The Volvo XC40 Recharge just went into production, but it appears the company is already planning a smaller electric crossover.
Tentatively dubbed the XC20, the model will be based on Geely’s Sustainable Experience Architecture (SEA) which recently debuted at the Beijing Auto Show and underpinned the Lynk & Co Zero concept.
Speaking to Auto Express, Volvo CEO Håkan Samuelsson confirmed the company will use the SEA platform and said engineers are already working on a model based on the architecture. As he explained, “We’ll use it for a smaller car, where I think it’s very practical and smart for us to share that [platform], so we can have a cost structure for a smaller car that’s very competitive.”
Also Read: Volvo Reveals New XC40 Recharge EV With 402 HP And Over 249 Miles Of Range
While the architecture was developed in China and relies heavily on Chinese suppliers, Samuelsson said they can build a “very premium Volvo” on the platform. He also confirmed the brand’s first sub-40 model would be a crossover, but suggested it wouldn’t follow the traditional formula as “ground clearance and off-roading capability are probably not the most important things now.”
There’s no word on when the XC20 could be introduced, but Volvo told The Detroit Bureau they’ll be adding an electric vehicle to their lineup annually for the next five years. That’s pretty ambitious, but Volvo wants electric vehicles to account for 50% of their annual sales by 2025.
The next EV will arrive in 2021 as Samuelsson told Auto Express, “Next year there will be another 40-series Volvo, which will also be electric.” He didn’t elaborate, but it could be the successor to the V40. Previous reports have indicated it could be a crossover coupe, but nothing is official as of yet.
Note: Volvo XC Coupe Concept Pictured
