Volvo Concept Recharge EV: A Glimpse into the Future

Volvo's Electrification Strategy and Future Vehicle Concepts

Volvo Cars has announced its intention to transition to a fully electric vehicle lineup by the year 2030. On Wednesday, the company provided insights into its roadmap for achieving this goal and previewed the potential design of its next-generation vehicles.

Strategic Partnerships for Future Development

This ambitious undertaking will not be pursued in isolation. While Volvo plans to independently develop its in-car operating system and various vehicle components, the automaker emphasized the importance of collaboration. Partnerships with companies like Northvolt, Google, and Luminar are central to building its future vehicle portfolio.

The company also revealed initial images of the “Concept Recharge,” an all-electric concept vehicle. Key features include a flat floor design, dual interior screens, and rear-hinged “suicide doors” that open from the vehicle’s center.

Integration of Advanced Technologies

The Concept Recharge incorporates Luminar sensors, aligning with a prior announcement regarding Volvo’s upcoming flagship electric SUV. This SUV will feature Luminar’s technology as a standard component.

Battery Technology and Production

Volvo Cars is collaborating with Swedish battery developer Northvolt to create a battery pack capable of delivering a range of up to approximately 621 miles. Achieving this level of energy density represents a significant technological challenge.

A joint venture between the two companies, with a 50-50 ownership split, aims to establish a gigafactory in Europe by 2026. This facility is projected to have an annual production capacity of up to 50 gigawatt hours. Additionally, Volvo Cars will procure 15 GWh of batteries from Northvolt’s existing plant in Skellefteå, Sweden, starting in 2024.

Bidirectional Charging Capabilities

Future Volvo vehicles will support bidirectional charging. This functionality will allow the electric vehicle to function as a mobile power source, potentially supplying excess energy back to the electrical grid.

Software and Computing Architecture

VolvoCars.OS will serve as a central operating system, managing underlying systems including the Google-powered infotainment system and technologies from Linux, QNX, and AUTOSAR. Despite the presence of up to 100 electrical control units, these will be managed by a core computing system comprised of three primary computers developed in partnership with Nvidia.

Autonomous Driving System Development

Executives discussed the integration of Luminar’s sensor suite and technology from Volvo’s software division, Zenseact, into the flagship electric SUV. When questioned about the level of autonomy, referencing the Society of Automobile Engineers’ scale, they opted to describe the system in terms of “supervised” and “unsupervised” modes.

These modes, termed “Cruise” and “Ride” respectively, will initially require driver supervision, with plans to introduce fully unsupervised functionality at a later date.

Data Collection and Over-the-Air Updates

The autonomous driving system will generate substantial amounts of driving data from customers. Volvo intends to establish a “data factory” to process this information – with user consent – to enhance the system’s performance and deliver improvements through over-the-air software updates.

Transforming Volvo for the Electric Era

“We need to transform this company from just a premium conventional company. We need to transform it into a leader in the new premium electric segment, which is growing very fast,” stated Volvo CEO Håkan Samuelsson. “We need to understand batteries in the same way we understand the combustion engine.”