Yet another addition to Volvo’s expanding global electric range, the Swedish manufacturer has unveiled its EM90 – an upmarket people carrier that aims to provide a “comfortable living room experience” and an impressive battery range.
Following on from Volvo’s unveiling of its compact EX30 and large EX90 SUVs earlier this year, the EM90 is targeted at customers looking for even more interior space, as it is around 20 centimetres longer than its EX90 SUV sibling. That said, this people carrier will offer seating for six at launch, while the EX90 is a seven-seater as standard.
Set to rival the likes of the recently-launched Lexus LM petrol-hybrid and the electric Mercedes-Benz EQV, this Volvo shares its foundations with the 009 MPV from related Chinese brand Zeekr, but with different interior and exterior styling that takes several design cues from Volvo’s other electric models, including the brand’s ‘Thor’s Hammer’ headlight design.
The people carrier makes use of a large 116kWh battery, which reportedly provides a range of 458 miles on a single charge. This battery unit can be charged from 10-80% capacity in less than 30 minutes. The car’s power comes from a 265hp electric motor mounted on the rear axle, which takes the EM90 from 0-62mph in 8.3 seconds.
By comparison, the older Mercedes-Benz EQV can muster 190 miles on a full battery, though it does use a smaller 90kWh battery. A bigger battery usually means more weight, and the EM90 is no exception, weighing in at over 2,700kg. That’s 200kg more than the EQV and around 1,000kg more than an average hatchback.
Volvo remarks that the people carrier is aimed at those looking for a “spacious, versatile and comfortable premium experience on the move”, and to that end the EM90 is equipped with “top-notch sound isolation and road noise cancellation technology”, air suspension and what Volvo calls ‘silent’ tyres.
In the cabin area, the middle row comprises of two armchair-style lounge seats which can slide forwards and backwards, recline and are heated and ventilated. The third row has two more conventional seats. The middle seats come with folding tray tables and control panels for the climate control and other settings, and a 15-inch screen folds down from the ceiling that can stream media, mirror your smartphone and take online video calls.
Volvo says that the car’s voice assistant, “can turn the interior of the EM90 into a theatre, a meeting room or a bedroom for the rear seats”, with “screens, seats, windows, air-conditioner and lighting all adjusting accordingly” with one voice prompt.
In the front, the people carrier gets a similar minimalist dashboard design to that of the EX30 and EX90, with a 15-inch infotainment screen in the centre and a digital instrument cluster behind the steering wheel. Volvo has kept physical button controls to a minimum – these installed on the steering column and centre console.
So, is it coming to the UK? As of yet, we don’t know for sure. Volvo admits that its EM90 has been primarily designed for the Chinese market, where the demand for people carrier options is on the rise instead of falling, and says that it will “look into the demand of MPVs around the world before launching in other markets”.
