- Volvo says it is going to introduce plug-in hybrid cars across its entire model range and build a fully electric vehicle that will go on sale by 2019. “We are confident that in two years’ time, 10% of Volvo’s global sales will be electrified cars”, CEO Hakan Samuelsson declared.The Scalable Product Architecture (SPA) that underpins the 2016 Volvo XC90 is created to support electrification, and Volvo says that the upcoming S90 large luxury sedan and next-generation 60 series (S60 and XC60) offerings will all offer plug-in hybrid variants.David Muller is the automotive and business reporter for MLive Media Group in Detroit.Speculation aside, Volvo provided this nifty video showing the scalability of the new Compact Modular Architecture (CMA), and suggests that not only will it be the basis of a crossover, but also future compact vehicle models.Volvo anticipates that by 2020 no one will be dying behind the wheel of a Volvo – an aim that will be made much easier to achieve with the sort of technology different Volvo models will be able to share on their common platforms.
- Essentially, having two platforms will allow the company to streamline its production and create a more systematic way to manufacture its new models.
- The new platform’s ability to spawn multiple models is said to have the potential to increase economies of scale and streamline the company’s manufacturing process.Volvo is known for impressive cars that come in big packages.
- Part of that will obviously be the styling – We’re expecting it to feature a more dynamic profile than the old S80, with the sculpted headlights, bold upright grille and horizontal “Thor’s Hammer” LEDs that mark out Volvo’s most recent design language.The simultaneous development of SPA and CMA has formed the cornerstone of Volvo’s product renewal and growth strategy, which involves the replacement of every single auto in its line-up in the next four years and an annual sales volume of up 800,000 cars.The company is looking now to get its smart cars into public hands, so it can continue its research and discover just how people will use the vehicles.“With around 40 years of experience in the field of electrification, Volvo Cars has learned a lot about battery management along the way, delivering the best range per kilowatt hour in the industry”.