Volvo EX90: An electric SUV designed to future-proof the Swedish brand
Volvo EX90 in the test: This is what lies behind the new model
Five meters of electric comfort for up to seven people. That's what the Volvo EX90 stands for. At over 1.7 meters, it is taller than the average woman and almost as tall as the average man in the USA, but many times heavier.
Even the entry-level model weighs over 2.5 tons. With a full load and all-wheel drive, almost 3.4 tons are possible. With this flagship, you quickly reach the limits of the infrastructure in Germany, especially in the city. Things are different on the west coast of the USA.
I'm standing at a red light on the six-lane coastal road between Newport and Laguna Beach. A pickup truck comes to a stop next to me. Its side mirrors look as big as the doors of an Italian small car, its tires as wide as those of a tractor. Next to it, another pickup truck rolls up to the line.
Even higher, even wider, and with a fully packed trailer at the back. If the drivers were to pay attention to me, they would have to roll down the tinted windows and lean out the window to look down at me. The Volvo EX90 seems to be just the right size to not be overlooked in the USA. But you don't have to worry about your own safety, because the vehicle sees more than its occupants.
A so-called LIDAR sensor sits above the windshield and monitors the traffic. The name stands for "Light Detection and Ranging". A laser is used to measure the distances to objects in the surrounding area with high precision and detect dangers earlier. "Studies show that with Lidar technology on board, the number of accidents with fatalities and serious injuries can be reduced by up to 20 percent, while collisions can be reduced by up to nine percent overall," says Volvo.
The LIDAR sensor is also relevant for autonomous driving. At the moment, the Volvo EX90 cannot do more in this area than most electric cars. It keeps lane, speed and distance. This corresponds to partially automated driving at level 2. BMW and Mercedes-Benz are further ahead here. But in the future, this could change through software updates, because the necessary hardware is installed as standard in all EX90 models.
Volvo has set itself the goal of ensuring that no new model causes a collision in the future. To achieve this, not only the surroundings but also the greatest risk factor in the interior are constantly monitored. Sensors and cameras measure the concentration of the driver and can detect whether they are tired, distracted or inattentive.
In addition, the EX90, like all new Volvos, is limited to 180 kilometers per hour. Fast driving is one of the most common causes of accidents, along with being under the influence of drugs and distraction. In the USA, this speed limit is irrelevant. Even on the highways in Texas, the maximum speed allowed is 85 miles per hour, which corresponds to 137 kilometers per hour. In Germany, enthusiastic highway racers might find this annoying, unless they want to cover more than 400 kilometers without a charging break.
The underbody of the Volvo EX90 contains a battery with a storage capacity of up to 111 kilowatt hours. Despite the moderate aerodynamics (cw value 0.29) and the high vehicle weight, this means that over 600 kilometers are possible without a charging break in the WLTP test cycle. In the USA, this is realistic, because anyone who sticks to the speed limit rarely drives faster than 120 kilometers per hour.
Depending on the traffic situation, it can even be significantly slower, because even on the fourteen-lane Interstate 5 near Los Angeles, with seven lanes in each direction, there are frequent traffic jams. Fortunately, the interior of the Volvo EX90 is calming and comfortable. Especially with the highest equipment package "Ultra" starting at 102,300 euros and the Bowers & Wilkins High-Fidelity Audio System® for an additional charge of 3,050 euros.
Numerous tweeters and woofers in the dashboard, doors and headrest simulate the sound of a live concert while I get a back massage. With one hand on the steering wheel, the Volvo takes over the flow of the slow-moving traffic. My legs can relax and the stressful outside world hardly penetrates me and the six empty seats in the interior. If I could just close my eyes now, everything would be perfect. Unfortunately, that will take a few more years, but as soon as it is legally permitted, it will probably be possible in the Volvo EX90 via an update.
Conclusion on the Volvo EX90
While driving along the west coast of California, I almost forgot the size of the vehicle among all the pickup trucks. In Germany, the length of over five meters and the turning circle of over twelve meters could be a challenge in many places. On the other hand, the Volvo EX90 offers space for up to five adults and two children or almost 2,000 liters of storage space. It is neither one of the most efficient nor the cheapest electric cars, but one of the most spacious and future-proof.
Standard LIDAR sensors and cameras under the side mirrors could soon enable autonomous driving. Only the charging technology could have been more advanced. Here, Volvo has decided against an 800-volt system and therefore already needs longer at the fast charging station than models from Porsche, Audi, Lotus, Hyundai, Kia, Lucid and Genesis. In terms of performance, it can largely keep up.
The optional air suspension and all-wheel drive with up to 380 kilowatts (517 hp) allow Volvo's new flagship to handle every imaginable situation with ease. It can pull up to 2.2 tonnes of braked trailer loads and reach 100 km/h in five seconds. When I get out of the EX90 after my test drive and step under the Californian sun, I would like to raise a US flag on the roof of the car and say: A small SUV for the USA, a big step for Volvo.
Technical data: Volvo EX90
Drive: Front / all-wheel
drive Power: 205 - 380 kilowatts (279 - 517 hp)
Acceleration from 0 to 100: 8.4 - 4.9 seconds
Top speed: 180 km/h
Curb weight: 2,579 - 2,787 kilograms
Aerodynamics: drag coefficient 0.29
Power consumption: 22.0 - 19.9 kWh/100 kilometers
Maximum range (WLTP): 570 - 614 kilometers
Battery capacity: 104 - 111 kilowatt hours
Best charging time (10 - 80 percent): 30 minutes
Starting price: 83,700 euros
Price of the test car: 118,600 euros
Via GQ Germany