Volvo will launch 13 new cars by the end of 2030 in what it calls the “largest and most ambitious” range expansion in its history – and the new models are set to include saloons and estates.
The incoming cars will be a mix of electric vehicles and hybrids, and will give the firm a regionalised portfolio, with separate offerings for Western markets (including the UK) and China. Volvo has yet to disclose details of the line-up.
The company says the decision to regionalise its line-up is driven by “technology restrictions, trade tariffs and diverging customer preferences” and it aims to turn “regionalisation into a competitive advantage”.
There will be seven new cars for Western markets, which will sit on the firm’s existing SPA2 and SPA3 architectures and use its HuginCore computing platform. These will be split between cars focused on the US market, including a D-segment electric SUV, and Europe.
Volvo says that in Europe it will offer a "full BEV line-up" by 2030, with the models including "new low- and high-body types". Volvo classes high-body vehicles as SUV, and low-body types as saloons and estates, hinting at a return to its more traditional roots.
Volvo technology chief Alexander Petrofski noted that different countries within Europe are electrifying at a different rate and, as a result, "an individual car will be offered with a BEV propulsion, a PHEV propulsion and a HEV [hybrid] propulsion".
The SPA2 architecture is currently used for the EX90 large SUV and ES90 saloon, while the SPA3 architecture underpins the new EX60 SUV.
Meanwhile, there will be six new models specifically for China. They will be developed in collaboration with parent firm Geely and use shared platforms and a dedicated Chinese tech stack. The firm already offers the EM90 MPV as a China-only model.
Volvo says it is aiming to double its market share in the full-BEV segment but will also invest in a new third-generation hybrid system for “customers still reluctant to go fully electric.” It has recently upgraded the XC90 and XC60 plug-in hybrids with a significantly bigger battery, enabling up to 124 miles of range with the engine off – more than any other PHEV on sale.
The new cars will also move Volvo into “the next era of design”, with the firm’s design efforts now led by Thomas Ingenlath, who has returned to the firm after a stint running Polestar.
Volvo boss Håkan Samuelsson said the firm’s “showrooms will look very different in 2030”. He added: “This is our strongest product pipeline ever, tailored to regional needs, and emphasises our ambition to be the leading premium car brand.”
Volvo says developing the new models will require less investment than previously because they will be based on existing architectures, which will help its efforts to achieve strong growth and push its EBIT (operating profit) beyond 8%.
The firm says it will also introduce a new business model built on “simplicity, transparency and precision”. That will include “transparent pricing” and a line of cars tailored for fast delivery.
