Jonathan Gitlin
An early convert to the concept of an all-electrified lineup, Volvo has taken a barely completely different tack to most different automakers because it electrifies its product vary. The place most would begin off with a giant and costly electrical automobile first, it did the other, beginning out with small and inexpensive. Meaning it is now time for a flagship EV, an all-new three-row SUV known as the EX90, which we have pushed forward of US deliveries towards the top of this yr.
That is later than Volvo deliberate, and as you will see, some EX90 options have fallen even additional behind and can must be enabled by way of software program replace sooner or later. As a result of whereas the EX90 is an efficient demonstration of a brand new, tech-forward strategy to automotive design, it is also the newest instance of automakers adopting the “minimal viable product” strategy from the tech sector.
Volvo has developed an all-new platform for bigger EVs, which the EX90 will share with different manufacturers inside the Geely group, notably the Polestar 3 we drove a number of weeks in the past. The Volvo is somewhat longer than the Polestar, and in contrast to the SUV from the upstart startup, the EX90 is a three-row, with seats for both six or seven relying on whether or not you go for a bench or a pair of captain’s chairs for the center row.
James Lipman/Volvo
The nice
The SUV has a good-looking, well-proportioned form with some subtly creased angles, notably across the rear wheels, though the roof-mounted lidar unit has led to comparisons with a London taxicab, and a number of the take a look at automobiles blended somewhat too successfully with the dry Southern Californian panorama courtesy of their beige paint. As we now have come to anticipate from Volvo, there are a plethora of attention-grabbing design particulars inside and outside, with loads of storage nooks, grocery bag hooks, cup holders, and USB-C ports.
There are two powertrain choices on provide with the EX90 for now, a $79,995 Twin Motor model with a mixed 402 hp (300 kW) and 568 lb-ft (770 Nm) or the $84,995 Twin Motor Efficiency, which raises the ability output to 509 hp (380 kW) and 671 lb-ft (910 Nm). In each circumstances, the rear electrical motor is extra highly effective, with clutch-based torque vectoring that additionally permits the rear drive unit to fully disconnect the rear wheels for higher coasting.
Each variants use the identical 111 kWh capability (gross, 107 kW useable) battery pack, ample for 310 miles (499 km) of vary based on the EPA take a look at cycle. Recharging the pack takes as little as half-hour to go from 10 to 80 p.c state of cost with a DC quick charger (peaking at 250 kW), or 15 hours to cost from 0 to one hundred pc SoC with a 32 A degree 2 charger.
Volvo introduced solely the EX90 Twin Motor Efficiency to Newport Coast for us to drive, and the automobiles had been optioned with the $4,350 Extremely pack, which provides lively air suspension and massaging seats, in addition to wi-fi telephone charging. The usual Plus pack is already very well-equipped, however we’ll must drive a number of miles in a single to see what impact normal coil springs and hydraulic dampers have on its journey.
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The design just isn’t revolutionary, however it’s good-looking.
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There are two IR gaze-tracking driver-monitoring cameras—one within the steering wheel column and one other on the base of the speaker in the midst of the sprint.
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The infotainment has a brand new UI. There is a fastened row of icons on the backside, then a row of contextual icons, then room for 2 user-defined widgets, with the map on the highest two-thirds.
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The center row is a bench as normal.
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The third row has little or no legroom.
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Volvo is getting extra adventurous with its tail lights.
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As with all three-row SUVs, the selection is passengers or baggage.
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Volvo, in contrast to another OEMs, is courageous sufficient to convey a wool inside to North America. Artificial leather-based is an possibility, however we would decide wool.
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Mirrors for people, cameras for the automotive.
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There’s a frunk, however it’s not very massive.
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Should you select the Captain’s chairs, they get in-arm cupholders.
Jonathan Gitlin
The adaptive air springs did rather a lot to cover this SUV’s appreciable 5,688-lb (2,580 kg) curb weight. And the journey high quality was notably good, notably at freeway speeds. The flip aspect was not-so-great physique management over low-speed obstacles like potholes, highway building plates, and so forth; side-to-side motions could possibly be higher managed to cease the seat bolsters from performing percussive upkeep in your kidneys. It’s also possible to really feel the torque vectoring at work, notably in gradual corners, including somewhat additional agility to this huge SUV.