Volvo has shocked with the announcement that it will launch a luxury electric MPV in China.
Called the EM90, it has been previewed today in a single overhead image before a full reveal on 12 November – when it will also become available for pre-orders.
It is said to offer the ambience of a “Scandinavian living room on the move” so will no doubt take the lead from the new Volvo EX30 and Volvo EX90 SUVs in adopting a minimalist but materially rich and technology-laden cabin that majors on space, comfort and connectivity.
Volvo gave no categoric clues but said: “The new EM90 doesn’t just allow you to travel from A to B. It creates room for your life.”
The Swedish firm added: “Imagine a moving space where you can just be you. A place where you can connect with your loved ones, create, relax, work or just think.”
While not officially confirmed, the EM90 is expected to be a close relation of sibling brand Zeekr’s new 009 – a luxury six-seat MPV with compelling performance statistics and eye-catching styling.
The 009 rides on the same Geely Group SEA platform as Volvo’s EX30 – as well as the new Smart #1 and various other Chinese-market EVs from other Geely-owned brands – and the EM90 is expected to follow suit.
It remains to be seen whether Volvo’s take on the MPV formula will tout such lofty performance figures, though. The 009 claims a range of 511 miles from its 140kWh battery and, with 536bhp on tap from its twin-motor drivetrain, allegedly sprints from 0-62mph in just 4.5sec – despite weighing nearly three tonnes.
Notably, the 009 was designed in Volvo’s hometown – Gothenburg, Sweden – at Geely’s new global design centre, under the direction of ex-Bentley design boss Stefan Sielaff. It has not yet been confirmed if the EM90 was designed in parallel.
The EM90 will be the first MPV to bear the Volvo badge, and in fact it will be the first non-SUV model launched by the brand since the latest-generation S60 saloon arrived in 2019.
The brand made headlines in the UK recently when it removed all saloon and estate cars from sale, citing much higher demand for its crossovers and SUVs – and, as a result, it is highly unlikely that the EM90 will come to the UK.
