Two Volvo 40 Series Concepts have been revealed overnight, with the Swedish car maker showing off both a sedan and SUV 40 Series concept ahead of their 2017 launch.

VOLVO HAS REVEALED its next two all-new vehicles, the 40 Series, in concept form, announcing its new 40 Series range, which will go on-sale next year (2017) will include both an electric vehicle and a plug-in hybrid. Volvo has committed to selling one million electrified cars by 2025.

Volvo said its 40 series cars will be built around its new Compact Modular Architecture (CMA), which has been specially created for smaller cars (and is based on Volvo’s Scalable Product Architecture which underpins bigger vehicles, like XC90). They will also feature “the world’s most advanced standard package of safety features,” Volvo said, although it didn’t go into detail.

“Each member of our product family has its own distinct character, just like the members of a real family. CMA has helped us to capture something special, something youthful in our new concept cars. They have an energy, a disruptive and engaging urban character that makes them stand out among the crowd. This is the flavour of small Volvos to come,” said Thomas Ingenlath, Senior Vice President, Design, at Volvo Car Group.

“Our new expanded range of smaller cars will improve and broaden Volvo’s presence in an important and growing market segment in Australia and around the world,” said Kevin McCann, Managing Director at Volvo Car Australia.

“By taking a modular approach to both vehicle architecture and powertrain development we have succeeded in leap-frogging many of the players in the prestige segment,” said Mr McCann.

“Our new battery electric powertrain variant opens yet another exciting chapter in the unfolding Volvo story.”

The first new 40 series car is planned to go into production in 2017, and is expected to be on sale in Australia in late 2017/early 2018.