Sustainability = Luxury In The New Volvo EX90

The new Volvo EX90 is almost upon us, and all the talk is about how the brand’s new luxury flagship (previewed here in the form of the Recharge concept car, above) will be “reinterpreting luxury and well-being.”

What does that bit of marketing jargon mean? Instead of the burled walnut and acres of tanned leather hides that have traditionally defined luxury for brands like Cadillac and Rolls-Royce, the Volvo is taking a different path. “We’ve chosen materials based on our values,” says Cecilia Stark, Senior Design Manager at Volvo Cars. “These choices leave behind old-fashioned automotive luxury and express our Scandinavian foundations. With the Volvo EX90 we take customer well-being as a design starting point.”

To put it another way: this new Volvo hopes to point out that bling isn’t always best, and the new EX90 will offer an interior composition that reflects the company’s sustainability ambitions of being a truly climate-neutral company by 2040.

Material World

Volvo says the EX90 interior makes use of  FSC™-certified, back-lit wood panels around the cabin. They believe the effect, “creates a Scandinavian living room atmosphere and evokes the Nordic wilderness.”

The wool used in the premium cloth seat option, too, is certified according to what the company calls “strict sustainability standards on animal welfare, environmental and social issues.”

Even the “leather” option takes animal welfare into account …. by not being made of animals at all.

Vegan Leather Pioneers

Already one of the pioneers of animal-free interiors, the Volvo-developed “Nordico” option gives the look, feel, and durability of leather – but it’s made from recycled textiles, PET bottles, and bio-attributed material from responsibly managed forests in Sweden and Finland. “Nordico,” says the official copy, “is a progressive and technically advanced material.”

“The interior design and composition of the Volvo EX90 continues decades of iteration and innovation,” continues Stark. “We see interior composition as a learning process that will continue overtime based on your feedback, in-house innovation and new responsible sourcing opportunities.”

You guys already know I’m a fan, but I’m biased. What do you guys think? Will Volvo be successful in its efforts to make sustainability = luxury, or are people too excited about leather to let that one go? Let us know, in the comments!

Source | Images: Volvo Cars.