It’s not really a secret that Volvo is working on the next-generation XC90 and its all-electric version. We’ve heard different rumors about its name and specifications, but it seems that everything will be unveiled later this year. It will become the brand’s new flagship model and take an important place in the company’s electrification strategy.
Volvo’s CEO Jim Rowan recently confirmed to Autocar the electric successor to the XC90 will make its full debut during the final quarter of this year. It will arrive as a dedicated electric vehicle and will sit on a new bespoke platform not shared with any other product within Volvo’s model lineup.
Gallery: Next-Gen Volvo EXC90 Patent Images
"It's a very exciting time for us because it takes us into another sphere – it's another building block towards the future,” Rowan told the publication. “That model itself is an extremely important vehicle for us.” A Volvo spokesman also added that "defined by software,” the electric SUV is “a demonstration of our future and marks the start of a new era for safety, and the company."
Leaked patent renderings from earlier this year previewed the zero-emissions SUV design and it seems that Volvo will bet on a bold and futuristic-looking boxy machine. The overall shape and proportions won’t be a drastic departure from the current XC90, but pop-out door handles and a new take on the company’s traditional taillights will make a huge difference.
There’s some mystery surrounding the name of the new electric SUV from Sweden. The automaker filed a trademark application for the name Embla with the European Union Intellectual Property Office late last year, but there have also been rumors that the model could receive the EXC90 moniker. Whatever the case is, we will know everything before the end of this year.
As far as we know, the new electric SUV will only be a temporary flagship SUV to the brand as Volvo is reportedly also cooking up a fullsize XC100 (name not confirmed). It will be heavily inspired by the 2021 Recharge concept and will have a purely electric powertrain.
