2023 Volvo Embla: XC90 Electric Successor Leaked!

Before its projected end-of-year global reveal, the all-electric successor to the current Volvo XC90, which is anticipated to bear the 2023 Volvo Embla badge, has already made an early appearance in patent images!

The Patent images of the next-generation Volvo XC90 have been revealed by members of the Worldscoop forum, giving us a rough idea of what the Swedish carmaker’s upcoming large SUV will look like.

As Volvo intends to quit using alphanumeric names for its future models, the model shown here will reportedly be christened as the Embla (the first female in Norse mythology), even though it now lacks an official name. 

The concept's headlamp design, shoulder line, and lower front bumper all resemble the Concept Recharge, but the concept's sloping roof has been extended upward to increase headroom in all three rows.

Elements familiar to current XC90 owners include the new car's overall proportions, and the shape of its side windows.

A C-shaped bottom part and vertical LED strips on either side of the rear window have replaced the single-piece vertical taillights that have distinguished the XC90 series since the first version was introduced in 2004.

The Embla's interior is not shown in the patents, but the Concept Recharge hinted at a simple design with a large centre touchscreen a la Tesla and a thin instrument panel affixed to the steering column.

For the infotainment and instrument cluster software in the Embla, which is powered by more powerful CPUs than previous Volvo models, Volvo recently announced a partnership to employ Unreal Engine software from Epic Games, creators of the well-known video game Fortnite.

The next huge SUV is anticipated to be built on the SPA2 (Scalable Product Architecture) platform and will only be powered by electricity.

The Embla is expected to make its debut later this year for the 2023 model year and be assembled at the company’s plant in Ridgeville, South Carolina. 

The current XC90 is assembled at Volvo’s Torslanda plant in Sweden, by Volvo Trucks in Bengaluru, India as well as by Volvo Car Manufacturing Malaysia in Shah Alam, Malaysia.