We are always saying (well, I am always saying) that America doesn’t get any cool cars. It’s hard not to feel this way when we can’t get the jumping Chinese sports cars or Polestar’s first cool concept, conveniently revealed right after they left the U.S. market.
But it seems we may finally be in luck. If you like Volvo.
In a recent presentation, Volvo revealed that 13 new models are coming before 2030. You’d likely expect them to be SUVs. However, Volvo said there will be “new low and high body types.” Low, you say?
Volvo hasn’t confirmed what this could mean, but we have to assume sedans and station wagons. This would coincide with earlier reports that Volvo has been planning to bring a sedan and station wagon back to the United States. And, CEO Hakan Samuelsson also told Motor1 earlier this year that Volvo went “a bit too far into a single SUV market.” Ya think?
There are unfortunately no further details. It doesn’t even appear to be an existing, released vehicle, so it’s tough to predict what this low vehicle will be like. Still, it’s exciting to hear that a sedan could be coming instead of just SUV after SUV.
What we know about the “low” vehicle (nothing)
The secretive “low” vehicle is part of Volvo’s recent presentation outlining its 13-vehicle plan for the next four years. These vehicles will be made with specific regions in mind, seven to the west and six to China. And they’re not actually what you’d probably expect: electric EVs.
Volvo will have EVs, of course, but the lineup will also have hybrids. Volvo also mentioned entering “new segments,” which has the car community hoping for a station wagon or something else a bit novel. As you know, the young dads of America love a good minivan, so maybe that’s a possibility. At this stage, however, everything is speculation.
Said Samuelsson: “Our showrooms will look very different in 2030. This is our strongest product pipeline ever, tailored to regional needs, and emphasizes our ambition to be the leading premium car brand.”
Volvo’s ongoing hybrid love affair
Hybrids are definitely part of Volvo’s strategy. Recently, Volvo launched its first-ever plug-in hybrids for Europe and the U.S.: variants of the XC60 and XC90. So yeah, more SUVs.
A press release read: “These long-range hybrids are a key part of Volvo Cars’ bridge to a fully electric future. They offer drivers paradigm-shifting electric range that makes school runs, daily commutes and weekend trips effortless and free of tailpipe emissions, with the quiet refinement of electric driving.”
Samuelsson added that this is a “path to full electrification” for its customers.
There are a few small changes to these hybrid versions, but not anything really worth noting unless you’re a family that’s truly considering one. There’s a new grille design, new wheels, a new dashboard design… Meh, these won’t work on me. You won’t get me to turn electric that easily, Samuelsson.
