Mikkel Christensen
Volvo’s electric lineup has expanded quickly in recent years,
Volvo’s electric lineup has expanded quickly in recent years, but one familiar body style has quietly disappeared. As SUVs dominate global sales, the Swedish brand has leaned heavily into crossovers.
That may soon change.
According to reporting by InsideEVs, Volvo’s new dedicated electric platform, known as SPA3, gives the automaker the flexibility to build lower, sleeker vehicles — potentially opening the door to a fully electric wagon.
Volvo’s current SPA2 architecture, which underpins models such as the ES90 and EX90, evolved from combustion-engine foundations. That heritage created packaging compromises, particularly around battery placement and cabin height.
Packaging limits
Because the battery pack sits beneath the cabin floor, rear-seat passengers in many EVs end up with their knees raised higher than in traditional sedans or wagons. The issue has affected several EVs built on combustion-derived platforms.
InsideEVs reports that Volvo’s chief technology officer, Anders Bell, told Autocar that the height of recent EVs has largely been dictated by battery placement under the rear seats.
“If you have an evenly flat pack throughout the whole length of the vehicle, you get this penalty,” Bell said, explaining why many EVs “look like baby SUVs, even if they try to be low.”
With the new SPA3 platform, Volvo can remove battery cells in specific sections to create deeper rear footwells. That allows seats to be mounted lower and reduces the overall height of the vehicle.
Room for a comeback
Bell said the new architecture gives Volvo greater design freedom. “We can do low. We can do sleek. We can do high. We can do MPVs,” he said. “What we choose to do, however, is a different story.”
Volvo’s first SPA3-based model will be the EX60, an electric counterpart to the XC60 SUV. But the flexibility of the platform has fueled speculation about a return to a traditional longroof model.
Volvo discontinued the V90 in 2025, leaving a gap in its lineup. Between 2016 and 2025, the V90 was widely regarded as one of the brand’s most distinctive wagons.
While electric wagons remain rare — with options such as the BMW i5 Touring and Porsche Taycan Sport Turismo — Volvo has long been associated with the body style.
Bell did not confirm an electric wagon is in development. However, as InsideEVs notes, SPA3’s ability to support “very low, like proper low” vehicles suggests the technical barriers that once stood in the way may no longer apply.
Sources: InsideEVs
