{"id":62980,"date":"2025-05-07T04:18:06","date_gmt":"2025-05-07T08:18:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.globalvillagespace.com\/tech\/volvo-revives-xc70-a-new-era-of-extended-range-suvs-for-china-and-beyond\/"},"modified":"2025-05-07T04:18:06","modified_gmt":"2025-05-07T08:18:06","slug":"volvo-revives-xc70-a-new-era-of-extended-range-suvs-for-china-and-beyond","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.globalvillagespace.com\/tech\/volvo-revives-xc70-a-new-era-of-extended-range-suvs-for-china-and-beyond\/","title":{"rendered":"Volvo Revives XC70: A New Era of Extended-Range SUVs for China and Beyond"},"content":{"rendered":"

Volvo is making waves in the automotive world by reviving the XC70 name for a new range-extender SUV, primarily aimed at the Chinese market. This move is part of a broader strategy to cater to the growing demand for plug-in hybrids, especially as the market for fully electric vehicles (EVs) experiences some turbulence. The XC70 is set to be unveiled soon, with a launch anticipated later this year, and it promises to bring some exciting features to the table.<\/p>\n

What\u2019s Special About the New XC70?<\/p>\n

The new XC70 is being touted as Volvo’s first ‘extended-range plug-in hybrid’ (EREV), designed to offer a pure-electric range of up to 124 miles. That\u2019s impressive\u2014especially when you consider that it more than doubles the electric range of the current XC60 PHEV. For those who might be hesitant to fully commit to an electric vehicle, this could be a game-changer. It allows drivers to enjoy the benefits of electric driving without the anxiety of running out of charge on longer trips.<\/p>\n

In terms of size, the XC70 is slightly larger than the XC60 and has a design reminiscent of a scaled-down XC90. However, it\u2019s important to note that this model is built on a new architecture specifically crafted for EREVs, known as the Scalable Modular Architecture (SMA). While details on how this architecture relates to Volvo’s other platforms remain sparse, it\u2019s clear that the company is investing heavily in this new direction.<\/p>\n

Why the Focus on China?<\/p>\n

China has emerged as a hotbed for EREVs, with many manufacturers pivoting to meet the local demand. Volvo’s decision to target this market first isn\u2019t surprising, given that companies like Li Auto and Leapmotor are already making significant strides in the EREV space. The XC70\u2019s launch follows the unveiling of the Volkswagen ID Era SUV, which also aims to capture the growing appetite for range-extending technology in China.<\/p>\n

Volvo\u2019s CEO, H\u00e5kan Samuelsson, emphasized that EREVs serve as a “perfect bridge to full electrification.” This is particularly relevant as the demand for pure EVs has shown signs of slowing down. By offering a robust plug-in hybrid option, Volvo can maintain a balanced product lineup while appealing to customers who may not yet be ready to transition to fully electric vehicles.<\/p>\n

What\u2019s Next for Volvo?<\/p>\n

The XC70 is not just another model in Volvo’s lineup; it represents a strategic pivot as the company navigates a challenging external environment. With a significant global cost-cutting initiative underway, the XC70 is positioned to play a crucial role in Volvo’s future. The brand is committed to becoming a fully electric car company, but with only a fifth of its sales in the first quarter of 2025 projected to be electric, the XC70 offers a pragmatic solution for those still on the fence about going electric.<\/p>\n

Interestingly, the XC70 name has been dormant since 2016, when the off-road variant of the V70 estate was discontinued. Originally branded as the V70 XC, the ‘XC’ stood for ‘Cross Country,’ and the revival of this nameplate signals a renewed focus on versatility and adventure in Volvo’s offerings.<\/p>\n

The big takeaway? The XC70 isn\u2019t just about reviving a name; it\u2019s about smarter adjustments to meet evolving market demands. As Volvo continues to adapt to the shifting landscape of the automotive industry, the XC70 could very well be the vehicle that bridges the gap between traditional combustion engines and the fully electric future. Keep an eye out for its launch, as it might just redefine what we expect from plug-in hybrids.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

\"Volvo<\/a><\/p>\n

New Volvo EREV is designed primarily for the Chinese market but a global launch is under consideration<\/p>\n

\n

Volvo is reviving the XC70<\/a> name for a new range-extender [EREV] SUV for the Chinese market.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The company’s first ‘extended-range plug-in hybrid’ has been previewed for the first time today ahead of a reveal in the coming months and a launch later this year.<\/p>\n

Volvo<\/a> says the new XC70 is designed specifically “to meet the demand for longer-range plug-in hybrids in China”, but says it is “exploring potential additional markets at a later stage”.<\/p>\n

Technical details remain thin on the ground, but Volvo has promised a pure-electric range of up to 124 miles, which is more than double what the similarly sized Volvo XC60<\/a> PHEV can achieve.<\/p>\n

The XC70 is described as slightly larger than the XC60, and looks essentially like a downscaled XC90<\/a>, but rather than being a close technical relation of that car it is based on a new architecture designed specifically for EREVs.<\/p>\n

The Scalable Modular Architecture, or SMA, is said to be “a premium extended-range plug-in hybrid architecture”, but no details of its relationship to Volvo’s other platforms \u2013 or indeed those from the wider Geely group, of which Volvo is a part \u2013 have been given.<\/p>\n

Geely-owned sibling company Lotus is also investing in EREVs over the coming years in response to lower-than-anticipated demand for pure-electric luxury cars, and Coventry-based LEVC has been using an EREV powertrain in its Volvo-engined TX taxi since 2017.<\/p>\n

EREVs are currently much more popular in China than in other global markets, and Volvo’s announcement of a new EREV SUV follows the recent unveiling of the new China-oriented Volkswagen ID Era SUV concept at the Shanghai motor show.<\/p>\n

That car \u2013 similar in size to the XC70 \u2013 has been engineered in partnership with MG owner SAIC to cater to burgeoning demand for EREVs in China, with companies like Li Auto, Leapmotor and Avatr among the biggest players.<\/p>\n

However, like Volvo, Volkswagen’s sales and marketing boss told Autocar that a global launch was not off the cards: “Range-extenders today are already a very big thing in China. They will be of relevance in North America and we are convinced they will also have relevance in Europe<\/a>.”<\/p>\n

Volvo’s CEO H\u00e5kan Samuelsson said the technology provides “a perfect bridge to full electrification” amid a slowing of demand for pure-EVs.<\/p>\n

“It enables us to maintain and develop a balanced product portfolio, while offering a highly attractive alternative to customers who are not yet ready for fully electric cars. This is also an example of regionalisation, where we adapt to the local market needs,” he said.<\/p>\n

The XC70 has an especially important role to play for Volvo as the company embarks on a significant global cost-cutting drive in response to industry “turbulence” and a “challenging external environment”.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Even amid that turbulence, Volvo said it “remains firm on its ambition of becoming a fully electric car company”, but just a fifth of its sales in the first quarter of 2025 were electric, and it said “premium plug-in hybrids provide a pragmatic bridge for customers not yet ready to switch”.<\/p>\n

The XC70 name has been dormant since 2016, when the off-road version of the third-generation V70 estate was taken off sale. It was originally called the V70 XC, with ‘XC’ standing for ‘Cross Country’.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":62981,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"Default","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2,137],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-62980","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-featured","category-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.globalvillagespace.com\/tech\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/62980","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.globalvillagespace.com\/tech\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.globalvillagespace.com\/tech\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.globalvillagespace.com\/tech\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.globalvillagespace.com\/tech\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=62980"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.globalvillagespace.com\/tech\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/62980\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.globalvillagespace.com\/tech\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/62981"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.globalvillagespace.com\/tech\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=62980"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.globalvillagespace.com\/tech\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=62980"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.globalvillagespace.com\/tech\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=62980"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}