The 2024 Volvo EX90 will be the vehicle that solidifies the Swedish manufacturer’s shift towards electric vehicles for North America. Revealed on Wednesday morning in Stockholm, this new seven-seat electric crossover is the successor to the XC90 SUV that redefined the brand and garnered awards worldwide when it debuted in 2016.
Featuring three rows of seats and a projected range of up to 300 miles, the new large EV (shown here in the European version) is the defining model for Volvo in the U.S. Like the Volvo XC90, it will be followed by its smaller siblings sold at lower prices and higher volumes. The EX90 sets the tone for what is to come, as Volvo aims to launch a new battery-electric vehicle every year and sell only electric vehicles by 2030.
Crucial for U.S. buyers, the EX90 will be built at Volvo’s assembly plant in Ridgeville, South Carolina, starting next year. This complies with several new requirements to qualify for federal incentives under the rules adopted after the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act. It will also be manufactured in China. U.S. customers can configure their cars starting next fall for delivery in early 2024. Prices for a “well-equipped” EX90 will start at less than $80,000, according to Volvo.
The EX90 is not the high-end electric transport teased by the “brand manifesto” design exercise Volvo Concept Recharge showcased in the summer of 2021. Instead, the 2024 model is instantly recognizable as a large Volvo SUV in the lineage of the XC90. It remains faithful to that pioneering model to the point where friends, neighbors, and family might see the EX90 as the new XC90, possibly overlooking the fact that it runs on electricity.
From a profile perspective, the rear hatch is slightly more inclined, and the top of the body narrows towards the rear. The now-traditional vertical taillights remain, but they are now separated from the lower, bracket-shaped lights, which are connected at the top in a new variation of the Volvo rear design.
At the front, a smooth blank plate with the large “ironmark” brand logo continues at the more backward-inclined corners under the headlights with Volvo’s “Thor’s Hammer” pattern on the fenders. The body and wheel arch sculpture on the side closely mirrors that of its predecessor, to the extent that the EX90 might be mistaken for an incremental update to the XC90, at least until a closer look reveals the details.
Inside, three rows of seats sit under a full glass roof, providing headroom and trimming an inch or two from the EX90’s aerodynamic profile. The central tablet-style touchscreen is larger at 14.5 inches, and there are fewer knobs and buttons on the dashboard. We will wait to drive the EX90 before evaluating how effectively it operates. Some other electric vehicles have gone too far in eliminating hard controls for on-screen touch and swipe buttons, to their detriment.
The 2024 EX90 is powered by two electric motors drawing power from a 111-kilowatt-hour battery pack located under the cabin. The standard version has a combined power of 300 kilowatts (408 horsepower), while a “high-performance version” will have higher power at 370 kW (496 hp) and 671 lb-ft of torque. Volvo cites an estimated range of “up to 300 miles” on a single charge, though readers should expect EPA range ratings, which likely won’t arrive until a year or more later.
The company dedicated much of the debut to the idea that the EX90 is a “software-defined vehicle,” shorthand for a car whose defining features are determined by both its operating software and the controlling hardware. As demonstrated by Tesla a decade ago, software, by definition, can be updated, meaning such vehicles can add new capabilities (in addition to correcting any bugs) through wireless software updates.
The EX90 will run on Volvo’s in-house developed operating system, with software running on a pair of central computing platforms from Nvidia Drive AI called Xavier and Orin. Much of what drivers see on the digital screens runs on Qualcomm’s Snapdragon Cockpit platform. Everything has been integrated to provide the next generation of user interface that replaces the Volvo Sensus system in the XC90.
A front trunk is deep enough to accommodate at least one suitcase in the center, with shallower trays on each side for items like a portable charging cable.
It’s nearly invisible in a black housing at the top of the windshield, but the EX90 is one of the world’s first vehicles to offer Lidar as factory equipment. It combines cameras and radar sensors to create what Volvo calls a “surrounding shield” of safety.
Lidar is now considered a requirement for advanced levels of automated driver assistance software, enabling hands-free driving on highways and other roads. Volvo’s driving assist function is called Pilot Assist, and in the EX90, automated lane change is added to existing features found in previous vehicles, including active lane-keeping and adaptive cruise control.
Cameras inside the cabin monitor the driver’s eyes, and the system will provide alerts, increasingly frequent, first “gentle” and then “more insistent,” if distracted driving is detected. If the driver simply doesn’t respond, the car will come to a stop and request assistance (the scenario of the driver having a heart attack).
Like many automakers, Volvo sees enormous benefits in allowing electric cars to serve as mobile energy storage for home backup and other functions. The EX90 is the first electric Volvo with that capability built-in, although Volvo cautions that it will be available “later” in certain markets.
For fast charging, the company says the EX90 will charge from 10 to 80 percent in about 30 minutes. That is, of course, under ideal conditions, including battery temperature, ambient temperature, and a charging station that can deliver the required current.
There is much more to learn about the 2024 Volvo EX90, and the company will have more details as the U.S. launch approaches. In the meantime, we now know what it looks like and some of the technical details. Current Volvo XC90 owners are likely to feel reassured and excited.
