Volvo wants to sell only electric vehicles from 2030 onwards. So far, however, the Swedes have not had much to offer in terms of dedicated, specially developed e-platforms. That should change with a new flagship from next year: The successor to the current top model, the XC90, is a purely electric car that will soon also be highly automated. The five-meter-long cross between an SUV and a station wagon starts under the name EX90. Volvo showed the new design language with the large wheels and the comparatively low roof for the first time last year. But the format of the Concept Recharge is more suitable for the successor to the successful XC60, which is scheduled to come onto the market in 2026.
The Polestar 3 is comparable to the EX90: the first photos of the platform brother show a sporty crossover model that, with its narrow front and stretched cabin, is vaguely reminiscent of a Porsche Panamera station wagon. The relatively low roof line makes the SUV coupe more aerodynamic and thus increases the electric range. However, the passengers retain their elevated seating position. Because the combustion engine is also omitted from the Volvo EX90 and the front hood is shrinking, the wheels and the passenger compartment can also increase in size. In the airy cabin with the flat floor there is a cool minimalism like Tesla: A large, upright central monitor dominates the almost button-free dashboard.
On the left the Polestar 2, next to it the Polestar 3 in the rear view and on the far right the “Precept” concept, which teases the Polestar 5 – a sporty sedan.
(Photo: Polestar)
Polestar plans to present its luxurious electric SUV live for the first time in October, followed by the premiere of the Volvo EX90 on November 9th. While Polestar emphasizes the sporting spirit, Volvo’s upcoming top model may appear a bit more angular and solid to convey a sense of security. “We believe that the Volvo EX90 is the safest Volvo that has ever rolled onto the road,” says Joachim de Verdier, who is responsible for Safe Vehicle Automation at Volvo. The technology is largely identical in the top models of both brands: The Volvo EX90 is produced with the Polestar 3 in the same plants in China and in Ridgeville, South Carolina / USA.
Highlights of the two Superstromer are electric motors on each axle with a total of around 500 hp and a large battery with a capacity of around 100 kWh, which should enable a standard range of over 600 kilometers. “The Polestar 3 will also enable autonomous driving on the highway in due course, supported by Luminar’s industry-leading lidar sensor and centralized Nvidia processing power,” Polestar has announced. Now Volvo is revealing more details about the autopilot. The Swedes speak of the “most advanced sensor systems on the automotive market”: Eight cameras, five radar devices, 16 ultrasonic sensors and a lidar sensor are used in the new flagship.
In the Volvo Concept Recharge, the lidar sensor is emblazoned in the center above the windscreen. In the production version, only a narrow black stripe will remain.
(Photo: Volvo)
The optical sensor above the windscreen, which can detect the surroundings with great precision using its own light source, has a decisive advantage: It does not have to interpret the world like a camera system using object recognition, i.e. artificial intelligence, but measures the distance as precisely as a radar system. Compared to this, the lidar has the advantage that it can not only reliably detect metal objects, but also plastic bags or rubber tires flying around on the street. This means that dangers can be identified earlier, even when visibility is poor: almost every third fatal accident happens at dusk or in the dark. Volvo wants to use lidar technology to reduce the number of accidents with fatalities and serious injuries by up to 20 percent.
The extensive sensor set is used on all EX90. With this standard equipment and the goal of “zero accidents”, Volvo is setting new safety standards – however, customers are only likely to be willing to pay the corresponding price surcharge of several thousand euros in the (upper) class at the moment. In the future, however, the system can do even more: From next year, highly automated vehicles with Level 3 will not only be able to drive at 60 km/h under certain conditions on the motorway, but up to 130 km/h: “We are currently trying to achieve that Approval according to these new standards,” confirms Joachim de Verdier.
The Volvo Concept Recharge gives a taste of the interior of the upcoming EX90.
(Photo: Volvo)
If all goes well, the EX90 could be driving in autopilot mode as little as a year after model launch. Models that have already been delivered should be enabled for this via a software upgrade. The capabilities of the system will be successively expanded through further updates. However, this built-in chauffeur service will not be cheap. The next development step is already emerging in the medium term. Chipmaker Nvidia has just announced that it will launch its new, highly integrated Thor system in 2025, which controls both infotainment and automated driving via a central supercomputer. The first use is at Zeekr, the new Chinese luxury brand of the Geely Group – which also includes Volvo and Polestar.