Volvo To Kill Some Sedans And Wagons To Focus On More SUVs

The days when traditional body styles like the sedan and wagon ruled the car industry are long gone, replaced by the continuous rise of crossovers and SUVs. Volvo is well aware of the market trends, simply by checking out the sales results and seeing 75 percent of its customers are buying an XC model. The man in charge at the Geely-owned brand told Autocar there will be an expansion of the high-riding portfolio at the expense of sedans and wagons.

Håkan Samuelsson explained that Volvo simply has too many sedans and wagons, especially long-roof models as the V60 and V90 both have Cross Country derivatives. He went on to mention the Swedish brand offers a "lot of saloons big and small, long and extra-long," some of which will have to go. The company's head honcho promises they'll keep sedans and wagons, "but probably not as many."

Volvo is shifting focus to electric SUVs to complement the XC40 Recharge and the C40 Recharge unveiled this week. The next-generation XC90 is expected to spawn an EV version while a smaller XC20 / C20 has already been officially confirmed. We’ve also heard some rumors about a fullsize XC100, but nothing is official at this point. The dealers have been asking for a BMW X7 rival, and we're sure executives are all ears.

If you'd rather have a non-SUV model from Volvo, there is a silver lining. Samuelsson told Autocar that "a practical, lower car could also be really interesting, especially as we go electric and need lower air resistance. Definitely don't count out the wagon." In other words, regular cars are not going away entirely. It's just that customers will have fewer options when shopping for an S or V model.

Regardless of body style, most of the new arrivals will be EVs. Volvo has promised to abandon the internal combustion engine by the end of the decade. Meanwhile, the C40 Recharge will be followed by five additional electric vehicles by 2025 when the firm estimates sales will be split evenly between EVs and PHEVs.

All ICE-less Volvos will be sold exclusively online and are going to support over-the-air updates, bringing improvements in terms of range, charging speeds, and tweaks to the infotainment system. The C40 Recharge is the company's first modern car to do away with leather, and all future zero-emissions models will come without animal hides.