Volvo Reveals Concept Recharge SUV: Is This The Sign Of Things To Come?

• Gets simple styling, including clean lines, vertical taillights, a shield-like structure up front, and modern-looking Thor’s hammer-like headlights.

• Cabin features a 15-inch touchscreen infotainment system, digital driver’s display, and a panoramic glass roof.

• Gets LiDAR sensor technology as part of Volvo’s range of safety features.  

We know that Volvo is set to be all-electric by the turn of this decade. Now, with the unveiling of the Concept Recharge electric SUV, the carmaker has given us a preview of what a future Volvo electric vehicle could look like. 

Volvo claims this concept is ‘less but better’. Let’s see if it really is that.

Starting with its design. The Concept Recharge has gotten rid of a lot of the clutter in other models like the XC60 and XC90. Up front, the grille is replaced by a shield-like structure (with an illuminated ‘Volvo’ logo at the centre). This is flanked by the traditional Thor’s hammer-like headlights, but featuring modern-day graphics. The remainder of the design appears streamlined, helped by flush-fitting door handles. 

The carmaker claims the vertical tail lamps have been reimagined with a set of wings, which extend at higher speeds to improve the car’s aerodynamic efficiency.

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Inside the Concept Recharge is a minimalistic dashboard with a massive 15-inch next-gen touchscreen infotainment system at its centre. There’s also a digital instrument cluster behind the steering wheel and a panoramic glass roof. 

 

The concept also boasts some nifty tech, including LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) sensors developed by Luminar. This feature will be a part of Volvo’s safety suite going forward. 

While technical details haven’t been shared, Volvo has revealed that the concept runs on a new platform dedicated to electric vehicles only. This means it can accommodate a fully flat floor, unlike the older EVs. The concept also has an extended wheelbase and a shorter overhang, which should translate to a more spacious cabin. 

 

It's unlikely that this concept will ever make it to production, but it does sort of tease what we could expect from the next-gen XC90 and XC60 EVs. While the former will debut in 2022, the latter could be launched sometime around 2024.