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2015 Volvo XC90 is the Swedish future

It's been months since the Concept XC Coupe debuted at the Detroit Auto Show, Volvo's last show car previewing its all-new 2015 XC90. But the production model is finally here after years of development, and it signals the future of the Swedish automaker with its Scalable Product Architecture modular platform and cutting-edge new engine family.
The 2015 XC90 carries all-new styling, but is still familiar up front, with the company's logo slashing diagonally through its prominent, upright grille. Like the concept, it carries T-Shaped LED running lights through the headlights. The company calls them the "Thor's Hammer" design, an evocative designation that we think is fantastic. Under that new front end is a choice of two quite powerful, but very efficient powertrains. The standard XC90 gets a 2.0-liter turbocharged and supercharged engine with all-wheel drive making an impressive 316 horsepower. Or if buyers want to be a little greener and more powerful, there is the XC90 Twin Engine plug-in hybrid with the same engine, albeit augmented with an electric motor to produce a staggering 400 hp.
The exterior styling is crisp, if not quite as sensual as Volvo's latest concepts, but we think the interior is the real star here, with a dashboard that looks like it came out of a Herman Miller catalog and a unique vertically oriented infotainment screen integrated into its center stack, perhaps taking a cue from Tesla. If the cabin feels as good as it looks, we think a lot of sales are going to be won inside.

Volvo finds a way to turn body panels into batteries [w/video]

One of the problems with designing an electric vehicle is figuring out where to fit the battery pack. Volvo - as a part of a European Union research project - is working on a way around this issue by replacing standard parts with lightweight components that double as batteries on both conventional and plug-in vehicles. The image above shows one such piece on a Volvo S80. While looking like nothing more than a carbon fiber plenum cover, the piece is actually a battery pack that can store and supply enough energy for the car's entire 12-volt power system.
The parts are made by sandwiching super capacitors (which can charge faster than standard batteries) in between layers of carbon fiber. They can then be formed to replace numerous body panels such as the decklid, roof or door panels. Volvo says that the replacing the body panels and batteries with these nano batteries can help reduce the vehicle's weight by as much as 15 percent. It has taken more than three years just to design the batteries, so there's no telling when, or if, we'll ever see this technology used on a production vehicle. Scroll down for a video and press release on Volvo's innovative battery technology.

Volvo EX90 will provide SunLike sunlight for occupants and cargo

Volvo says another one of the human-centric features coming to the EX90 battery-electric wagon is a sun-like light. A few years ago, Korean firm Seoul Semiconductor developed a range of LEDs called SunLike, the heliotropic name derived from the non-flickering LEDs producing illumination close to the spectrum of planetary daylight. The science bits include a new diode architecture, a purple emitter and different phosphors in place of the usual yellow. The upshot for EX90 occupants is said to be in-car light that's easier on the eyes, less low-light reflection, and color and texture reproduction closer to nature — all that Nordico recycled synthetic fabric, Forest Stewardship Council-certified wood, and wool from sustainably-raised sheep will look more natural.. The lights have found their way into some museums, curators looking for improved color rendition from the artworks. The Swedes say they're the first to use these lights in an automotive application. There will be 72 SunLike LEDs placed throughout the vehicle, being all the non-decorative lights in the cabin ceiling, floor, and door pockets, and the trunk. The design lead for color and materials said, "By utilizing the spectrum of light emitted from the SunLike LEDs, the progressive materials and interior design of the Volvo EX90 stand out more clearly and without colour distortion. Complementing our wood deco and other natural materials inside the cabin, the lights are central to our Scandinavian design language." The Polestar 3 will get the same treatment. The seven-seat, twin-motor EX90 with up to 300 miles of range starts rolling down lines in Volvo's South Carolina plant later this year. The crossover will make safety as important as comfort, the EX90 incorporating cameras, radar, lidar, and Nvidia-powered software to take stock of the vehicleÂ’s surroundings plus the driverÂ’s gaze and attention. The lidar can detect objects ahead to centimeter accuracy from 250 meters (about 820 feet) away in glaring sun or total darkness, Volvo says. Volvo describes the EX90 as “a highly advanced computer on wheels” with the ability to improve over time thanks to over-the-air software updates. Preorders are open now, with "well-equipped" configurations said to come in "at  under $80,000." Deliveries begin in early 2024. Related video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.