Photo: Volvo Cars / Instagram
The Chinese-owned premium Swedish marque touts the model's global debut, but it's only fair to say this model is a dedication to China - pre-orders start there first, on the same day of the official reveal.
At the beginning of 2023, some pretty wild rumors from China surfaced about what came next for Volvo Cars. And the report wasn't about the mighty EX90 all-electric SUV flagship or even about the revolutionary EX30, even though it was about something that also sipped electrons – Volvo's first-ever minivan.
A multi-purpose vehicle (MPV), weren't those things almost dead, some would ask? Well, it depends on where you live. True, in the West, the rise to fame of crossovers and three-row SUVs have basically rendered minivans obsolete, but in China, for example, they are still very much beloved. So much so that Volvo was tempted to enter the fray and even stage a global debut for this new vehicle.
Initially, the Volvo minivan for China reports were about a yet-unnamed model that would share the underpinnings and dual-motor setup with the Zeekr 009, which boasts up to a combined 536 horsepower. That's no slouch, right? But we might want to nuance the case already, at this point. Also part of the Geely family, the ultra-quirky-designed Zeekr 009 is built on Sustainable Experience Architecture 1 (SEA1) alongside the Zeekr 001 and the more renowned Lotus Eletre SUV plus the upcoming Polestar 5.
However, now we also have the first official teaser from Volvo Cars, and Sweden's first MPV was granted a name: EM90. It's "a place to connect, create, relax, work, or just think." Basically, it's a Scandinavian lifestyle on wheels. But as we meet Volvo's "first ever fully electric premium MPV (multi-purpose vehicle)," the name hints at a deep connection to a different model altogether, aka Volvo's own EX90 flagship EV SUV. And that battery-powered mid-size luxury SUV is built on the SPA2 (Volvo Scalable Product Architecture) platform common with the Polestar 3.
Volvo started the teaser campaign quite early, so we will have to wait until November 12 for the official presentation to share all the facts and figures. Until then, we already know this new model is focused on China, where it will go on pre-order the same day of its grand unveiling. And, most likely, it will be a hit with Chinese customers if they are enamored with the Scandinavian way of living. The teaser provides a panoramic birds-eye view of the MPV that starts in a fake living room that morphs into EM90's rear captain's seats, seen through a huge panoramic glass roof.
The usual T-shaped rear lighting signature is also present and accounted for, and we bet the illuminated Volvo letters at the back will be a crucial bragging point for the owners. As per tradition with minivans, we can easily imagine this model will come with dual sliding doors, and the wheelbase seems long enough to accommodate three rows of seats – depending on the chosen configuration, of course.
As for the powertrain, if it mixes with the EX90, then dual-motor configurations and AWD are a sure fixture – with up to 510 hp on tap and a CATL-sourced 111-kWh (gross) battery pack. The range might also be of utmost importance – Volvo claims up to 370 miles (595 km) on a single charge for the EX90, which has recharging capabilities of 11 (AC) to 250 kW (DC).
A multi-purpose vehicle (MPV), weren't those things almost dead, some would ask? Well, it depends on where you live. True, in the West, the rise to fame of crossovers and three-row SUVs have basically rendered minivans obsolete, but in China, for example, they are still very much beloved. So much so that Volvo was tempted to enter the fray and even stage a global debut for this new vehicle.
Initially, the Volvo minivan for China reports were about a yet-unnamed model that would share the underpinnings and dual-motor setup with the Zeekr 009, which boasts up to a combined 536 horsepower. That's no slouch, right? But we might want to nuance the case already, at this point. Also part of the Geely family, the ultra-quirky-designed Zeekr 009 is built on Sustainable Experience Architecture 1 (SEA1) alongside the Zeekr 001 and the more renowned Lotus Eletre SUV plus the upcoming Polestar 5.
However, now we also have the first official teaser from Volvo Cars, and Sweden's first MPV was granted a name: EM90. It's "a place to connect, create, relax, work, or just think." Basically, it's a Scandinavian lifestyle on wheels. But as we meet Volvo's "first ever fully electric premium MPV (multi-purpose vehicle)," the name hints at a deep connection to a different model altogether, aka Volvo's own EX90 flagship EV SUV. And that battery-powered mid-size luxury SUV is built on the SPA2 (Volvo Scalable Product Architecture) platform common with the Polestar 3.
Volvo started the teaser campaign quite early, so we will have to wait until November 12 for the official presentation to share all the facts and figures. Until then, we already know this new model is focused on China, where it will go on pre-order the same day of its grand unveiling. And, most likely, it will be a hit with Chinese customers if they are enamored with the Scandinavian way of living. The teaser provides a panoramic birds-eye view of the MPV that starts in a fake living room that morphs into EM90's rear captain's seats, seen through a huge panoramic glass roof.
The usual T-shaped rear lighting signature is also present and accounted for, and we bet the illuminated Volvo letters at the back will be a crucial bragging point for the owners. As per tradition with minivans, we can easily imagine this model will come with dual sliding doors, and the wheelbase seems long enough to accommodate three rows of seats – depending on the chosen configuration, of course.
As for the powertrain, if it mixes with the EX90, then dual-motor configurations and AWD are a sure fixture – with up to 510 hp on tap and a CATL-sourced 111-kWh (gross) battery pack. The range might also be of utmost importance – Volvo claims up to 370 miles (595 km) on a single charge for the EX90, which has recharging capabilities of 11 (AC) to 250 kW (DC).
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