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The cool electric luxury van the U.S. probably won’t see.
Volvo recently unveiled its first-ever minivan. The EM90 is a rear-wheel drive, fully electric vehicle that promises more than 400 miles of range and an extremely luxurious interior.
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Volvo EM90
While Volvo is a legendary Swedish brand that has been around for nearly 100 years, the company has been owned by the Chinese conglomerate Geely Holding Group since 2010. The EM90 will likely be exclusive to the Chinese market and will compete against other ultra-luxury minivans including the similarly new Lexus LM and long-established Buick GL8.
The EM90 will borrow much of its engineering from the Zeekr 009, which is another premium minivan sold in China by Volvo’s parent company. The Volvo’s styling is more restrained, with a look that resembles the US-market Kia Carnival. Geely kits out the Zeekr with a choice of single- or dual-motor electric propulsion, with 116 and 140 kWh batteries, respectively. The latter produces a supercar-like 536 horsepower and 505 pound-feet of torque, which can propel the vehicle from 0-100 km/h (62 mph) in about 4.5 seconds. For now, it looks like the high-performance drivetrain will remain exclusive to the Zeekr, with the EM90 using only the 116 kWh pack. This produces a less-impressive 268 horsepower and a projected 0-100 km/h time of 8.3 seconds.
Under China’s testing methodology, Volvo claims a maximum driving range of 436 miles and a charging time of less than 30 minutes to go from 10 to 80 percent. The EM90 will also support two-way charging that can even power other EVs if needed.
The real star of the show is the interior, which seats up to six. Quietness is a major focus, with Volvo saying that the EM90 sports active noise cancellation, uniquely formulated tires, and an air suspension. The first two rows appear to feature generously padded bucket seats. Second-row occupants are treated to individual tray tables and all rear occpuants can enjoy a 15.6-inch entertainment screen that drops from the ceiling. The driver and front passenger can use a center-mounted 15.4-inch infotainment display while the gearshift is made from Orrefors crystal. Other specifics were scant, including an outline of available safety tech. Since this is a Volvo, though, expect an array of standard and optional driver-assistance features to be available.
All we know about EM90 availability is that it’s “coming first to China.” Since the Lexus LM is being exported to several worldwide markets (sadly North America isn’t one of them), we wouldn’t be surprised if Volvo decided to follow suit, though that probably won’t be for a few years yet. Pricing will start at roughly the US equivalent of $114,000.
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CG Says:
Given the popularity of the Buick GL8 in China, we’re honestly surprised it took Geely/Volvo this long to want a share of its pie. The EM90 should be able to carve a nice niche for itself, but they might have gotten a bit too ambitious with pricing considering the Zeekr 009’s high-output drivetrain won’t be available. For those of us in North America, we won’t hold our collective breath waiting for it to come here.
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Volvo EM90 Gallery
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