electric futureVolvo Concept Recharge new manifesto for Volvo Cars pure electric futureVolvo Concept Recharge new manifesto for Volvo Cars pure electric futureVolvo Concept Recharge new manifesto for Volvo Cars pure electric futureVolvo Concept Recharge new manifesto for Volvo Cars pure electric future
Automotive News said Volvo plans to give up the combination of letters and numbers with its new flagship SUV. Samuelsson said it would be unfair to name it just like a continuation to the XC90 when it is actually “the first of its kind.” A new name will help make it very clear.

Volvo’s CEO has a good point. After all, the new flagship will introduce the company’s first dedicated platform for electric vehicles, even if it carries over some of the components from the SPA (Scalable Product Architecture) that underpins the XC90. Samuelsson also promised it would only be sold online.

The executive also highlighted that it would be Volvo’s first car to have LiDAR as a standard equipment, V2G (vehicle-to-grid) capability, and Level 4 autonomous driving in places where local laws allow that to happen. Volvo’s version for an autonomous system will be called Ride Mode.

We’ll only get to know what the XC90 successor will be called in 2022 – when the production version will be revealed. Deliveries will only start in 2023. The car will be made in Volvo’s Ridgeville plant, where the company will also produce the Polestar 3 over the same dedicated EV platform. Automotive News is calling it the SPA2.

According to the article, all EVs based on this architecture and also a small crossover built over the Sustainable Experience Architecture (SEA) will follow a new nomenclature. That will leave us more curious than the cars themselves: if Volvo will not use letters and numbers combinations, what will be the logic followed by the new names? It will take a while for us to find out.
If you liked the article, please follow us:  Google News icon Google News Youtube Instagram X (Twitter)
About the author: Gustavo Henrique Ruffo
Gustavo Henrique Ruffo profile photo

Motoring writer since 1998, Gustavo wants to write relevant stories about cars and their shift to a sustainable future.
Full profile

 

Would you like AUTOEVOLUTION to send you notifications?

You will only receive our top stories