Swede dreams are made of EVs: Our electric Volvo wishlist

Features

Volvo has promised to introduce seven new BEV models in Europe in the next four years. Here's what the EV Powered team would like to see.

GE

George East

18 September 2026 · 5 min read

Pun fully intended, but Volvo’s on a bit of a roll at the moment. Earlier this week, it launched a heavily revised version of the best-selling XC60, which of course everyone loves. The week prior, it unveiled its new EX40, which now feels like a shrunken version of its all-electric EX90 flagship.

Now, as part of its 2026 strategy update, Sweden’s favourite, and sole remaining, carmaker has announced it will introduce 13 new models by 2027, and be an electric-only brand in Europe by 2030.

Each of these will be built on Gothenburg’s SPA3 modular platform, which can be adapted for high-riding and low-slung body styles, prompting immediate suggestions of a new wave of saloons, estates, and possibly even a city car.

It shouldn’t come as a surprise that we like a Volvo at EV Powered, so we’ve put together a wishlist of five electric models we’d love to see roll off the production line in Torslanda, Sweden, during the coming years.

Please, Volvo. Pretty please.

1. Volvo Elbil

When Elon Musk was still in nappies, and Tesla was the surname of a long-dead Serbo-Croat inventor who had a thing for pigeons, Volvo introduced its first EV in 1976. Named the ‘Elbil’ (or ‘Electric Car’ in Swedish), the boxy little four-seat city car was Volvo’s answer to the fuel crisis that affected the latter part of the decade. The Elbil was powered by 12 six-volt batteries, generating a range of up to 50 kilometres (31 miles) or around two hours of solid driving. In recent years, we’ve seen all-electric city cars gain traction courtesy of the Dacia Spring, the Renault Twingo, and the Honda Super N. Volvo chief, Håkan Samuelsson, even referenced this in the strategy update. Perhaps now is the time for Elbil to make a return after 50 years.

2. Volvo C30

Definitely a left-field choice, but a worthy one. The OG Volvo C30 was based on the Mk2 Ford Focus, and aimed firmly at the likes of the Audi A3 and Volkswagen Golf Mk5. But despite being great to drive and adorned with an interior way ahead of its rivals, it didn’t really catch on, because, well… it was a bit odd; the glass hatch in place of a boot being a case in point. But quirkiness hasn’t halted the likes of the Volkswagen ID.3 becoming a best-seller, or Audi re-launching its A2 as an EV-only e-tron model. We suspect that the C-segment family hatch class would welcome an all-electric C30 with open arms. We would, anyway.

3. Volvo ES60/EV60

On the back of Volvo’s growth announcement, it should be The Law that Volvo has to bring back its much-loved mid-sized S60 saloon – after all, BMW has its i3, Mercedes has its C-Class, and Audi has promised an electric version of its next-generation A4. The S60 has always appealed to the less, erm, “golf-clubby” executive saloon buyer, so there’s definitely room for an electric version. Also, don’t forget that Gothenburg has never let the Germans have it all their own way – the old and much-loved S60 Polestar being a case in point. SPA3’s flexible nature opens up the possibility for an EV60 estate, too.

4. Volvo EV90

Volvo already has the ES90 to play the part of its electric-only flagship saloon, so surely it’s time it ushered in a cavernous electric wagon to go up against the BMW i5 Touring and the Audi A6 Avant e-tron, right? The ES90 is a quiet, cossetting thing, and a squishy, comfortable estate version would definitely fit its character – after all, Volvo’s sister brand, Polestar, has just launched an esta… sorry, ‘SUV’ version of its 4. It would also allow Volvo to fix the ES90’s ‘everything in the touchscreen’ approach and add some physical buttons around the cabin for things like adjusting the air temperature and opening the glovebox.

5. Volvo EX70 XC

Just like the 850, the V70 XC and XC70 are cars that everyone loves whether they’re a Volvo fan or not. We already know Volvo can make an excellent all-electric SUV, the all-new EX60, refreshed EX40, and updated EX90 being cases in point. But just imagine – a high-riding estate based on the EX60’s SPA platform, which can manage over 500 miles on a single charge. In full-bore P12 guise, these software-defined underpinnings also come with all-wheel-drive (AWD) and almost 700bhp. Factor in Volvo’s ultra-cool current design language with some ruff ‘n’ ready black plastic body cladding thrown in, and the OG sleeper will be well and truly back. Take our money already.

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