Volvo EX90 lands in SA as brand’s R2.65m EV flagship

Volvo has launched its electric EX90 luxury seven-seater SUV in SA as its flagship car, available in a single high-specification variant priced at R2.65m.

The Swedish brand intends to reduce its local dealer network as part of a plan to eventually sell only electric vehicles (EVs), and four of Volvo’s five model ranges offered locally now consist either fully or partially of EVs. The EX30 introduced in early 2024 as Volvo’s entry-level EV range has become SA’s best selling electric car with 406 units sold last year.

Volvo Car SA provides new EV owners with two years of free public charging, a GridCars wallbox with installation and 10GB of Vodacom data per month for three years. The new ownership package aims to attract more customers to the brand’s EV line-up, which includes the EX30, XC40 Recharge, C40 Recharge and the new EX90.

The Volvo EX90 Ultra Twin Performance competes in price against luxury combustion-engined SUVs such as the Range Rover Sport and Porsche Cayenne. It claims a 604km range and is powered by dual electric motors, delivering power to all four wheels through a single-speed automatic transmission.

When plugged into a 250kW DC fast charger, the battery can be recharged from 10% to 80% in a claimed 30 minutes.

With a power output of 380kW and a hefty 910Nm of torque, the large SUV is able to silently sprint from 0-100km/h in 4.9 seconds, says Volvo. When I drove the car at the media launch in Cape Town on Thursday, that sportscar-like sprint figure did not seem exaggerated. The large Volvo sweeps forward with urgency, the acceleration punchy and instant in the typical lag-free and silent style of electric cars.

A one-pedal drive mode can be selected which automatically brakes the car when the driver comes off the throttle and regenerates the 111kWh battery. The brief 20-minute test drive we were allotted was insufficient to properly assess the vehicle, but its silent refinement and comfortable ride came to the fore.

The EX90 rides on air suspension which can be set to sport and comfort settings, and in the latter mode the big SUV displayed good bump-soaking ability.

The 5m-long vehicle features a closed-off grille to identify it as an EV, and the typical “Thor’s hammer” LED lights of modern Volvos.

It has a huge cabin with sufficient room for five tall adults, and the rear seats can be adjusted for leg room and backrest angle. The interior has a premium feel with plush materials including open-pore wood and a soft-touch dashboard. Standard features include electrically adjustable front seats with massage function and heating, a heated steering wheel, a premium Bowers & Wilkins audio system and a large panoramic glass roof, but the latter has no closing shutter to block out the sun.

The super-minimalist cabin is bereft of buttons, but Volvo has perhaps gone too far in bundling all car functions into its giant tablet-like infotainment screen. Even adjusting the side mirrors and opening the cubbyhole have to be done via a digital menu, which is much more distracting to the driver than pressing a button.

This aesthetics over utility approach in the cabin is jarring in a car Volvo purports to be its safest vehicle yet, thanks to an invisible “safety shield” using radars, LiDAR and cameras to monitor the road and power systems such as the adaptive cruise control, lane keeping assist and collision avoidance.

Available in eight colours, the Volvo EX90 is sold with a three-year/60,000 km maintenance plan, a five-year/100,000km warranty, an eight-year battery warranty, and five-year/unlimited mileage roadside assistance.

This article originally appeared in Business Day.