The ES90 isn’t a sedan or an SUV, according to Volvo. The iconic brand says the car is in a class of its own, leaving us to decide exactly where it fits. In reality, it has all the earmarks of a crossover—a car-like shape with tall sides and a bit more ground clearance underneath. Whatever classification it may or may not fit, Volvo considers it a flagship for the brand, sharing that top spot with the EX90.
As such, you’ll see a clear family resemblance in the ES90’s design. The face bears the same “Thor’s Hammer” t-shaped headlights, positioned above vertically oriented driving lamps flanking a simple grille on the lower fascia. The C-shaped taillights also closely resemble the SUV, including additional LED lights in the steeply raked glass on the rear hatch. Yes, the ES90 is a hatchback, opening to reveal 25.9 cubic feet of cargo volume with the rear seats folded. Leave them up and you still have 17.5 cubic feet at the very back. There’s an extra 1.7 cubic feet in the frunk, too.
Photo by: Volvo
Photo by: Volvo
Photo by: Volvo
The ES90 shares its SPA2 architecture with the EX90, but the dimensions are a tad different. The wheelbase stretches 122 inches, a bit longer than the EX90, but its overall length of 16.4 feet is a couple of inches shorter. Likewise, the ES90’s 8.0 inches of ground clearance is a little less, it’s a bit lower overall, and it’s barely wider, at 83.5 inches mirror-to-mirror. With its electric powertrain, Volvo says the ES90 has generous space for front and rear seat passengers. By the numbers, that’s 4.2 inches of knee clearance and 37.8 inches of headroom in the back.
The ES90’s cabin is rich and minimalist, with a 14.5-inch portrait center screen handling nearly all the car’s functionality. That includes the four-zone climate control and 25-speaker Bowers & Wilkins stereo, not to mention all the connectivity you get with Google built-in. The driver monitors all pertinent information through a narrow 9.0-inch display mounted on the steering column, ahead of the dash. A heads-up display also projects information onto the windshield. Aside from a few buttons on the steering wheel and switches for the windows, this is an entirely digital affair.
That’s just the way Volvo wants it. The automaker claims the ES90 is its most powerful car—but not in terms of horsepower. This is a wholly connected, software-defined vehicle using a dual Nvidia Drive AGX Orin configuration that can process over 500 trillion operations per second. According to Volvo Chief Engineer and Technology Officer Anders Bell, it’s the most powerful in terms of core computing capacity.
Photo by: Volvo
“This allows us to further raise the bar on safety and overall performance through data, software, and AI,” he said.
Such tech requires a strong architecture, and the ES90 delivers with an 800-volt system. Volvo says it can recharge at 350 kW, gaining 186 miles of range in 10 minutes. Charging from 10 to 80 percent can happen in as little as 20 minutes, and depending on the vehicle configuration, a range of 435 miles is possible. Part of that is due to the available 106 kWh battery (102 kWh usable), but Volvo also says the ES90 is the most aerodynamic vehicle in the company’s history, with a drag coefficient of 0.25.
Photo by: Volvo
The ES90 will be offered in three variations at launch. The Single Motor version features a single electric motor driving the rear wheels, powered by a 92 kWh (88 kWh usable) battery pack. Maximum output is 245 horsepower, and range per the European WLTP cycle is estimated at 400 miles. A Twin Motor ES90 adds a second motor turning the front wheels, bumping combined output to 442 horsepower. It also gets the larger battery pack and a WLTP-estimated range of 435 miles.
The most exciting variant is the ES90 Twin Motor Performance. The battery remains the same, but the combined output from the motors rises to a stout 670 hp. Volvo claims this version can reach 60 miles per hour in 3.9 seconds, though top speed is limited (like all ES90 trims) to 112 mph. Curiously, despite the added output, maximum range is still listed at 435 miles.
Order books for the Volvo ES90 are open in select regions throughout Europe. It will be available in the United States eventually, but at this time there’s no information on when it’ll arrive. As such, there’s no pricing or EPA estimates for range at this time.
“The Volvo ES90 combines our most advanced technologies with Scandinavian design and superior
comfort, creating a true premium Volvo car designed to elevate your quality of life,” said Volvo CEO Jim Rowan. “It joins the EX90 SUV as one of our flagship models and cements our position as an industry leader in software-defined cars that harness the power of core computing.”
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