Together with the also-Geely-owned Polestar, Volvo is gearing up for the release of a new flagship electric model that will land in time for the 2023 model year. As far as Volvo is concerned, the newcomer, which has been tentatively named Embla, will replace the XC90 while resembling last year’s Recharge concept. As for the latter company, this has already teased the Polestar 3 offering, showing us how this will be differentiated from the said Volvo model. But what about the customers who aren’t looking for SUVs? This pixel proposal portrays a sibling of the duo that would build on Volvo’s rich wagon tradition.
The Swedish automaker’s boxy wagons, which are currently represented by the V60 and larger V90, both available in plug-in hybrid Recharge trim, have a history that spans all the way to the 1960s (their previous, post-war wagons featured rounded styling). However, the model being pictured in this digital work is an ode to the 850 of the early and mid-90s, as well as to the V70 that came after it.
The digital artist known as LARSON Design (aka lars_o_saeltzer) used the modern classic styling cues of the said models, while sticking to the angular approach defining the recent Volvo Rechage show car. Unlike the concept, though, this rendering proposes a vehicle that trades off an SUV’s generous ground clearance for a more planted approach that would be a treat to the one behind the wheel.
Something new, something (b)old
The old-school boxy approach is bombarded with futuristic details, from the complex side surface treatment to the way in which the light clusters adorning both ends of the vehicle are drawn. And the result makes a convincing case for those of us who love wagons.
Speaking of which, while this segment has managed to survive the SUV craze this far, the sales numbers aren’t generous enough to justify the kind of model range expansion portrayed here.
Nevertheless, unlike Polestar, which started out as an independent race team and tuner that was eventually acquired by Volvo, the latter might be tempted to play the heritage card in an EV market that’s constantly assaulted by fresh names. So perhaps we can allow ourselves to cross our fingers for a future Volvo battery-powered wagon.
Such a model would share the battery-dedicated SPA2 platform that’s expected to underpin the upcoming Volvo XC90 replacement and Polestar3. For the record, the latter won’t just be differentiated from its Volvo sibling by design (you’ll find YouTube videos of the Volvo Recharge Concept and the Polestar3—a teaser— below), but also thanks to its superior performance, as Polestar is a brand that aims to stay true to its said go-fast DNA.
In an automotive landscape that has increasing trouble dealing with styling uniformity, such a battery-powered Volvo wagon would deliver a standout design, as these renderings can attest.
