Meet the first in a new era of Volvo electric cars, the seven-seat EX90 – due in Australia in two years’ time with dual electric motors, a minimalist interior, and semi-autonomous driving technology.
0- 2024 Volvo EX90 seven-seat electric SUV revealed
- Dual-motor all-wheel drive at launch with 380kW power, 600km driving range
- Autonomous driving capability with advanced lidar sensor
- Minimalist interior with portrait touchscreen, 25 speakers
- Due in Australia in late 2024, before Volvo goes electric-only here in 2026
The 2024 Volvo EX90 electric SUV – the successor to the seven-seat, petrol-powered XC90 – has been revealed, ahead of an Australian launch due in two years from now.
The seven-seat, dual-motor EX90 is the first in a line of new standalone Volvo electric cars not related to petrol-powered models, wearing ‘EX’ badges.
It will eventually succeed the petrol-powered XC90 globally, which has been on sale since 2015 – though they will be sold in showrooms together initially.
The EX90 is set to lead Volvo’s transition to an electric-only line-up globally by 2030 – though in a bold move announced last week, Australia is planned to make the switch sooner, in 2026.
While EX90 production will begin in the US next year, Australian models will be sourced from China, where production is set to start “later” – meaning the first examples are not due in showrooms Down Under until late 2024.
Underpinning the Volvo EX90 is the same battery-electric architecture (dubbed ‘SPA2’) as the recently-unveiled Polestar 3 – but whereas the Polestar is a five-seater with a sportier roofline, the Volvo is a three-row seven-seater aimed at practicality.
The EX90 will launch in all-wheel-drive form, with two electric motors and a 111kWh battery combining to develop 380kW and 910Nm, capable of up to 600km of claimed driving range on Europe’s WLTP test cycle, and 10 to 80 per cent fast charging in less than 30 minutes.
Volvo doesn’t specify 0-100km/h or charging rate metrics, however the mechanically-identical Polestar 3 (with the Performance Pack, delivering 560km of claimed range) covers 0-100km/h in 4.7 seconds, and can accept up to 250kW on a DC charger.
The Volvo EX90’s styling is an evolution of the XC90, though with smoother surfaces, a distinct shoulder line below the windows, and highlights such as the flush door handles and frameless ‘grille’ for a drag coefficient of 0.29Cd (vs the XC90’s 0.30Cd).
The headlights retain Volvo’s ‘Thor’s Hammer’ signature – but the pixel-like sections seen in the launch images mechanically retract when on the move to expose the true headlight beams behind (a video of them in action is included at the bottom of this story).
Sitting on the roof is a lidar sensor, which joins eight cameras, five radars and 16 ultrasonic sensors to power the car’s safety systems – and in the future, enable high-level autonomous driving capabilities.
The lidar sensor is claimed to be capable of detecting pedestrians up to 250 metres away at highway speeds, and works to “see small objects hundreds of metres ahead” at both day and night – powered by in-house Volvo software, and computing power from US technology giant Nvidia.
Inside the car, a series of cameras watch the driver to monitor their concentration, detecting if they have been looking away from the road – or have been staring at the road for too long, suggesting they may have something else on their mind, and may not be focusing on what’s ahead.
“[The system will] alert you, first softly nudging, then more insistent. And if the unthinkable happens, and you fall asleep or are taken ill while driving, the Volvo EX90 is designed to safely stop and call for help,” Volvo says in its media release.
The car’s Pilot Assist semi-autonomous driving system – which can accelerate, brake and centre the car in its lane, but currently needs hands on the wheel and eyes on the road – can now provide “steering support while changing lanes,” Volvo says.
The Volvo EX90’s interior is a more modern imagining of current Volvo cabins – with a portrait touchscreen and widescreen instrument cluster – but it is more minimalist, with the pair of screens now freestanding.
The centre touchscreen measures 15 inches across, and runs a new infotainment system based on Google’s Android Automotive software, with built-in Google Assistant, Google Maps, and the Google Play app store.
Android Automotive forms the basis for a vehicle operating system, which car makers can build on – not to be confused with Android Auto, a standalone application offered within a car’s native, non-Google infotainment system.
Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity still do feature, however, along with over-the-air software updates, 5G connectivity, and the ability to use your phone to unlock and start the car.
The system is powered by Snapdragon processors – like those in many Android phones – and includes screens and graphics developed with Epic Games’ Unreal Engine, which has been used for popular video games including Fortnite and Mortal Kombat.
Other interior technology highlights include a 25-speaker Bowers and Wilkins sound system (with Dolby Atmos technology), heated seats, a surround-view camera, wireless smartphone charging, and many more.
Some key parts are shared with the related Polestar 3 – including the centre console, some steering wheel parts, digital instrument display, indicator and gear selector stalks, stereo system, and possibly even the seats. The centre screen is 0.5 inches smaller in the Polestar, vs the Volvo.
Sustainable materials are used throughout the cabin – the seats can be trimmed in ‘Nordico’ fabric (made from recycled plastic bottles) or a wool blend, the wood on the dashboard comes from forests certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) organisation, and the carpets are also recycled.
According to Volvo, 15 per cent of the EX90 is made from recycled steel, 25 per cent is made from recycled aluminium, and there’s 48kg of recycled plastic and “bio-based” materials throughout the car – accounting for 15 per cent of all plastic in the car.
The EX90 is the first Volvo to support bi-directional charging, allowing the car’s battery to power a home (also called vehicle-to-home), small electrical devices (vehicle-to-load), or another electric Volvo model.
This won’t be available at launch, however it will follow later on in “selected markets”.
Also on offer will be support for a Volvo Cars app, which shows the locations of public charging points around the globe – many of which support a Plug and Charge system offered by the EX90, allowing the car to connect to a station and start charging automatically, without the need to tap a separate card or begin charging via the driver’s smartphone.
Production of the 2024 Volvo EX90 is due to begin in the US in 2023, before expanding to Volvo’s Chinese factories “later”. The first cars are due in Australian showrooms in late 2024 (possibly as a Model Year 2025 vehicle).
