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Volvo planning new three-row hybrid SUV to sit above XC90

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Volvo planning new three-row hybrid SUV to sit above XC90

With demand for large SUVs growing in several international markets, Swedish automaker Volvo is now mulling over an all-new three-row hybrid SUV. In a conversation with Autocar UK, brand boss Hakan Samuelsson said that while Volvo has “still not made any decision on going there, bigger SUVs are something we're looking into.” That said, what do we know thus far about this potentially new Volvo SUV? Let us find out.

  1. The new model could be based on either a Volvo or a Geely platform
  2. US and China to be the primary markets for this flagship SUV

Volvo three-row SUV expected details

The new flagship would be larger than existing Volvo SUVs.

If Volvo were to go ahead with it, the new SUV is likely to be larger than the XC90 and EX90. For reference, the Volvo XC90 that is available in India measures about 4.95 metres in length, while the Volvo EX90 electric SUV sold in markets such as the US is just over 5 metres long.

Volvo could look towards China’s Geely Group, perhaps at its luxury subsidiary Zeekr, for a way forward. At over 5.2 metres long, the new Zeekr 9X is larger still, and it is a flagship three-row SUV with a plug-in hybrid powertrain. Regardless, its main rivals would be the BMW X7 and Mercedes-Benz GLS.

Volvo has suitable platform and powertrain options at its disposal.

Volvo XC90 plug-in hybrid shown for representational purposes.

Volvo’s President and CEO Hakan Samuelsson told Autocar UK that its core markets would “probably, at least for the next few years, be more interested in a hybrid.” The brand may choose to base its next flagship SUV on Geely’s SEA (Sustainable Experience Architecture) platform, with the aforementioned Zeekr 9X based on an iteration of this very platform. Alternatively, the Swedish automaker could repurpose its own SPA2 (Scalable Product Architecture 2) platform, which currently underpins models like the XC90 and EX90.

While Volvo’s next flagship SUV would be a hybrid, there is no clear answer on the powertrain front. However, that is not to say that the automaker does not have options on the table. The XC90 plug-in hybrid sold in the US at the moment comes with a 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol engine, a 14.7kWh battery pack and a single electric motor – the total output is 455hp.

If Volvo chooses to go the Zeekr route, it could utilise the latter’s 900-volt ‘Super Hybrid system’ that is capable of producing 1,360hp in the 9X. During his conversation, brand boss Hakan Samuelsson suggested the weight penalty of carrying large batteries for long-range driving as a key reason for Volvo not considering making their next flagship SUV an EV.

China and the US to be key markets for Volvo’s next three-row hybrid SUV.

Volvo EX90 side profile
Representational image of a Volvo EX90

Volvo already makes the EX90 electric SUV at its South Carolina facility near Charleston, with others being manufactured at its Chengdu plant in China. The United States is undoubtedly the Swedish marque’s largest market outside of China. These two markets continue to see a growing demand for large three-row SUVs, with the XC90 and EX90 holding the fort for now. "If we start building a car there, it will be a very attractive car for the US market and US customers," Hakan Samuelsson told Autocar UK.

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from Autocar India https://ift.tt/nc41JMI

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