Volvo
has long been considered a pioneer in automotive technology, and drivers tend to get lower car insurance rates
given the brand's world-class safety technology. While Volvo has a well-deserved reputation for building some of the safest vehicles, the company wants to include "luxury EVs" in its repertoire. The nearly 100-year-old carmaker has done well in pivoting toward this new ambition, as its EV sales numbers are impressive. But the Swedish carmaker isn't finished accomplishing all of its EV goals. If all goes to plan, they will have an exciting new EV SUV available on the American market by next year.
Goodbye XC90, Hello Embla
The XC90 has been Volvo's flagship SUV for some time. Even though the XC90 has been a resounding success, all good things must come to an end. Sort of. Rather than completely ditching the XC90, Volvo will really be giving it a name change.
The new name will be "Embla," which carries some historic overtones in Swedish culture. According to Norse mythology, Embla was the first woman to exist. It would be like if Ford renamed the Explorer to "Eve."
Volvo wants to ditch the popular alphanumeric naming methodology of car models for something more personal and emotional. "(Cars should) have a name, like a child," said Volvo CEO Hakan Samuelsson, as quoted by Gear Patrol
. Other than the name change, the Embla could really be considered the third generation of the XC90. Design of the Embla
Not only will the Embla have a more personal name, but it will also have a more inviting interior. As part of Volvo's strategy to be viewed more like a luxury brand, they want interiors to resemble that of a Swedish living room. This means minimalism, soft neutral colors, and comfort. The car seats do have a sort of Ikea look to them, perhaps a nod to Sweden's best-known corporation.
To complete the minimalist design, there won't be much of a dash or traditional control panel. Instead, there will be two separate screens: one behind the steering wheel in place of traditional speedometers, and a horizontal screen in the center dash. It is unclear if Volvo will completely ditch buttons and knobs and make all controls only accessible via touch screen.
The exterior will look a bit more modern and less traditional. As part of the car's ability to have enhanced aerodynamics, the roof will have a high point just behind the driver's seat and then gradually slope downwards. This gives the exterior a somewhat brutalist look, but not nearly as much as the Tesla Cybertruck.
What are the specs of Volvo's future flagship SUV?
The new Volvo Embla is still very much in the earlier design stages. As such, we know pretty much nothing about the car's specifications. In fact, we don't even know if it will be exclusively available as an EV or if there will also be a hybrid operation. In any case, the Embla will be a bold move from Volvo in its quest to be the leader in luxury EVs.
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