Taking Things in Modulation

Car India had a word with Peter Mertens, the head of R&D at Volvo Car Corporation, and that meant we could ask some long lingering questions about their new CMA platform, electrification, and future car and tech possibilities.

- Jim Gorde

Car India (CI): How would you describe what the new compact modular architecture (CMA) means to Volvo going forward?

Peter Mertens (PM): We have developed a platform for C-segment that enables us to launch premium cars in this segment with our high safety standards and electrification opportunities built in from start. We can gain weight and cost opportunities versus our SPA platform for this segment and this enables us to differentiate the products between the 40-, 60-, and 90-clusters even better.

CI: Flexibility is the key to your new compact modular architecture. We’ve already seen what will become the XC40 and even a probable S40 and S40 Cross Country. How close to the SPA cars can CMA cars get, size-wise?

PM: CMA will be used for our future C-segment cars. SPA is a platform developed for the larger 60- and 90-cars. The power train and attribute bandwidths are wider for SPA versus CMA. SPA can afford more power, torque, and electrical range, etc, which is required for our 60- and 90-cars but not necessary for C segment cars. These limiting factors are more important than the actual size of car that is possible to build on CMA versus SPA.

CI: Will CMA provide enough flexibility for a car with seven seats?

PM: Yes, it is possible to build a small MPV with seven seats on CMA.

CI: Having discussed electrification last year, with CMA are we at the stage where we can specify a combustion engine and an electric drive line as easily as choosing paint and interior?