Volvo EX90 — First Drive

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The totally electrical Volvo EX90 is probably the model’s most vital electrical automobile launch so far. It’s being inbuilt South Carolina, with shipments to clients anticipated to kick off within the 4th quarter of 2024.

Volvo invited CleanTechnica out to The Resort at Pelican Hill in Newport Seashore, California, to drive the brand new EX90. We spent hours within the automobile, speaking to Volvo’s consultants, and choosing by means of each nook and cranny of the automobile — and boy are we excited to unpack all of it for you right here.

Overview

The EX90 is a much-needed addition to the surprisingly small variety of 7-seat totally electrical SUVs out there within the US. According to the refreshed XC90 and its plug-in hybrid, the EX90 enters the category as a top-tier luxurious electrical automobile with a beginning value level slightly below $80,000.

Exterior

The Volvo EX90 comes with all of the trimmings at this time’s Volvo is understood for. Lovely Scandinavian design permeates the ethos of the EX90. The outside carries ahead the slimmed down, aero styling we noticed on the EX30, simply in a bigger format. As a 7-seater, the EX90 is on the bigger facet, but it surely manages to suit all that cargo and passenger area inside whereas nonetheless trying elegant and complex.

The smooth strains from the nostril carry again to the rear of the automobile, ushering air effectively across the physique with a muted grille popping down within the entrance. The grille pulls air into the warmth exchanger of the automobile and retains the automobile’s batteries, motors, and cabin at their respective ideally suited temperatures.

Inside

Hopping into the automobile, the very first thing you discover is the spectacular quantity of element that went into translating Volvo’s Scandinavian designs into what is actually a dwelling area on wheels. The entrance seats are extra snug than most couches I’ve sat on, with a headrest that, along with its embedded audio system, is extra snug than most pillows I’ve snoozed on.

From the vegan leather-based to the wooden trim, the inside of the EX90 is indulgent and heat. Refined LED accent lighting warms the cabin at evening, even backlighting the wooden trim on the sprint, which lets the nice and cozy textures of the wooden play after darkish.

Complementing the finishes is probably probably the most luxe high quality of the EX90: silence. The silence within the EX90 cabin is overwhelming. It’s like stepping right into a spa or onto a sound stage the place the absence of noise is pervasive. Mixed with Volvo’s 25-speaker sound system, it may be something from a zen cabin on wheels to a full blown rock live performance for 2.

The Drive

Shifting into drive and letting the EX90 run, the silence paired with Volvo’s dual-motor drivetrain transforms a weekend drive by means of the canyon into one thing far more like flying. It’s distinctive and in contrast to something we’ve seen in different EVs.

The twin-motor powertrain gained’t knock your socks off, however as a 7-seat construct, we wouldn’t count on it to. Having stated that, it’s greater than sufficient to have enjoyable blasting by means of your native canyons on the way in which to a vineyard or simply to see what’s over the river and thru the hills.

Suspension

After being blown away by the EX30 in each energy and suspension in such an inexpensive automobile, the EX90 was a bit underwhelming in each departments. The ability is ok, but it surely’s not something to write down dwelling about, which is shocking for a automobile with greater than 500 horsepower and 910 Nm of torque. As we pushed the automobile to its limits, some street noise from the highest trim 22″ tires crept into the cabin, which was disappointing. The noise wasn’t persistent, however the cabin can be a lot quieter — and extra snug, for that matter — on a set of smaller-diameter rims and tires.

The suspension is clearly properly tuned, however nonetheless permits the cabin to pitch and sway greater than we’re used to in fashionable EVs. After we laid into the accelerator within the canyons, it clearly wasn’t glad — although, it was good on metropolis streets and the freeway. Talking of the freeway, the silence of the automobile gives little suggestions, so that you’ll need to regulate your pace for the primary few drives.

The motors are the identical in each the efficiency and the non-performance model of the EX90, with the efficiency variant getting particular tuning to unlock the additional energy and torque. It’s a gorgeous factor to see corporations pushing arduous to unlock new methods to simplify the manufacturing course of and differentiate their merchandise for patrons on the similar time.

With regards to vary, the EX90 completely delivers. Its 111 kWh nominal, 107 kWh usable battery pack helps an EPA vary of 300 miles per cost when its kitted out with 20″ and 22″ rims and 310 miles of vary with the 21″ rims.

Infotainment

The EX90 is constructed on Google’s Automotive OS which has clearly been properly tuned for this newest implementation. Paired with a responsive display screen, it simply dealt with the navigation alongside our route and can really feel acquainted to most new drivers because of its shared DNA with Google’s suite of merchandise. Maps is attractive and properly built-in, as is the addition of Android Auto and Apple CarPlay.

On our check drive, we used the telephone key as our solely option to lock and unlock the automobile. Our telephones had been locked with a pin so we didn’t get the complete expertise, and plenty of drivers on the occasion had been quickly locked out by the telephone key failing to attach. Volvo’s workforce shared that this was as a result of the software program isn’t totally baked but, and it’s one thing we’ll be checking in on when the manufacturing automobile and software program are launched. Manufacturing automobiles will even have a key fob and key card as backups and we all the time advocate maintaining the keycard in your particular person simply in case.

Security

Volvo is understood for its security, and that ethos has expanded to the electrical powertrain as properly. The battery within the EX90 has an all new security cage constructed round it to guard it from exterior forces. Along with maintaining the battery protected, it serves as a structural part of the automobile, simplifying the general design of the automobile on the similar time.

General

Volvo has actually constructed a powerful automobile within the EX90. It’s 7-seat inside is lush and useful, with a few of the finest infotainment software program we’ve seen from a legacy automaker. Being inbuilt South Carolina and at a beginning value of slightly below $80,000 means it ought to qualify for the federal tax incentive, which is big for households searching for one of many most secure 7-seat EVs on the market.

At this value, it’s proper up there with the Kia EV9 by way of worth for greenback within the family-sized zero-emission automobile area. In our e book, the Volvo EX90 wins due to their die-hard deal with security, high notch inside, stunning design, and Volvo’s no-compromise high quality.

For extra data, head over to the Volvo EX90’s digital home.