Photo: Mick Haupt on Unsplash / kolesaru on Instagram / Edited
Should Volvo electrify the V60 and the V90? That wasn't even supposed to be questioned, considering the Chinese-owned Swedish car brand is on track to abandon the internal combustion engine. But we might soon see more than just battery-electric crossovers, SUVs, and minivans wearing the iconic Volvo emblem. The CEO just gave us the first official hint.
Europeans are lucky. They already get to buy all-electric wagons. Peugeot, for example, makes the e-308 SW. Volkswagen will soon open the order books for the ID.7 Tourer. China's NIO also taunts people living on the Old Continent with the ET5 Touring (aka ET5t). BMW's getting ready to officially launch the i5 Touring. The auto industry is finally figuring out what to do with the skateboard architecture, and customers should be the winners.
Volvo dipped its toes in the all-electric world with the C40 Recharge and the XC40 Recharge. With a pre-tax price of around $53,000, the two models helped the brand discover what its customers want. Geely financed the effort because it anticipated that Volvo would keep its share of the auto market as we moved to a zero-emission world, even though Polestar was identified as an "in-house threat."
French Volvo representatives, for example, expressed their worries about the young brand that's supposed to become what Lexus and Acura represent for Toyota and Honda, respectively. France even blocked Polestar's presence in the hexagon-shaped country because its logo resembled Citroen's chevron too much. Fortunately, they settled that last year.
The EX30 and EX90, however, prove that Volvo is carving a new way forward for itself without betraying its roots. Soon, the EX60 – the all-electric version of the popular XC60 – should join the small crossover SUV and the three-row SUV in giving the world's most important markets more options when choosing a new zero-emission ride.
But the EX60 might remain under wraps for a bit more time because Volvo's CEO is mulling the creation of an all-electric wagon. Jim Rowan reminded his followers about the Volvo 850 and its square design with large, windowed surfaces and put the V90 into the spotlight at the same time. He might be giving us subtle confirmation that something is in the pipeline.
Photo: kolesaru / Instagram
A proper all-electric wagon built on a dedicated platform would allow for a sizeable battery to be installed on the floor. Since the high-voltage energy storage unit can help maintain a lower center of gravity and automatically enhance structural resistance, a zero-emission V90 would be a great addition to Volvo's portfolio.
The automaker could call it the "eV90." However, the most interesting prospect brought forward by such a project would be the creation of an "eV90" Cross Country. People who dislike crossovers would immediately consider switching to a more sensible option, like a wagon that boasts an improved ground clearance and no ride quality compromises. The Scalable Product Architecture 2 (SPA2) platform could accommodate such an idea.
If Volvo brings forward a battery-electric V90 and V90 Cross Country, the brand might just convince more people that there's more to the zero-emission car world than Tesla. Slap the 402-hp or the 510-hp Performance twin-motor solution found on the EX90 on these two all-electric successors for the well-known V90 and V90 CC and give them the generous 111-kWh battery. That would be enough to attract buyers' attention.
If Volvo starts manufacturing the "eV90" and "eV90 CC", let's just hope they can keep the curb weight below the 5,000-lb threshold and the MSRP at an acceptable level. The wagon should be more affordable than the seven-seater SUV with a starting price of "under $80,000."
Car shows on TV and his father's Fiat Tempra may have been Florin's early influences, but nowadays he favors different things, like the power of an F-150 Raptor. He'll never be able to ignore the shape of a Ferrari though, especially a yellow one. Full profile
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