Volvo Concept Recharge Previews Design Language Of Brand’s Next-Gen EVs

It has a flat floor interior and debuts the cool evolution of the Thor’s hammer headlamps

• The Concept Recharge features the new Volvo Cars design language called “less but better”.

• It has a flat floor and extended wheelbase for a spacious interior with four lounge-like seats.

• The new shape has a lower front end while still having a high seating position similar to SUVs.

• The minimalistic dashboard is dominated by a 15-inch vertical touchscreen display in the centre.

• No technical details were shared but expect design details to feature on upcoming new-gen Volvo EVs.

Volvo had announced that all its cars will be electric-only by 2030, starting with a successor to the XC90 SUV with new EV-only underpinnings. The Swedish automotive brand has unveiled the Concept Recharge as a demonstrative example of their new vehicle design language.

Current Volvo platforms are built to accommodate both combustion engines and/or a battery pack. However, the new EV-only platform can have completely flat floors and an extended wheelbase to house the battery pack. It opens up more space inside the cabin as well. These developments have been previewed in the Concept Recharge along with the new design language dubbed  “less but better”.

As an EV-only design, there is no need for a conventional grille, so it is replaced by a shield-like structure that seems like it is part of the body itself. It also has some vents and cutaways to help channel the air around the front end. The Concept Recharge has a lower front end that rises up to the windscreen for a similar driving position as offered by SUVs. This package allows for better aerodynamic efficiency than a conventional SUV-turned-EV which results in improved range. It also has a sloping roofline for a dynamic presence accompanied by the large wheels and short overhangs. What looks like a roof intake from a sports car is actually the housing for the LiDAR sensor.

Volvo’s latest EV concept also features an evolution of the Thor’s hammer headlight design. These are visible most of the time and act as daytime running lights. The ‘handle’ part of the design opens up at night to reveal the main headlamp units. Meanwhile, the taillamps are still in a vertical orientation with a dynamic animation that imitates wings rising up.

Like most futuristic concepts, the Concept Recharge has ‘suicide’ rear doors, akin to a Rolls-Royce, that are unlikely to make it to any production Volvo. But these offer the best view at the new flat-floor cabin which looks more like a living room space than a vehicle cabin. It has four spacious seats, sculpted for comfort with seatbelts housed into them. 

The dashboard is quite minimalistic with a retro-styled steering wheel but it is dominated by the 15-inch vertically oriented touchscreen infotainment system in the middle. There is a sleek digital driver’s display that offers all the relevant information while staying clear of the driver’s eyeline. The concept’s extensive glass surface makes it feel even more spacious. You won’t find opulent leathers in here, instead the premium cabin features extensive use of sustainable materials.

Also read: The World’s Favourite Volvo Will Be Fully Electric In Its Next Avatar

Since the Concept Recharge is a design showcase, Volvo has not mentioned any technical specifications for it. But the first of the new-gen electric Volvos is expected to be revealed in 2022, the successor to the XC90, with the full range of sensors, radars and autonomous tech and borrowing various design elements inspired by the Concept Recharge.