-Artisan ツ Posted April 27, 2023 Posted April 27, 2023 Demand for the near-£100,000 Volvo EX90 has exceeded the Swedish firm's "boldest" expectations, it said today. The first production run for the electric SUV, which received its global launch last year, has sold out and the firm said orders surpassed its "most ambitious internal projections". Earlier, Volvo said the car had been taken off sale, but it remains available to order in the UK. Earlier this year, Volvo CEO Jim Rowan told Autocar the EX90 would initially enter production in very small numbers ahead of sales beginning in 2024. He added that the firm's flagship SUV “blew through those targets for pre-orders” and that it “top and tails the range” with the smaller Volvo EX30, which will join it on the production line later this year. This suggests that there will be no model smaller than the crossover, nor any larger than the EX90. The EX90 – serving as a “statement for where we are and where we're going” – is claimed by Rowan to set new standards for safety as Volvo aims for zero crash fatalities in its cars. The new machine is effectively an electric-only equivalent of the current Volvo XC90. It's the third electric Volvo, following the Volvo XC40 Recharge and Volvo C40 Recharge, but the first to sit on a dedicated electric platform – the Geely group’s advanced SPA2 architecture. It's closely related technically to the Polestar 3 but, unlike that model, features a third row of seats. The EX90's styling is based on the Concept Recharge that was shown in 2021. It retains familiar Volvo design cues, such as the blanked-off front grille seen on the XC40 and the upright rear lights. It has also been honed for aerodynamic efficiency to optimise the range. Volvo claims a drag coefficient of 0.29. It will arrive with a dual-motor, four-wheel-drive powertrain offering two outputs. Twin Motor models will have 402bhp and 568lb ft of torque, while Performance models will have 510bhp and 671lb ft. Both offer a governed top speed of 112mph. Lower-powered single-motor versions are likely to follow. Power will come from a 111kWh battery (107kWh usable), with an efficiency of 2.9 miles per kWh and a claimed range of 364 miles for the Twin Motor and 360 miles for the Performance. The battery can be charged at rates of up to 250kW, offering a 10-80% charge in 30 minutes. At 5037mm, the EX90 is slightly longer than the current XC90. It’s also wider than that car but slightly lower and has a kerb weight of 2818kg. There’s a 310-litre boot when seven seats are in use, which rises to 665 litres in five-seat mode and 1915 litres with both rows folded. At launch, the EX90 will sit on 22in alloy wheels, with air suspension standard. A major focus of the EX90 has been on the safety features, software and hardware that underpins the machine. Most notably, it will feature lidar as standard (this will be an option on the Polestar 3), with the sensor mounted on the front edge of the roof. That will complement a range of other interior and exterior sensors and cameras to power advanced driver assistance and safety systems. Initially, that will include an upgraded Pilot Assist system, and a steering support function that will help changing lanes. Volvo says the systems will eventually it to offer an over-the-air subscription update that will offer “unsupervised autonomous driving” in certain conditions and places. The interior sensors can gauge eye concentration to warn about driving while distracted or drowsy. The new safety kit, along with the EX90’s infotainment and battery management systems, will be powered by a core software system that uses advanced Nvidia Drive platforms along with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon Cockpit platform mixed with in-house Volvo software. The interior dashboard is built around a 14.5in central touchscreen that features Volvo’s Google-based infotainment. The model features a 5G data connection as standard to aid with over-the-air software updates. https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/new-cars/new-volvo-ex90-orders-exceed-ambitious-expectations
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