Despite a pair of great new EVs that bookend both sides of the price and size spectrum in the EX30 and EX90, Volvo is having a tough time in the U.S. both in terms of sales and manufacturing. Volvo sales in China are down recently, but a new model for a competitive segment should rectify that. This week Volvo released the first teasers of the new XC70, an SUV with no relation to the old lifted wagon XC70. It’ll be Volvo’s first extended-range plug-in hybrid, offering up to 124 miles of pure electric range on the Chinese cycle.
Volvo says the XC70 was “designed to meet the demand for longer-range plug-in hybrids in China,” but it may be sold in other markets eventually. Sadly, the U.S. probably won’t be one of them, at least not for now given the state of our tariffs. Europe is getting the ES90 sedan that’s built in China, so the XC70 could make it to the continent as well.
Volvo’s designers can’t miss
It’ll be a shame if we never see the XC70, because it looks awesome. Volvo says the XC70’s design is a modern spin on its Scandinavian design heritage, and there are some flourishes we haven’t seen on Volvos before. Like Volvo’s other EVs such as the EM90 minivan there’s no grille in the nose, but the XC70 has a large intake in the lower half of the bumper that, paired with the streamlined Thor’s Hammer running lights and headlights in vertical pods below, make the XC70 looks like it’s smiling in a Bowser sort of way. The lower grille has an active shutter, too.
The XC70’s roofline is nicely tapered and the hatch is more steeply raked than most Volvo SUVs. It’s also got a rising beltline that makes it curvier than other new Volvos, and the D-pillar is pointy and pinched. The clamp-shaped taillights are typical Volvo, with segments that go both vertically up the hatch and across the tailgate. Volvo didn’t release any interior teasers, just describing the XC70 as a “versatile family car” that’s a bit more spacious than the XC60.
A new platform
Underpinning the XC70 will be a new platform dubbed SMA, for Scalable Modular Architecture (how boring). Volvo calls it “a premium extended-range plug-in hybrid architecture,” and it will surely spawn other models soon — extended-range PHEVs are only going to grow in popularity across the world. The company hasn’t said what sort of combustion engine and hybrid system it will have, but the XC70 will have fast-charging capability and be able to handle most daily driving using only electricity while also being able to cover long distances without needing to refuel. There are EREVs in China that are able to cover more than 1,000 miles without recharging or filling up.
Volvo CEO Håkan Samuelsson says “the XC70 marks our strategic entry into the extended-range plug-in hybrid segment, a perfect bridge to full electrification. It enables us to maintain and develop a balanced product portfolio, while offering a highly attractive alternative to customers who are not yet ready for fully electric cars. This is also an example of regionalisation, where we adapt to the local market needs.” More information about the car will be released later this year.