The EM90, Volvo’s all-electric luxury vehicle, is sold worldwide. A Volvo copyright picture sent to the USPTO shows a plug-in hybrid version of the car. Volvo’s plant in South Carolina will make a new hybrid car, the company said. People in the US need more minivan options. If a recent patent application by Volvo to the USPTO is any sign, they may soon have another sliding-door family vehicle to choose from. This is because the car in the pictures below doesn’t look like a battery electric Volvo EM90. Instead, it appears to be a plug-in hybrid version of the minivan that the company sells in other countries. Why did we write this? A small cut is visible on the right rear fender in the patent pictures. The sketches show a van with doors on both back fenders. The real EM90, on the other hand, has a charging port door on the left rear fender. The one on the right side is for a gas cap. Is this plug-in hybrid the “new hybrid” that Volvo plans to make at its plant in South Carolina by the end of the decade? What will you call it? HM90 or XM90? As people who love minivans, we really hope that’s the case. Still, since crossovers and SUVs are more popular than minivans in the US new car market, it’s smart to keep our hopes in check. A car might be coming soon. Ultimately, Mercedes plans to release a luxurious mid-size van in the US the following year, and the Vision V concept gives us our first glimpse of the vehicle. Volvo may also like to participate. We requested a response from Volvo, but they didn’t respond. We think Volvo will let us down when it claims the “new hybrid” emerging from its plant in South Carolina is merely another crossover or SUV designed to boost the company’s profits. However, we will still hold out hope that the Swedish automaker makes our sliding-door dreams come true.
