Volvo XC20 SUV Electric Recharge – sitting below the Volvo XC40 Recharge – IS happening

A new smaller Volvo SUV – probably the Volvo XC20 – is in the planning as a new entry-level electric SUV perhaps due in 2021.

It’s three years since we reported Volvo’s US boss confirming plans for an XC20, S20 and V20 range to deliver Volvo a model range below the 40 Series, and last year we reported Volvo has plans for both the XC20 and XC100 (a super-sized XC90). And now they’re getting closer.

Auto Express has been speaking to Volvo’s boss, Hakan Samuelsson, and he’s confirmed a smaller range of Volvos is on the way, and will be underpinned by Geely’s new Sustainable Experience Architecture (SEA) rather than Volvo’s existing CMA platform used for the XC40. The platform will also be used by Lynk & Co and Lotus.

The use of the Geely SEA Platform will reduce costs and make it much easier for Volvo to hide the platform beneath the usual Volvo goodness, just in smaller form, to create a proper Volvo offering which will, almost certainly, be electrified – either PHEV or BEV.

It seems the new Geely Platform is ready to go, so it shouldn’t be too long before we start to get proper information on the XC20 (name not confirmed, but very likely), although the next Volvo to arrive is expected to be the electric V40 Recharge in 2021 followed by the new electric XC90 Recharge in 2022.

Does that mean 2023 for the XC20, or could we see it as early as next year? We’ll see.