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Like most European automakers, Volvo is in development for electric vehicles. The Swedish company aims to launch five pure electric vehicles and two plug-in hybrids in the next few years. If all goes according to plan, Volvo’s goal is to sell electric vehicles by 2030.
One of the cars the company believes will get them there is the successor to the XC90. Reportedly dubbed the Embla, this electric crossover could debut in 2023. This model is also an important step towards the automaker’s goal of total electrification. Additionally, the Embla will likely come with more advanced semi-autonomous (or fully autonomous) driving capabilities. The heavy hitters involved in development include NVIDIA, Luminar, and Google.
So what will Embla look like once it launches? There’s no teaser for the model for now, but we’re giving it a go by rendering a future electric crossover.
Embla (not yet final or official name) may take inspiration from the Concept Recharge that was shown late last year. The road version could at least be a slightly faster version of the concept car. Our rendering brings out some of the show car details, such as the frameless windows and the shuttered bumper.
We added window frames to the electric crossover to make it look more like a production model. We’ve also placed more visible angular air intakes on the bumper for this render. Expect Volvo’s signature cues to reach the production version, namely “Thor’s Hammer” headlights and vertical taillights.
There are quite a few things from the concept we’d expect in a road car. One of them is a side view camera instead of a mirror. The other is flush door handles as these cars need to minimize drag to maximize reach. And because the electric crossover will have near-autonomous driving capabilities, the LIDAR pod remains on the roof.
When we use LIDAR, the sensor comes from Luminar, while the “brain” comes from NVIDIA. The sensors serve as the SUV’s ‘eyes’ and will enable real-time traffic analysis. Because of this, future Volvos are likely to receive the Ride Pilot unattended driving system.
As for the interior, expect a minimalist approach to the dashboard and accommodations. It will likely get cues from the Refill Concept but is scaled back to production. Volvo’s drive for environmental sustainability means the coatings will come from materials that can be recycled to minimize the use of raw materials.
The electric crossover will represent Volvo’s direction in the years to come. But what about those who still prefer a Volvo crossover with an engine? According to Volvo CEO Hakan Samuelsson, the XC90 will continue production until the company’s transition to EV is complete.
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