Volvo is shaping up the successor of the current
XC90, which will reportedly drop diesel engines completely. Expected in 2021, the third generation XC90 will sit on an updated version of the
Scalable Product Architecture (SPA), known as the SPA2.
Besides the drop in weight compared to the current
iteration, the platform has been created with electrification in mind. This
will allow Volvo’s flagship SUV to be offered with petrol-hybrid and electric
powertrains only, as confirmed by the company’s CEO, Hakan Samuelsson, to the
British website.
Before pulling the plug on the second-gen XC90,
Volvo is expected to give it a facelift, probably in 2019. The mid-life refresh
shouldn’t bring any dramatic changes, just updates that should keep it relevant
until its successor arrives.
Besides going down the electrified route, the 2022
Volvo XC90 will come with Level 4 autonomous driving. The system will allow the
car to accelerate, brake and steer on its own and, thanks to it, the upcoming
XC90 will be able to haul “sleeping passengers”, according to Volvo’s Senior VP
Henrik Green.
