SWEDE WITH EVERYTHING? (some text hidden) --NONE--

By Jonathan Crouch

The ES90 is a new kind of large electric Volvo. Jonathan Crouch takes a look...

Ten Second Reviewword count: 48

Here's a very different kind of Volvo saloon, the ES90. Derived from the big EX90 electric SUV but a step further on technology, this large electric sedan/fastback offers something interestingly different in the evolving market for premium brand luxury EVs. And it breaks new technology boundaries for Volvo.

Backgroundword count: 161

Once defined by safety, Volvo is now apparently a brand defined by computing power. The company now describes itself as 'an industry leader in software-defined cars' and says that this model, the ES90, is the most powerful model it's yet created in terms of core computing capacity. It's perhaps more important to note that the ES90, the second large EV the marque has launched, is the first electric Volvo to use a properly cutting-edge 800V electrical architecture - the kind of thing that will allow super-quick charging from the new breed of ultra-fast DC chargers springing up around Europe. Essentially, this car is the spiritual successor to the Gothenburg maker's most recent combustion big saloon, the S90 (sold between 2016 and 2024). The ES90 has five doors, but as part of a chunky silhouette that's supposed to combine the genres of sedan, fastback and SUV, putting it (according to Volvo) 'fully in a class of its own'. Let's take a look.

Engines and Tech Specword count: 263

The design emphasis on luxury carries through to the engineering here. Volvo claims that the ES90 emphasises 'supreme ride comfort' thanks to its dual chamber air suspension and active chassis. As a result, expect it to be comfortable and calm to drive and, thanks in part to the sleek shape of any Volvo yet made (0.25Cd), the Gothenburg marque says it's created the quietest-ever cabin of any model in its history. Three powertrains are available, starting with a base Single Motor model with a rear-mounted 328bhp e-motor developing 480Nm of torque, propelling this big saloon to 62mph in 6.9s. Energy comes from the smaller of the two available batteries, a 'Standard Range' 92kWh unit (88kWh usable) that nonetheless offers 404 miles of range. Ideally though, you'd order your ES90 with the larger 106kWh battery (102kWh usable), which only comes mated to an AWD drivetrain with a motor on each axle. In the mid-level 'Twin Motor' model, the added motor on the front axle boosts total output to 443bhp with 670Nm of torque, which improves the 0-62mph sprint time to 5.6s. Range is 435 miles. As it is for the top 'Twin Motor Performance' flagship model, which has power output upgraded to 671bhp and 870Nm - enough to get the car to 62mph in 4s flat. All ES90s share the same 112mph top speed. And the same core computing dual NVIDIA DRIVE AGX Orin configurator, which is apparently capable of making 508 trillion operations per second. Towing capacity varies from 2,000kg for the Twin Motor models to 1,600kg for the entry-level Single Motor version.

To see the full road test text contact us on 0330 0020 227