Although Volvo had previously said it will no longer introduce new station wagon models, it appears that an about-turn could be on the cards, as the Swedish brand’s new platform could allow its future EV models to ride closer to the ground, and not necessarily be of SUV height, reported Autocar.
The platform known as SPA3 is first used on the EX60 that made its debut in January this year, and has been developed for significantly greater engineering flexibility and so that the vehicle’s battery capacity does not dictate the height of the vehicle, according to the report.
This is possible because the SPA3 platform has been created for EVs from the outset, rather than being adapted from an ICE-powered vehicle platform, which is the case with its predecessor the SPA2 which underpins the EX90 and ES90, and thus allows more freedom in moving components and structures to suit different designs, said Volvo chief technology officer Anders Bell.
His “job in engineering is to provide options for the company,” Bell told Autocar. We can make [cars] high. We can make them low. It’s all in scalability and this is unlocked by removing the combustion engine, the exhaust, fuel tanks and everything from the equation, and finding new ways to build up the bone structure and the scalability of the platform,” he said.
Packaging constraints for EVs on adapted ICE-based platforms is one reason why electric cars are getting wider in general, because in order to increase capacity, battery packs will have to be made wider sideways, Bell said. The SPA3 platform offers new possibilities with regard to packaging, which will allow next-generation Volvo EVs to more closely resemble to width, height and silhouette of traditional, ICE-powered cars, he said.
When the front crash structure of a vehicle has not been shaped to accommodate an engine, as the case would be for an ground-up BEV design, there is more flexibility to position the battery cells across the floorpan, and ahead of the front bulkhead, and therefore the battery does not strictly have to be within the wheelbase.
The SPA3 platform moves the meeting point between the battery and the front crash structure forward, so Volvo can put seven kilowatts – at a minimum, probably more – of the pack further forward, while still doing all the crazy Volvo crash stuff,” Bell said.
Placing battery cells ahead of the front windscreen frees up room for “foot garages”, such as in the Porsche Taycan and Audi e-tron GT, which allows the seating position to be closer to that of a conventional internal combustion engined car. In a lower car, you can depopulate cells in the rear footwell, because this is actually what sets the lowest height of a car: the rear-seat passenger,” Bell told the publication.
“If you have an evenly flat pack throughout the whole length of the vehicle, you get this penalty. It’s why so many of the [BEVs based on ICE platforms] look like baby SUVs, even if they try to be low,” Bell continued. This could, in theory, open the door to the return of a sedan and station wagon sibling to the EX60, though that depends on demand.
“You can achieve this fantastic bandwidth so we can make super-sleek cars, like there’s no battery pack that affects the height of the roof,” Bell said.
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Fully agreed. Station wagon will always be more space effective and power efficient than a suv crossover.
actually MPV is the most space-efficient of all because its form factor provides more headroom for its given footprint.
What to do, gotta cover up lack of driving skill and judgement by having a higher seating position what. That’s truly the only reason SUV’s are so popular. They don’t do anything particularly well. And unless it’s a Land cruiser/Pajero/Patrol, none of them can go off-roading either.
anyone with half a brain would deduce that SUV offers a bit more wading depth , a bit of capability to climb small kerbs, and more verticle space to stack luggage
Having to climb small kerbs is the definition of not knowing how to drive. I said off-roading you cretin.
and i said intentionally mounting small kerbs you imbecile, because thats the use-case for most drivers. height literally increases the practicality regardless of driver skill so what more can you argue.
Need cargo space. Lowering the car, and forcing the drivers to get roof box and roof racks just to increase cargo space…. Getting naughty the EV manufacturer.
EV supposed to be bottom heavy therefore, these cars/suv/mpv, should have cargo holds below the seats, like buses, that way keeping the large luggage below deck is a lot easier and makes sense to continue passing the Elk test. Volvo…yes, you are the safety first company. Do it and be the leader again.
We need more affordable wagon pls!!
I wonder wagon will be the next trend? its hard to make wagon looks good! Bring more kereta keranda plss!!