A drum-roll please… for the much-anticipated, all-electric Volvo EX90 SUV.
This is an important car for the Scandinavian manufacturer, and one it says ‘represents the start of a new era’ in which it sets a ‘decisive course for a fully electric future’.
Ultimately, the EX90 - which goes on sale next year - will replace the traditionally-fuelled XC90 in the Volvo range.
With a price tag expected to start at around £75,000, it’ll be a premium rival to big hitters like the BMW iX, Mercedes-Benz EQC, and the Jaguar I-Pace.
And because it comes with a comprehensive suite of state-of-the-art driver assistance systems, it could well be one of the safest cars ever created.
First of all, let’s take a look at the powertrain.
The EX90 will be able to deliver up to 373 miles of tailpipe-emission-free driving range on a single charge. You’ll also be able to replenish the battery from10 to 80 per cent in under 30 minutes.
The first models you’ll be able to order next year will be twin-motor, all-wheel-drive variants with a large 111 kWh battery generating power of 517 hp and 910 Nm of torque, though more affordable versions of the EX90 will be available at a later date.
As we’ve explained before, the EX90 is Volvo’s first car with ‘bi-directional charging’ capabilities - where you can use your car battery as an extra energy supply, for example to power your home, other electric devices or another electric Volvo car.
And when it comes to the safety tech, Volvo calls the EX90 a ‘highly advanced computer on wheels’ and which sets a standard of safety ‘higher than any Volvo car before it’.
Your smartphone even acts as the car’s key, automatically unlocking the doors and starting a personal welcoming sequence as you approach it.
A Volvo spokesperson adds:
“It’s designed to understand you and its surroundings to help keep you, your loved ones and others in traffic safe. It can also get smarter and safer over time, as it learns from new data and receives updates.”
A bank of cameras, radars and lidar are connected to the car’s core computers, creating a real-time, 360-degree view of the world.
The idea is that the EX90’s brain can see objects hundreds of metres ahead, giving you more time to react to, and avoid, them.
Sensors inside the car also monitor what the driver is doing. If you’re distracted, glancing at your phone, and looking sleepy, the EX90 will intervene to keep you safe.
The Volvo spokesperson reveals:
“It’ll alert you, first softly nudging, then more insistent. And if the unthinkable happens and you fall asleep or are taken ill while driving, the Volvo EX90 is designed to safely stop and call for help.”
The EX90 is also the first Volvo that’s hardware-ready for ‘unsupervised’ driving in the future - with the UK Government recently stating that self-driving cars could be legalised by 2025.
Inside the cabin you’ll find a large 14.5 inch centre screen powered by the ‘Unreal Engine’, the 3D tool developed by Epic Games - the makers of global smash Fortnite.
It means you’ll get high-quality graphics on the in-car screens as well as the head-up display.
The kit list also includes a premium Bowers & Wilkins audio system featuring Dolby Atmos and headrest-integrated speakers for ‘immersive sound’.
Jim Rowan, Volvo Chief Executive, says:
“The Volvo EX90 is our vision of a large family SUV in the electric age.
“Born electric and software-defined, it demonstrates what future Volvo cars will stand for in terms of safety, technology, sustainability, design and creating a more personal experience for every customer.”
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