- The Volvo EX90 is all electric, software-defined, that stands for safety, technology, sustainability, design and creating personalized experience for everyone.
- Volvo claims that the seven seater SUV is a highly advanced computer on wheels.
- It has sensors and cameras that track your gaze to determine your level of alertness while driving.
What do you see if you look closely? Seriously, get up close and personal. Is that… a car? If so, Volvo believes you’re mistaken. Not at all. But only half right. Because this is the all-new, all-electric EX90.
Advanced computer
While it is a seven-seater SUV, Volvo claims it is also a “highly advanced computer on wheels” that heralds the “beginning of a new era” for the Swedish company.
That’s a lot of talk. “The Volvo EX90 is a statement about where we are and where we’re going,” CEO Jim Rowan says.
“Born electric and software-defined, it exemplifies what future Volvo cars will stand for in terms of safety, technology, sustainability, design, and creating a more personal experience for every customer.”
Promising features
So let’s get into the nitty gritty. Volvo promises one new electric car per year as it strives for EV-only sales by 2030; the EX90 is the first and flagship model.
That means better everything and more of it.
Modern cameras, radars, and lidar are linked to an NVIDIA DRIVE core computer to form a “invisible shield of safety” around the vehicle.
Volvo claims that the EX90 can create a real-time, 360-degree picture of the world around it, as well as detect small road obstacles hundreds of meters away. Day or night. At highway speeds
Scouting danger
It will also scout the danger within. Specifically, you. Sensors and cameras track your gaze to determine your level of alertness while driving.
If you become drowsy, it will (literally) nudge you; if you fall asleep completely, it will safely stop and call for help. Changing nightmares into dreams
For the time being, you’ll have to settle for an improved Pilot Assist and steering ‘assistance’ when changing lanes, but Volvo claims the EX90 is hardware-ready for unsupervised (i.e. autonomous) driving.
So a future over-the-air update could make that a reality.
Technology Implemented
What about technology that isn’t intended to save your skin? The 14.5-inch touchscreen runs Google Assistant (don’t worry, you still get wireless Android Auto/Apple CarPlay).
A 5G connection is required for music streaming. Your music will sound great, too, thanks to headrest-integrated Bowers and Wilkins speakers among the 25 installed throughout the cabin.
Having no key is also standard. Alternatively, your smartphone serves as your key. This means you can send it to anyone at any time.
When you approach, the EX90 starts your ‘personal welcoming sequence’ while loading your settings and preferences. So no more fiddling with the seat after the other half has taken it.
Crumbs, we haven’t even discussed specifications yet. There’s a hint of Volvo’s tech focus now.
Battery specifications
Anyway, there will be two twin-motor versions available at launch: the standard EX90 and the Performance.
Both receive a massive 107kWh usable battery, with the former estimating a range of 364 miles and the latter 360.
This is due to the Performance’s 510 bhp and 671 lb. ft., which allows all 2,818kg of EX90 to sprint from 0-62mph in 4.9 seconds. Yikes.
The standard version still sends 402 bhp and 568 lb. ft. of torque to all four wheels, so it’ll only be a second slower.
Meanwhile, 250kW DC fast charging means a 10-80% battery top-up takes only 30 minutes.
Pricing
First deliveries in the UK are expected in early 2024, but we’ll only get the top-of-the-line, 22-inch wheeled Ultra trim at first.
The standard car will cost £96,255, while the Performance will cost £100,555. Yes, it is a £100,000 Volvo.
We’ve been assured that a £75,000 entry-level model will be available soon after launch.
Sustainability aspect
The EX90 will be built in the United States starting next year, and then in China; both facilities will be climate neutral.
The vehicle itself gives more than a passing nod to sustainability: a quarter of the aluminum used in its construction is recycled, as is about 15% of the steel.
The interior contains 48 kg of plastics and bio-based materials, the highest proportion of any Volvo to date.
Electrical charge
Are there any other plans to save the planet? Bi-directional charging, sort of.
The EX90 comes with everything you need to charge it at night (when electricity is less expensive) and use it as a massive power bank for your home during the day.
Okay, so it’s not the same as owning your own hydroelectric power plant, but with an energy crisis looming (and a climate crisis already underway), things like this will be critical in the future.
It’s no surprise that Volvo believes the EX90 is more than a car.
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Source: Top Gear
