Volvo, fresh from announcing that it will sell electric only cars in Australia by 2026, has revealed a stunning new ground-up EV to back that up that promise – the Volvo EX90 – in a global YouTube live event.
The Volvo EX90 boasts some impressive features with safety and technology being the primary focus, as can be expected from the brand. While revealing this EV, Volvo described the moment the start of Ā a new era.
āThe new Volvo EX90 is more than just a car,” the company said.
“Itās not just the most advanced Volvo car we ever created ā itās your entry ticket to a wider ecosystem of services and features that can make your life easier, more enjoyable and allow you to reap the full benefits of going all-electric.ā
The performance figures are as impressive as its design. This SUV produces 380kW of power from a dual-motor powertrain setup. The large 7-seater SUV will be able to accelerate from 0-100 km/h in just 5.9 seconds.
The new Volvo EX90 is fed by a 111kWh battery pack. This is a relatively large bump up compared to whatās on offer by Volvoās newest SUV, the C40 Recharge.Ā
The dual-motor version of the Volvo C40 comes with a 78 kWh version, which is 30% smaller than EX90ās battery pack. The large 111 kWh pack offers up to 600 km of WLTP range on Volvoās new ground-up SUV.Ā
Whatās even more impressive is that the same battery can be fast charged from 10-80% in 30 minutes. The onboard battery system also allows for bi-directional charging which is a first for the brand.
Some of the other features that set the EX90 apart from previous Volvo EV models were explained by Jim Rowan, the Swedish carmakerās CEO. These included:
- Luminar LiDAR system for advanced safety containing 16 ultrasonic sensors, 8 camera modules and 5 radar systems. These allow the EX90 to see up to 250 meters ahead in the darkness.
- New headlights which are a sleeker version of the current āThorās hammerā design.
- Volvoās new 14.5-inch infotainment screen with 5G connectivity and Google in-built.
āThe Volvo EX90 is our vision of a large family SUV in the electric age,ā said Jim Rowan, our chief executive. āBorn electric and software-defined, it demonstrates what future Volvo cars will stand for in terms of safety, tech, sustainability, design and creating a more personal experience for every customer.ā
The Driven’s view: The new Volvo EX90 forms a very positive step toward whatās to come in 2023. With strong commitments in Australia to only sell EVs by 2026, itās only a matter of time before other smaller models are introduced by Volvo. This lead will also send a strong signal to other premium brands to follow Volvoās electrified lead in Australia.
Full Volvo EX90 reveal event video on YouTube:
RizĀ is the founder of carloop based in Melbourne, specialising in Australian EV data, insight reports and trends. He is a mechanical engineer who spent the first 7 years of his career building transport infrastructure before starting carloop. He has a passion for cars, particularly EVs and wants to help reduce transport emissions in Australia. He currently drives a red Tesla Model 3.