Volvo has a rich history of family-friendly vehicles but is only now launching its first people mover, designed to be a “comfortable living room on the move”.
The Volvo EM90 electric people mover is initially launching in the Chinese market, with pre-orders now open. The company has previously said additional markets for the EM90 will be discussed at a later date.
We’ve reached out to Volvo Car Australia to see if the EM90 will be coming Down Under. We’ll update this story once we hear back.
The EM90 is essentially a lightly restyled version of the Zeekr 009 electric people mover. Both brands are owned by Chinese giant Geely.
At this stage only one electric powertrain option has been detailed for the EM90. The single, rear-mounted electric motor produces 200kW of power, which Volvo claims is good enough to sent the car from 0-100km/h in 8.3 seconds.
The Zeekr 009 on the other hand is powered by a dual-motor all-wheel drive setup producing 400kW and 686Nm. It’s unclear if this powertrain will become available in the EM90 at some stage.
In addition to the single powertrain option for the EM90, a 116kWh battery pack is the only option that has been detailed.
Volvo claims the EM90 has a range of up to 738km according to lenient CLTC standards. The company also claims charging the battery from 10 to 80 per cent will take under 30 minutes.
The Volvo EM90 is available in four different exterior paint colours, and with either 19- or 20-inch alloy wheels. There’s also dual-chamber air suspension and “silent tyres”.
At the front of the EM90 is the brand’s ‘Thor’s hammer’ headlight signature, as seen on the new EX30 and EX90, plus an illuminated Volvo badge.
The rear of the EM90 on the other hand is largely flat and comprises a wide tailgate, T-shaped LED tail lights, as well as illuminated Volvo wordmark.
At this stage the Volvo EM90 has only been detailed as a six-seater with a ‘2+2+2’ seating configuration.
Up front there’s a digital instrument cluster, as well as a 15.4-inch touchscreen infotainment system. As standard there’s an onboard voice assistant, 5G connectivity, as well as over-the-air (OTA) software update functionality.
In addition, there’s a 15.6-inch screen that’s mounted in the roof and folds down so the people in the second and third rows can see it.
This roof-mounted screen supports mobile screen projection, as well as a “wide variety of third-party apps”. Screens, seats, windows, air conditioner and lighting can all be adjusted through the screen.
Other standard features the Volvo EM90 receives include a 21-speaker Bowers & Wilkins sound system, panoramic glass sunroof, and a digital key.
While premium people movers are less common in Australia than they are in China, Lexus is one brand that will bring the segment to local shores with its second-generaion LM people mover, based on the Toyota Alphard.
The LM will go up against the Mercedes-Benz V-Class, which is also available with an electric powertrain under the EQV nameplate.
MORE: Volvo’s electric people mover leaked ahead of official reveal
