Volvo Reveals Secrets Of Its Greenest Car Yet

Volvo held its firstVolvo Cars Tech Moment presentationa few months ago, touting the ways it would become a leaner, meaner, greener car company. It was mostly about collecting data in real time to make driving safer. But during that, Volvo previewed the Volvo Concept Recharge in a few pictures. Today we get a full look at the electric wagon, inside and out.

Volvo says that it's using sustainable materials, including the tires, which were made from recycled and renewable ingredients. It improved its aerodynamics too, and the company believes it can "reduce a car's lifecycle CO2 impact by 80 percent versus a 2018 Volvo XC60, without losing the inherent premium qualities that Volvo cars have become known for."

"As we enter the age of the electric car, how far you can drive on a full charge will be a key consideration," said Owen Ready, head of strategic and brand design at Volvo Cars. "The easy approach is to add more batteries, but it is not the same as simply adding a bigger fuel tank today - batteries add weight and increase carbon footprint. Instead we have to increase overall efficiency to increase range. With Concept Recharge we explore the tension between the need for efficiency and the desire for the same space, convenience and driving experience as in today's SUVs."

Theoretically the Volvo Concept Recharge, when charged withrenewable energy, would have an overall life cycle CO2 impact of less than 10 tons. That's partially due to the also-renewable interior, which has natural materials including Swedish wool, lightweight composites and other environmentally responsible, low-impact materials.