- Claimed to be most aerodynamic Volvo production car ever
- Single- or dual-motor versions, with 88 or 102 kwh of usable capacity
- 800-volt system good for 350-kw fast-charging, 10-80% in 20 min.
Volvo’s electric future won’t be limited to SUVs.
Unveiled early Wednesday morning, the Volvo ES90 houses the automaker’s latest tech in a traditional three-box shape. That shape says sedan, but the ES90 also has a raised ride height and a rear hatch instead of a trunk, similar to the smaller Polestar 2 from Volvo’s spinoff brand. The wheel-well gap left by that elevated ride height is filled by 20-inch or 22-inch wheels.
That shape pays dividends in drag reduction. Volvo quotes a drag coefficient of 0.25, compared to 0.29 for the EX90 three-row SUV with which the ES90 shares Volvo’s SPA2 architecture. It also makes the ES90 the most aerodynamic Volvo production car to date, according to the automaker.
At 196.9 inches long, the ES90 is just about the same length as a Lucid Air, but its 122.1-inch wheelbase is 5.6 inches longer. The Volvo is also three inches wider, and stands 5.4 inches taller in the lowest ride-height configuration, with the optional air suspension (steel coil springs are standard).
Volvo ES90
Offerings for the U.S. may differ, but in launch markets Volvo will offer a single-motor rear-wheel-drive version rated at 329 hp and 354 lb-ft of torque and capable of 0-60 mph in 6.7 seconds. Twin Motor models produce 442 hp and 495 lb-ft, getting them from 0-60 mph in 5.3 seconds. A Twin Motor Performance option ups output to 670 hp and 635 lb-ft, slashing the 0-60 mph time to 3.9 seconds.
Single-motor models have an 88-kwh (usable, 92-kwh gross) battery pack, while Twin Motor models have 102 kwh of usable battery capacity (106 kwh gross), both with “battery passport” software that tracks the origins of their raw materials. EPA range figures were not available at press time, but Volvo previously said it’s aiming for 435 miles on the European WLTP testing cycle with the larger pack.
Volvo ES90
The ES90 advances from its EX90 platform mate with an 800-volt electrical architecture that will allow European-spec versions to charge at up to 350 kw, adding 186 miles of range in 10 minutes or completing a 10-80% charge in 20 minutes. A full recharge should take 10 hours for models with the larger pack and eight hours for the smaller-pack single-motor version.
Volvo promises to offer Plug and Charge capability in at least some markets, letting owners start charging at public stations simply by plugging in. And like the EX90, Volvo claims the ES90 is “hardware ready” for bidirectional charging.
Volvo ES90
A 9.0-inch digital instrument cluster and 14.5-inch touchscreen are backed by Google apps, as in current Volvo models, while retaining wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Digital key functionality and a 25-speaker Bowers & Wilkins audio system will be available, while a more powerful computing stack based around Nvidia Drive AGX Orin chips, which is also due to be retrofitted to EX90 SUVs, will enable higher-level driver-assist features, Volvo claims.
The interior itself can be upholstered in Volvo’s Nordico material made from recycled PET plastic bottles, while all wood trim is certified sustainable by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), the automaker claims. Volvo also claims 29% recycled aluminum, 18% recycled steel, and 16% recycled polymers and bio-based materials.
The ES90 is one of 10 new or updated models Volvo plans to introduce over the next two years, including a mix of EVs and plug-in hybrids. With the discontinuation of the S60 leaving the S90 as the only sedan in Volvo’s U.S. lineup, the ES90 is especially notable for bucking the SUV trend.
