For Volvo Cars, electrification is more than simply a shift in powertrains. It represents a new paradigm in car design, and the Volvo Concept Recharge is a manifesto for the next generation of all-electric Volvos.
True to the heritage of Scandinavian design, Concept Recharge has the mantra of ‘less but better’ at its core. For example, by removing the complexity of the internal combustion engine, the designers have been able to evolve the car’s proportions to increase interior space while also improving aerodynamic efficiency. The result is a car that offers better solutions to support a sustainable family life.
Volvo’s first generation of electric cars shares a floor with combustion engine-powered cars, which requires a balance in proportions and space to be able to accommodate both a battery pack and an internal combustion engine. The next generation of Volvo’s fully electric cars, the first of which is the company’s first SUV on a completely new electric-only technology base, will feature flat floors, as previewed in the Concept Recharge.
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By removing the engine and replacing it with a full battery pack under the flat floor, the designers have extended the wheelbase and the wheel size of the car. The result is shorter overhangs, as well as a lot more interior space, including a large storage area between the front seats.
In the Concept Recharge these advancements have led designers to reposition the seats, optimise the roof profile and lower the bonnet of the car while retaining the high eye point beloved by drivers of cars such as the Volvo XC40, XC60 and XC90. This approach creates efficiency gains in aerodynamics compared with a typical SUV, which improves range.
This concept car also introduces a new Volvo design language. Continuing the theme of ‘less but better’, all unnecessary elements have been removed and what remains is treated with a high-precision, flush execution.
The traditional grille has been replaced with a shield-like structure, supported by a new interpretation of Volvo Cars’ Thor’s Hammer headlight design. These include the latest HD technology-enabled pure graphic which open at night to reveal the main lamp units. Signature vertical rear lamps connect to the brand’s strong design heritage but are reimagined with a set of wings that extend at higher cruising speeds to further improve overall aerodynamics.
“Our Concept Recharge represents a manifesto for the all-electric future of Volvo Cars, as well as a new type of vehicle,” said Robin Page, Head of Design at Volvo Cars. “It displays new and modern proportions that go hand-in-hand with increased versatility and shows what technology can enable in terms of design.”
The Volvo design language also takes a new form inside the Concept Recharge. The flat floor provides more space and a better seating position for all those inside the car. A large, 15-inch standing touchscreen is the centre of a new and improved user experience for the company’s next-generation connected infotainment system. Designed to be logical and intuitive to use, technology helps provide a serene and calm experience. The latest infotainment technology goes hand in hand with those other hallmarks of Scandinavian design: clean lines and extensive use of sustainable and natural materials inside the cabin.
“Inside the Concept Recharge, we create a truly Scandinavian living room feeling,” added Robin Page. “The interior integrates our latest user experience technology with beautiful, sustainable and natural materials. Each part of the interior is like a piece of art and could stand alone as individual furniture in a room. We use the latest technologies but not for their own sake. We always focus on the benefits that technologies can bring.”
Finally, the Concept Recharge also reflects Volvo Cars’ safety ambitions in coming years. A LiDAR sensor, built by technology company Luminar and a critical part of Volvo Cars’ plan for forthcoming safe autonomous drive technology, is placed in an optimal position on the roof to collect data on the environment around the car.
“With the Concept Recharge, we continue the rich roots of Volvo’s design DNA in a modern and fresh way as we move into our all-electric future,” concluded Robin Page. “It represents everything we believe customers expect from a pure electric Volvo and we’re excited to take this philosophy into our next generation of cars.”
About Volvo Car Group
Volvo Cars was founded in 1927. Today, it is one of the most well-known and respected car brands in the world, with sales of 661,713 cars in 2020 in about 100 countries. Volvo Cars has been under the ownership of the Zhejiang Geely Holding since 2010.
As of December 2020, Volvo Cars employed approximately 40,000 (41,500) full-time employees. Volvo Cars’ head office, product development, marketing and administration functions are mainly located in Gothenburg, Sweden. Volvo Cars’ head office for APAC is located in Shanghai. The company’s main car production plants are located in Gothenburg (Sweden), Ghent (Belgium), South Carolina (US), Chengdu and Daqing (China), while engines are manufactured in Skövde (Sweden) and Zhangjiakou (China), and body components in Olofström (Sweden).
Under its new company purpose, Volvo Cars aims to provide customers with the Freedom to Move in a personal, sustainable and safe way. This purpose is reflected in a number of business ambitions: for example, by the middle of this decade it aims for half of its global sales to be fully electric cars and to establish five million direct consumer relationships. Volvo Cars is also committed to an ongoing reduction of its carbon footprint, with the ambition to be a climate-neutral company by 2040.
