Happiness ranks high in Scandinavian countries. Despite the long periods of darkness, Scandinavians excel in health and vitality. But what exactly is the reason that Scandinavian countries consistently rank in the top ten of the United Nations’ World Happiness Report? WOWwatchers traveled to Sweden to find out and discovered that Volvo has integrated that Swedish sense of happiness into its new small electric SUV: the Volvo EX30.
Maxime Prevoteaux, Senior Exterior Designer at Volvo Cars, moved to Sweden from France and personally experienced the happiness factor. “I thought moving to Sweden would be a small step after living in the U.S. for half a year, but the impact on me personally and how it changed my outlook on life was much greater than expected. The proximity to nature was largely the determining factor. Coming from the French countryside, I already knew quite a bit about nature, but not in this way. In Sweden, we have something called ‘Allemanrätten,’ which is the right to roam freely. This sparked my interest in outdoor activities, which are deeply woven into Scandinavian culture. It’s amazing how accessible nature is here. Additionally, the variety of landscapes, the diversity of light, and its intensity all play a role. That very nature and light influence our work as designers. Light is essential to fully enjoy all aspects of life and plays a significant role in our mood, emotions, and life rhythm. Because we experience a lack of light during half the year—the cold season—and an abundance of it in spring and summer, there’s a stark contrast between the seasons, something I had never experienced in this way before. This has greatly shaped the Scandinavian culture as we know it today.
We can literally reuse everything we pollute the Earth with to create new premium concepts.
– Dan Fidgett, Head of Colour & Material Design at Volvo Cars
Take architecture, for example: most Scandinavian buildings are designed to maximize enjoyment of the outdoors while leaving the smallest footprint. They often use large windows, especially in big open spaces. During the darker days, we live differently. We spend much more time indoors, which is why Scandinavian interior design is so inviting, warm, and cozy.
The use of ambient lighting is essential in this regard. It helps create a uniformly lit environment, but it also positively impacts our well-being in five key ways. First, it improves mood—soft and warm lighting creates a cozy and welcoming atmosphere. Second, a dimly lit environment helps reduce stress levels. Third, it’s visually relaxing for the eyes compared to harsh direct light. Fourth, it positively affects our biorhythm. We are increasingly exposed to blue light from screens, and it’s important to reduce that. And last but not least, lighting plays an important role in social interactions. Low lighting brings people together—just think of candlelight on a table. These are precisely the aspects we have fully incorporated into the new Volvo EX30 to elevate the well-being of the passengers and offer an esca
Looking at the color spectrum, we can distinguish between the part that contains more red, yellow, and orange tones, which stimulates energy and happiness, and the part with green and blue, which has a more calming effect.
This color spectrum, characteristic of Scandinavian nature, is what we have applied in the ambient lighting design of the Volvo EX30.” By selecting an ambiance theme—Archipelago, Nordic Twilight, Midsummer, Northern Lights, or Forest Bath—via the central display, you bring the nature of Scandinavia into your car. Panel decorations, door panels, and storage spaces are illuminated with slowly shifting colors that complement the interior’s nuances. Additionally, you can activate specially designed ambient sounds to further enhance the experience of each theme.
The Volvo EX30 offers a choice of just four unique interiors, each with its own personality and blend of natural or recycled materials, and there’s a good reason for that.
– Dan Fidgett, Head of Colour & Material Design at Volvo Cars
Rooted in Sustainability
British designer Dan Fidgett, Head of Colour & Material Design at Volvo Cars, moved to Sweden in 2021 after living in Germany for ten years. “I spent ten years working as a fashion designer in the sportswear industry for brands like Adidas and Puma,” Dan explains. “Sweden attracted me, not just for living here and its ideals but also Volvo, a human-centered brand rooted in sustainability, and the circular journey we could embark on together. The automotive industry is beginning the same journey that the fashion industry has undergone over the last fifteen to twenty years. The discussions around leather, structured knits, and sustainable practices are the same conversations we’re having in the automotive sector, which led to four well-developed interior concepts for the Volvo EX30.
Usually, as a customer, you can choose from many interior combinations. The reason we’re able to offer the Volvo EX30 at such a competitive price is largely due to the smaller number of combinations. The fewer parts you need, the fewer things you have to stock in the factory, and the shorter the time it takes to produce them, which keeps costs low. Initially, as a design team, we panicked a bit, wondering how we could create what was necessary with so many restrictions, but it allowed us to design two recycled and two natural concepts that truly reflect the essence of Scandinavian design and Volvo.
The ‘Breeze’ and ‘Indigo’ interiors include 100% recycled textile that looks like leather. We really challenged ourselves to create new premium concepts, drawing inspiration from the knitting technology used in the sneaker industry for seat upholstery. We wanted a material that saves weight and reduces waste by being custom-knitted. Additionally, it allows for different effects and patterns to be created on the seats. The panel decorations, in turn, are made from ground-up old PVC window frames and shutters. These particles create a speckled pattern. We can literally reuse everything we pollute the Earth with to create new premium ideas. The ‘Indigo’ interior with upcycled denim deco is my favorite. When companies recycle jeans, they shred the fabric, and as the fibers are rewoven, a lot of short fibers, too small to spin again, fall to the floor. These are usually burned, but we recover and upcycle them into pulp for paper, which is then reused for panel decorations.”
Available from € 38,990.
