► EM90 is destined for the Chinese marketVolvo has teased a new pure-electric MPV called the EM90. It’ll be unveiled on 12 November 2023 – and pre-orders will start in China the second its car cover hits the floor. It’s the latest step in, which will culminate in the firm becoming an EV-only car maker by 2030.
Volvo says the EM90 was ‘designed for you to make the most of the time spent in the car, like a Scandinavian living room on the move.’ The firm’s teaser material certainly suggests the cabin will feature some of the comforts of home. Zoom in on the image, peer through the sunroof and you’ll find plush individual seats in the back and a stylish centre console that wouldn’t look out of place in one of Ikea’s more expensive show suites.
Volvo hasn’t yet confirmed what’ll power the new EM90, but we expect it’ll be based on the same architecture as the Chinese-market Zeekr 009. Zeekr is another brand controlled by Volvo’s parent company Geely and, like the EM90, the 009 is a luxury electric MPV. The Zeekr shares the same SEA platform as theThat much power stands to make the 009 , the fastest MPV on the market, with a likely 0–62mph time in the region of just 4.5 seconds. The Zeekr’s maximum range is impressive, too.
Its powertrain is fed by a gargantuan 140kWh battery pack which offers a maximum claimed range of 511 miles . Your bladder or stomach will need attention before the battery does…Volvo’s decision to launch an electric MPV took us by surprise because, over the past few months, the firm has been working to trim any cars from its line-up that aren’t SUVs. The firm has already stopped– and all the EVs the brand has planned launch in the next few years are tall-riding crossovers.
We suspect Volvo decided to build an MPV because it was easy and it made financial sense for its aspirations in the Chinese car market. The underpinnings were already developed for Zeekr and there’s a strong demand for premium cars with loads of space in the back in China. It’s a drastic change of tack for the firm, though.