Volvo have unveiled their flagship SUV now as an EV dubbed the EX90 which is a replacement for the 8-year old XC90. Apart from being an all-electric luxury SUV, the EX90 takes on the greatest challenge of 2021, being environmentally friendly. With the name of Volvo attached to it, the task seems to be achievable and after taking a look at the specs, we say it is. Let’s find out more.
Design
The design of the EX90 is very similar to the outgoing XC90. Neither of these SUVs wanted to be big, bulky, muscular, tough SUVs. Rather they embrace their posh design and minimalism gracefully. There is no black cladding or niff-naffs with the EX90 to put itself up as a tough off-roader. Neither does the EX90 put itself to be extremely futuristic or modern. Instead, the EX90 is a perfect balance between modern minimalism and sophisticated simplicity. The side silhouette is also very similar to the XC90 as is the front end of it including the headlamps. Albeit, the entire lighting is now a very high tech LED kit which I am too poor to even explain. Overall, the design is very likeable and absolutely saleable in the EV segment where every carmaker has been making such over the top designs for their EVs to stand out that just being a normal car stands out as an EV!
Interior and tech
No matter how simplistic and minimal it looks, the tech packed in this car could seriously worry Apple. But, at the same time it will impress them by being almost perfect for the job they are required to do. But, before any of that, the Volvo EX90’s cabin is made up of 50 Kgs of recycled plastic only and is very spacious allowing a full scale 7-seater comforting experience unlike its rivals. There is wooden trim across the dash which is elegantly backlit (mood lighting) and there are 2 screens. One for the driver and another 14.5 inch vertical infotainment touch screen to control everything else. And boy does it have some stuff to control. The infinite air-vent embedded within the dash is a nice touch and of course the reference quality Bowers & Wilkins sound system with Dolby Atmos and head-rest embedded speakers don’t hurt.
For its tech, the core system – powered by NVIDIA DRIVE AI platforms Xavier and Orin, Snapdragon® Cockpit Platforms from Qualcomm Technologies and in-house developed software by Volvo engineers – runs most of the core functions inside the car, from safety and infotainment to battery management. The end result is a more responsive and enjoyable experience inside the car. The vertical infotainment screen is also very special as it has Google built into the system itself. Google apps and services including hands-free help from Google Assistant, Google Maps navigation and more of your favorite apps on Google Play all come built in. The displays in the Volvo EX90 help you keep your eyes on the road by offering you the right information at the right time. The Volvo EX90 will also be compatible with wireless Apple CarPlay.
Performance specifications and safety
The EX90 comes with a 107kWh battery that gives the new Volvo EX90 373 miles of range on a full charge according to the latest WLTP tests. Compared to its direct rivals – the Mercedes EQS SUV and the BMW iX with a battery of 108kWh and 105kWh respectively, the EX90 offers a moderate range as against the real-life tested figures of 348 miles, 366 miles and 391 miles for the Tesla Model X, Mercedes EQS SUV and the BMW iX respectively. The EX90 ca charge from 10% to 80% full in as little as 30 minutes using public fast chargers. That’s on par with other luxury SUVs, but the Volvo also offers bi-directional charging meaning it has the hardware required to power your whole house.
The power figures show that it has 2 electric motors as standard. These 2 motors together produce 408hp and 770Nm of torque which is only just ahead of the Mercedes EQS SUV 450 and the entry-level BMW iX 40. There is also a ‘Performance’ version with beefed-up motors that make 517hp combined which again comes around at par with the EQS SUV 580 and top-spec BMW iX 50.
Volvo is and has been synonym for safety and this car is no exception. The EX90 comes with all the bells and whistles needed for it to be the safest including a LiDAR sensor at the top of the car. The new Volvo EX90 comes with eye-tracking cameras to monitor for how long you were looking at the road and sensors in the steering wheel will measure your steering input. In fact, Volvo says it is currently the only car in the world with all the necessary hardware required for fully-autonomous driving in the future.
