Swedish automaker, Volvo, has revealed its Concept Recharge, which illustrates what will be possible in terms of design and technology in the next generation of electric vehicles from Volvo.

Volvo has made a commitment to become an all-electric car brand before the end of the decade. South Africa will receive Volvo’s first all-electric SUV, the XC40 Recharge, in August 2021 but there’s much more to come!

While the XC40 Recharge is based on the current ICE-powered XC40, the Concept Recharge revealed today provides insight into what the next-generation of electrified Volvos will offer in terms of design and technology.

“Our Concept Recharge represents a manifesto for the all-electric future of Volvo Cars, as well as a new type of vehicle. It displays new and modern proportions that go hand-in-hand with increased versatility and shows what technology can enable in terms of design” said Robin Page, Head of Design at Volvo Cars.

Volvo’s first-generation of electric cars, such as the forthcoming XC40 Recharge, share the same floor as the combustion-engined XC40 and is therefore proportioned accordingly to accommodate both a battery and combustion engine.

However, the Concept Recharge, which represents the next generation of electric cars from Volvo, presents a flat cabin floor. Without a combustion engine, the battery pack is placed underneath the floor and the wheelbase has been extended to provide greater interior space.

More space and better design for Concept Recharge

Volvo’s next generation of electric cars will maximise space and feature the latest infotainment and safety technology.

Without the limitations of a combustion engine, designers were able to optimise the seat design as well as refine the roof profile and lower the hood of the vehicle, which have led to improvements in aerodynamic efficiency.

Stylistically speaking, the Concept Recharge follows the theme of ‘less but better’ with a clean design and with unnecessary elements removed. The Concept Recharge wears a shield-like front-end which is complemented with a new interpretation of Volvo’s familiar Thor’s Hammer headlight design and a vertical signature lighting at the rear.

As for the interior, a large 15-inch standing touchscreen is fitted and shows what Volvo’s next-generation infotainment system could look like.The system will better integrate Android Auto in a more seamless manner while reducing the number of touches required to execute actions. Google has actually been part of the development of the new infotainment system so expect it to provide better phone and infotainment capabilities than ever.

“Inside the Concept Recharge, we create a truly Scandinavian living room feeling. 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” says Page.

Volvo is well known for producing some of the safest cars in the world and the firm plans to continue doing so with its forthcoming fleet of electric vehicles. Concept Recharge is equipped with a LiDAR sensor, developed by Luminar, which is placed on the roof of the vehicle which allows it to effectively scan the environment around the vehicle and process the data which is then used to deliver a seamless (and safe) autonomous driving experience.This system will work in tandem with radar and cameras in order to provide much better vision and move towards that autonomous future widely talked about.

In conclusion, Page commented, “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. 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.”

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