Volvo has affirmed it will supplant its long-standing ‘S’ saloon and ‘V’ estate models, regardless of SUVs currently representing 75% of its total sales.

The firm’s global best-seller, the Volvo XC60 SUV, sold more units (162,600) in the initial 3/4 of 2021 than the S60, V60, S90 and V90 joined. Volvo CEO Håkan Samuelsson said: “Yes, the [S and V] lines will be replaced with something even more attractive to consumers. We need lower cars with a more conventional body size but maybe a little less square [than previously]. These low cars will be in addition to our high-positioned SUVs. Stay tuned.”

When inquired as to whether the state of the Volvo C40 Recharge SUV would prompt more coupé-inspired Volvos, Samuelsson said: “Yes and no. Cars will be less boxy in future, when we need to have lower air resistance. You could call it coupé-ish. We talk a lot about range in electric cars, but I think we will start looking at energy efficiency, and of course air resistance will be very central to that.”

Earlier this year, Samuelsson let Autocar know that the Swedish creator will expand its line-up of SUVs while scaling back traditional saloons and homes, so Volvo traditionalists will be happy to hear that the V and S lines will proceed in some form. In any case, they are probably not going to carry the V and S designations, as Volvo affirmed in July that it will give future models names, rather than alphanumerics.

Samuelsson is set to step down as Volvo SEO in March, to be supplanted by ex-Dyson Group CEO Jim Rowan. He will likewise Volvo’s board of management however keep on serve as chairperson of EV performance brand Polestar.

Volvo is additionally moving its production priorities. It as of now builds 15,000 EVs annually, yet by autumn next year that capacity will increment to 150,000 EVs. On its expect to have 50% EV sales by 2025, Volvo’s CFO, Björn Annwall, said: “You need customers who want EVs, and we’re fully confident ours do. You need great cars, which we have.”