Right on schedule, Volvo has unveiled its first fully-electric premium MPV, the Volvo EM90, which chief executive Jim Rowan says will “tap new market demand we’ve not explored before and broadens the appeal of the Volvo brand to more people.”
Potentially a lot of people, because the Swedish carmaker is making the EM90 available first to China, where it is now available for preorders.
The EM90 is actually based on the Zeeker 009, which, like Volvo, is under the Geely group. A 268hp (200kW) electric motor powers the rear wheels, propelling the MPV from a standstill to 100kph in 8.3sec. The 116kWh battery has a claimed range of 738km based on Chinese market testing standards, and can be fast-charged from 10% to 80% in under 30 minutes. The EM90 can also be used to charge appliances and even other EVs.
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Ever since the teasers were revealed, Volvo has been calling the interior a “Scandinavian living room on the move,” but at least based on the photos, the cabin looks rather more luxurious than your typical IKEA setup.
One thing that caught our attention is the inside panels of the sliding doors, which house what appear to be touch controls for door locks, windows, and A/C, a clock, and some of the speakers for the 21-speaker Bowers & Wilkins sound setup. The in-car multimedia system is powered by Snapdragon Cockpit Platforms, and aside from the 15.4-inch main screen in the cockpit, there’s a roof-munted 15.6-inch screen that drops down from the ceiling and can be used for either watching movies or taking video calls.
The EM90 has a 2+2+2 seating layout for a total of six seats, and as with all cars in this segment, you’ll want to be in one of the middle-row captain seats. Volvo does promise a comfortable experience for everyone on board courtesy of sound insulation, road-noise cancellation technology, dual-chamber air suspension, and silent tires wrapped around either 19- or 20-inch aero wheels.
The exterior, thankfully, is much tamer than that of the Zeekr 009. Instead of brightwork, lighting signatures like the Thor’s Hammer headlights are used to create a distinct front end; the badge up front is also illuminated, which is a first for Volvo. At the back is a reinterpretation of the brand’s vertical taillights, “inspired by the skylines of modern cities.” The Volvo name is spelled out and illuminated across the center, connecting the horizontal elements of the taillights.
The press release doesn’t go into detail about the safety features of the car, though this being a Volvo, it’s expected to have all manner of advanced driver-assistance tech aided by a multitude of cameras and radars.
“The Volvo EM90 is a supremely comfortable electric car with a smart cabin, fast charging, a competitive driving range, Volvo’s unique design language and a high level of premium in every detail,” said Rowan. “But far more important is what it does for you. It gives you room to connect. Room to create. Room to relax. Room for you and for those around you.”
The model’s availability in the Chinese market also means it’s left-hand-drive from the get-go. Think this will make a nice alternative to the premium people-movers we have on the local market?
More photos of the Volvo EM90:
