Volvo has been pondering the expansion of
its high-riding vehicle portfolio with a new range-topping model for a few
years now, and it seems that they have settled for the XC100 moniker. Reportedly
due in 2023, as a 2024MY, one or two years after the new-gen XC90 breaks cover,
it won’t be a Mercedes-Benz GLS and BMW X7 competitor as it was initially
believed, reports MotorTrend, but instead, it will take on the GLE Coupe and
X6, as well as the Audi Q8, albeit with an electric twist.
According to the publication, the XC100
will be based on the second generation of Volvo’s SPA architecture, which can
accommodate fully electric vehicles. Unlike the upcoming XC90, which is
understood to pack gasoline and hybrid powertrains, as well as a
battery-electric derivative, the XC100 should be electric only. Also, in an
attempt to tie it to the smaller XC40 Recharge, it will add the same suffix.
The battery pack is thought to be placed
under the floor, between the two axles, and should power two electric motors,
one at the front and the other one at the back, which will form an all-wheel
drive system. While the XC100 Recharge will feature a dual-motor setup, other
Recharge models are expected with one motor, powering either the front or the
rear wheels, in standard form.
With a sloping roofline, room for four,
comfort-oriented suspension tune and semi-autonomous driving tech, the XC100
Recharge should launch with an estimated starting price of a little over US$ 80,000, or around US$ 36,000 more than the entry-level 2020 XC90.
