Volvo XC90: Four Million Cars with the SPA Platform

Volvo Cars has reached a new industrial milestone: the production of the four-millionth vehicle based on its modular SPA (Scalable Product Architecture) platform. This platform, introduced in 2014 with the second generation of the XC90, has been pivotal in the brand's electric model strategy over the past decade.

The vehicle marking this symbolic figure—a Volvo XC90—recently rolled off the production line at the Torslanda plant in Sweden, where the SPA story began. Since then, it has served as the foundation for six different models manufactured across three continents and four countries: Sweden, Belgium, China, and the United States.

Designed and developed by a team of engineers led from Sweden, the SPA allowed for shared architecture, assembly lines, and propulsion systems among different models, significantly reducing development and production costs. At the same time, it facilitated the integration of safety and connectivity technologies that define the brand's new era.

"The SPA architecture spurred the rebirth of our company as a high-end and modern brand," stated Michael Fleiss, Head of Strategy and Products at Volvo Cars. "Today, it remains the foundation of some of the most successful Volvo models in history and continues to reach new heights as we refine it."

Among the most notable innovations of the SPA are pioneering safety advancements such as the run-off road protection system, automatic braking at intersections, and the cabin reinforced with high-strength boron steel. Many of these continue to be updated through software improvements, which users can receive wirelessly and free of charge.

The SPA also enabled Volvo designers to adopt a more distinctive aesthetic language, with elements that are now brand trademarks like the iconic front lights. The proportions of the XC60 and S90 are the direct result of the design freedom it provided.

Technically, the SPA was the foundation on which the "Twin Engine" system was developed, combining electric and thermal propulsion and becoming the cornerstone of Volvo's plug-in hybrid strategy. This technology marked the transition towards an electrified range that today represents the bulk of the brand's registrations.

Looking to the future, the principles of the SPA will remain present in the new generations of platforms, named SPA2 and SPA3, which will underpin Volvo's upcoming electrified models.