Volvo unveils its first people mover, the EM90 – and it’s electric

Initially the $180,000 EM90 will be exclusive to the Chinese market – where high-priced, luxury “MPVs” (multi-purpose vehicles) are still popular as chauffeur-driven transport – and skip Australia.

While it is pitched as a “Scandinavian living room on the move”, the EM90 is not a Volvo from the ground up, rather a rebadged and restyled version of the Zeekr 009 electric people mover sold in China.

Volvo and Zeekr are owned by Geely, one of China’s largest car makers – which also counts UK sports-car specialist Lotus, and Volvo’s electric-car spin-off Polestar in its stable.

The Volvo EM90 and Zeekr 009 appear to share their body shell, underpinnings, key specifications, and much of their interior – and are likely to be manufactured in the same Chinese factory – but differ in their front and rear styling, and parts of the cabin, such as the steering wheel.

Using the Zeekr as the basis for Volvo’s first people mover allows the Swedish brand to reduce costs for a vehicle that will be sold in a handful of countries, in a segment of the market which – compared to luxury SUVs – is niche.

Volvo’s largest electric vehicle yet – at 5.2m long and 2.0m wide – costs 818,000 Chinese yuan, or $AU180,000.

The EM90 offers up to 738km of claimed driving range – albeit in lenient CLTC lab testing in China – and weighs 2.7 tonnes.

Six seats are standard – in a 2-2-2 layout – with the two middle-row passengers treated to “lounge seats” with individual heating, ventilation and massaging functions, power adjustment and sliding, and access to built-in tables and cupholders.

Volvo claims the seats have “zero gravity cushions with a seven-layer structure and a thickness exceeding 120mm, including high-density damping layers for both comfort and support.”

However the seat backrests appear to have been lifted – or derived – from the Zeekr, though the headrest and base look to be new.

Dual sunroofs cover all three rows, with the rear panoramic glass panel equipped with a curtain and ambient lighting with a number of selectable “moods”.

Orrefors crystal is used in the gear selector – similar to other Volvo cars – while there is backlit birch wood on the dashboard, door panels and front seatbacks, and a natural FSC-certified wood on other surfaces in the cabin.

A 21-speaker Bowers and Wilkins 3D surround sound system is available – with a 2460W power output, and speakers in the front-seat headrests – as well as a PM2.5 cabin air purification system.

In the centre of the dashboard is a 15.4-inch infotainment touchscreen, but it appears to run a version of the Zeekr 009’s multimedia software, with different fonts and icons to make it feel like Volvo’s other cars.

It is powered by a Snapdragon processor – similar to what is in many Android phones – and offers 5G connectivity, voice control, and over-the-air downloadable software updates. There is a fold-down 15.6-inch screen for rear occupants, which can play movies or connect to online meetings.

The Volvo EM90’s design mixes the body shell and doors from the Zeekr, with Volvo-specific front and rear fascias showcasing the company’s signature ‘Thor’s Hammer’ headlights, and tall vertical tail-lights.

Four exterior colours are available, as well as an illuminated front Volvo badge – a first for one of the company’s cars – and 19- or 20-inch alloy wheels.

Powering the EM90 is a single electric motor on the rear axle developing 200kW, and a 116kWh battery pack.

It is good for a claimed 0-100km/h acceleration time of 8.3 seconds, a claimed driving range in lenient CLTC Chinese testing of 738km, and 10 to 80 per cent fast charging in 30 minutes.

The 116kWh battery is shared with the 009, but the Volvo misses out on its sibling vehicle’s larger 140kWh battery – and the 400kW, dual-motor all-wheel-drive system standard in the Zeekr, good for 0-100km/h in a claimed 4.5 seconds.

The Volvo’s 728km CLTC range compares to 702km for the all-wheel-drive Zeekr with the 116kWh battery – due to the extra motor on the front axle – and 822km for the Zeekr with the 140kWh pack.

The new Volvo offers bi-directional charging technology, allowing the car’s battery to power small electrical appliances, recharge other electric cars, or even send energy back to the electrical grid.

There is a suite of advanced safety technology on offer, powered by “an all-round sensor set with high-definition cameras, surround view cameras, a millimetre wave radar and ultrasonic radars,” though the exact features on offer haven’t been named.

Volvo highlights the EM90’s “strong safety cage” which is “made of various forms of high-strength steel including boron steel,” but it is unclear if it has modified the structure compared to the Zeekr version, given the company has built its reputation on crash safety.

The 2024 Volvo EM90 is now available to order in China.

There are no news on plans to sell it in Australia. In August 2023, a Volvo Car Australia spokesperson told Drive: “The vehicle for now is planned for mainland China. Other markets are yet to be decided.”