Volvo EM90 Minivan, Out in November, Leads a Coming EV Onslaught

• Volvo is working on six new EVs that will be revealed in the next four years, according to a report from Reuters.
• Along with electric replacements for the brand’s SUVs and sedans, Volvo is allegedly designing an electric minivan based on the Zeekr 009, leveraging its status as part of the Geely Group.
• The Volvo minivan will reportedly feature a more “emotional” design, but it likely won’t be sold in the U.S., instead meant for Asian markets where luxury vans are a popular choice.

UPDATE 8/24/23: Volvo released a teaser image for its electric minivan, called the EM90, which will be unveiled in full on November 12. Volvo says that preorders for Chinese customers will open on the same day, and it’s likely that the EM90 will remain exclusive to Asian markets.

Volvo unveiled its first purpose-built EV, a three-row SUV called the EX90, late last year. Essentially the electric equivalent of the XC90 that has been a mainstay in the company’s lineup since 2002, the EX90 is the first step toward Volvo’s goal of having an entirely electric portfolio by 2030. Now more details on the Swedish automaker’s transition to EVs are emerging, with Reuters reporting that Volvo will launch at least six new EVs by the end of 2026, covering each of the key segments.

The EX90 will be followed up with electric replacements for the XC60 and XC40 crossovers, as well as the S60 and S90 sedans. During the EX90 reveal, Volvo also teased an EX30, due to be revealed on June 15 and slotting in slightly smaller than the XC40 Recharge, although its not clear if this model will be sold in the U.S. The future of Volvo’s iconic wagons is less certain—in February 2022, a report hinted that two wagon-like “activity vehicles” were on the cards, but it’s still unclear exactly what shape these models will take.

The two sources cited by Reuters claim that Volvo’s EV offensive will also include a luxury minivan focused on Asian markets. This model, taking advantage of the fact that Volvo is 82 percent owned by Chinese giant Geely, would be closely related to the Zeekr 009. Revealed last fall, the 009 sports a brutalist design and offers a colossal 140.0-kWh battery pack promising 500 miles of range and a dual-motor powertrain with 536 horsepower. The 009’s luxurious cabin has three rows of seating, with prices starting at the equivalent of $74,000 in China.

The van, along with the upcoming electric sedans, is being developed at Volvo’s Shanghai R&D center, which Reuters reports has grown to include a 60-person design staff and migrated to a larger facility. The van will also move further away from the brand’s traditionally staid, serious designs and will hew more closely to the Zeekr’s dramatic styling, which is a key facet of many of the luxury vans that are popular in Asia, such as the Toyota Alphard. The Zeekr 009’s design and capable powertrain make us excited to see what Volvo is working on, and we hope that Volvo will consider bringing it stateside as an alternative to America’s obsession with massive SUVs.

This story was originally published February 2, 2023.

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