This is the new electric Volvo XC90

With 2014 as the year of birth, the current second generation of the Volvo XC90 is certainly no longer a young model. Volvo’s largest SUV will not be retired for the time being, but it will be completely renewed. That sounds impossible, but it isn’t. On the one hand, Volvo is introducing a completely new generation of the XC90, a car that only gets electric powertrains. In addition, Volvo carries a facelifted version of the current generation XC90 that is yet to be introduced, which will be sold in certain markets. AutoWeek can already show you the completely new electric successor to the XC90.

Volvo Recharge Concept (2021)

Volvo says it will only sell electric cars from 2030 and this new electric successor to the XC90 will take on the role of the largest electric SUV with the brand within one to two years. The new Volvo XC90, whose name has not yet been confirmed, is particularly recognizable as a member of the XC90 family. We can imagine that when you see these plates you think that it is a facelift of the current model, but that is not the case. The shape of the windows, especially at the rear side windows, is too different for that. The same applies to the hood, which is also completely different from that of the well-known XC90. The front and rear are completely different, but although a thoroughly modified front and rear could be part of a facelift, that is not the case here.

Volvo XC90

The front and rear are also quite interesting. For example, the electric XC90 has a relatively dense front with only a cooling slot at the bottom for the hardware of the electric powertrain and the battery pack. The shape of the headlamps is clearly inspired by those of the copies in front of the Recharge Concept that Volvo showed in 2021. The new Volvo front is somewhat reminiscent of that of Polestar’s upcoming new electric cars, but it is really different. In contrast to the Recharge Concept, the XC90 does not get sharply sloping and pinched windows and thus the model seems to be ‘just’ a traditional SUV in terms of shape. We also see influences from the Recharge Concept return in the rear lights. The electric SUV will have C-shaped rear lights with elements placed separately from those light parts, which are placed next to the rear window. The license plate moves from the tailgate to the rear bumper and at the bottom of the rear bumper, exhaust tailpipes naturally shine in the absence. The new electric XC90 gets further recessed door handles, but does get conventional opening ones and therefore no ‘suicide doors like the Recharge Concept had.

Volvo XC90

Volvo will produce the new electric XC90 in Charleston, USA. The refreshed version of the current generation Volvo XC90, yet to be revealed, will be built in Torslanda for several more years. Since the Dutch market introduction of the first generation Volvo XC90, almost 19,000 units have been sold in our country. The car had its peak year in 2015 and 2016. Then successively 2,761 and 2,778 XC90s were registered in our long. A large part of these were probably T8 plug-ins that were eligible for a lower addition percentage in those years.

Do you think the new electric Volvo XC90 can be kept or is that quite a relief these days?