Volvo is providing us a sneak preview of their newly developed Compact Modular Architecture (CMA) set to debut in 2017.
According to the Swedish automaker, the new CMA’s introduction in 2017 means that all future Volvo cars will be built on just two fully scalable and wholly modular vehicle architectures; the Scalable Product Architecture (SPA) for big models like their 90-series and 60-series models and the Compact Modular Architecture (CMA) for their smaller 40-series models.
The simultaneous development of SPA and CMA has formed the cornerstone of Volvo’s product renewal and growth strategy, which involves the replacement of every single car in its line-up in the next four years and an annual sales volume of up 800,000 cars. This process started with the launch of the XC90 and will continue with the launch of the new S90 premium sedan.
CMA allows the company to offer customers of compact cars the same type of premium engineering benefits as owners of its larger cars built on SPA. Shared technology between SPA and CMA will include powertrains (both conventional and new plug-in hybrid variants) and the infotainment, climate and data network and safety systems.
“The flexibility of CMA liberates Volvo’s engineers and designers, allowing them to devise and introduce a wide range of new and alluring features whilst at the same time improving drivability, offering world-class safety features and connected car technologies,” said Dr Peter Mertens, Senior Vice President, Research & Development at Volvo Car Group.
CMA will also change the way Volvo Cars builds its products in the future by allowing a wide range of cars, powertrains, electrical systems and technologies of varying complexity to be fitted on the same architecture, generating significant economies of scale and a more streamlined manufacturing process.
Volvo Cars’ CMA has also been designed from the outset to embrace electrification – offering a new Twin Engine plug-in hybrid variant designed especially for the new architecture.
“We are in a terrific position with CMA. We have developed this new architecture as a plug and play component. This means that on Volvo’s next generation of compact cars you will benefit from the advanced technologies available on our XC90 today,” said Dr Mertens.
