Volvo And Polestar Reportedly Working On Small Electric Crossovers

Volvo and Polestar will launch new flagship SUV models next year with the two machines sharing the same architecture. A slightly different recipe will be applied for another pair of high-riding vehicles from the two brands, which will be positioned at the very bottom of their respective portfolios. A new report shines more light on the fraternal crossovers, which are set to fight the Mercedes-Benz EQA and the likes.

 In a new article, Autocar says Volvo will use Geely’s new SEA platform as a base for its small electric crossover. The first application of that “open-source” architecture was for the Zeekr 001 compact shooting brake from China, which has options for either 86-kWh or 100-kWh battery packs. If this could be used for a reference, Volvo’s upcoming crossover could benefit from long-range tech providing up to 435 miles per charge.

Not much else is known about the new model, though the 001’s charging capabilities could be used as a starting point in terms of what the small Swedish crossover could offer. The Chinese car can charge with impressive speeds of up to 360 kW, the automaker claims, which means 75 miles of range could be added in about five minutes. Its dual-motor, 500+ horsepower powertrain will most likely remain exclusive to that car, though.

As far as Polestar’s new crossover is concerned, it will reportedly be positioned between the Polestar 2 and Polestar 3 in terms of its dimensions and will be marketed as a more affordable and mainstream offering than the flagship SUV. It will feature a similar sloped roofline as the Polestar 3 but will sit lower to the ground. The curved lines won’t “compromise much” the interior, as Polestar boss Thomas Ingenlath explained.

This new Polestar crossover will reportedly be mechanically related to the Volvo C40 Recharge, which means it will be based on the CMA platform. If the numbers are the same as on the C40, expect to see 64-kWh or 78-kWh batteries, and single- or dual-motor powertrains.