The great and unhealthy concerning the 2025 Volvo EX90, the corporate’s new electrical SUV

An early convert to the thought of an all-electrified lineup, Volvo has taken a barely totally different tack to most different automakers because it electrifies its product vary. The place most would begin off with a giant and costly electrical automobile first, it did the other, beginning out with small and reasonably priced. Meaning it is now time for a flagship EV, an all-new three-row SUV referred to as the EX90, which we have pushed forward of US deliveries towards the top of this yr.

That is later than Volvo deliberate, and as you may see, some EX90 options have fallen even additional behind and can must be enabled through software program replace sooner or later. As a result of whereas the EX90 is an effective demonstration of a brand new, tech-forward method to automobile design, it is also the newest instance of automakers adopting the “minimal viable product” method from the tech sector.

Volvo has developed an all-new platform for bigger EVs, which the EX90 will share with different manufacturers inside the Geely group, notably the Polestar 3 we drove a number of weeks in the past. The Volvo is just a little longer than the Polestar, and in contrast to the SUV from the upstart startup, the EX90 is a three-row, with seats for both six or seven relying on whether or not you go for a bench or a pair of captain’s chairs for the center row.

The great

The SUV has a good-looking, well-proportioned form with some subtly creased angles, significantly across the rear wheels, though the roof-mounted lidar unit has led to comparisons with a London taxicab, and among the take a look at automobiles blended just a little too successfully with the dry Southern Californian panorama courtesy of their beige paint. As we have now come to anticipate from Volvo, there are a plethora of fascinating design particulars in and out, with loads of storage nooks, grocery bag hooks, cup holders, and USB-C ports.

There are two powertrain choices on supply with the EX90 for now, a $79,995 Twin Motor model with a mixed 402 hp (300 kW) and 568 lb-ft (770 Nm) or the $84,995 Twin Motor Efficiency, which raises the ability output to 509 hp (380 kW) and 671 lb-ft (910 Nm). In each circumstances, the rear electrical motor is extra highly effective, with clutch-based torque vectoring that additionally permits the rear drive unit to fully disconnect the rear wheels for higher coasting.

Each variants use the identical 111 kWh capability (gross, 107 kW useable) battery pack, ample for 310 miles (499 km) of vary in accordance with the EPA take a look at cycle. Recharging the pack takes as little as half-hour to go from 10 to 80 p.c state of cost with a DC quick charger (peaking at 250 kW), or 15 hours to cost from 0 to 100% SoC with a 32 A stage 2 charger.

Volvo introduced solely the EX90 Twin Motor Efficiency to Newport Coast for us to drive, and the automobiles have been optioned with the $4,350 Extremely pack, which provides energetic air suspension and massaging seats, in addition to wi-fi cellphone charging. The usual Plus pack is already very well-equipped, however we’ll have to drive a number of miles in a single to see what impact commonplace coil springs and hydraulic dampers have on its journey.

The adaptive air springs did quite a bit to cover this SUV’s appreciable 5,688-lb (2,580 kg) curb weight. And the journey high quality was notably good, significantly at freeway speeds. The flip aspect was not-so-great physique management over low-speed obstacles like potholes, highway building plates, and so forth; side-to-side motions could possibly be higher managed to cease the seat bolsters from performing percussive upkeep in your kidneys. You may as well really feel the torque vectoring at work, significantly in sluggish corners, including just a little further agility to this large SUV.