If you’re in the market for an electric SUV, crossover, or sedan, you’ll find plenty of options to choose from. Vehicles like the Kia EV6, Rivian R1S, and Volvo EX30 are excellent choices. But what if you’re looking for an electric minivan?
Up until now, the Volkswagen ID.Buzz has been the only real option for an electric minivan. While it’s a cool vehicle, it may not be the most practical for everyone. Enter the new Volvo EM90.
The Volvo EM90 might just become the go-to electric minivan for those who want a blend of practicality and style. Featuring Volvo’s minimalist design, zippy electric performance, and an impressive 450-mile range, it stands out. If you’re thinking about the Volvo EM90, here’s everything you need to know.
Volvo has been updating the designs of its electric cars over the past few years, making them look sleek, modern, and stylish. The new Volvo EX30 and EX90, for instance, are some of the most attractive cars on the market. The Volvo EM90 adopts many of these design elements, showcasing slim, segmented headlights and a generally minimalist appearance.
While there’s only so much you can do to make a minivan look sleek and stylish, its boxy design offers a lot of interior space. Minivans are designed for moving people, and Volvo has been marketing the EM90 as a “living room on wheels.” This means the vehicle has room for six passengers, featuring two front seats, two lounge seats in the second row, and a bench in the third row that fits two more seats.
Like other modern Volvos, the EM90 is loaded with tech. It comes with a large 15.4-inch infotainment screen and a digital instrument cluster. Although Volvo hasn’t specified the software for the EM90, it will likely run Android Automotive and support both Android Auto and CarPlay.
The Volvo EM90 claims an electric range of 450 miles, though this figure is certified by China’s equivalent of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which tends to be more optimistic. Typically, cars get about two-thirds of the China Light-Duty Vehicle Test Cycle (CTLC) rating when measured by the EPA. This would put the EM90’s range at around 300 miles, which is still competitive with other electric vehicles. Volvo hasn’t disclosed the car’s charging speed, but it’s expected to charge within 30 minutes.
One of the perks of electric cars is their instant power. Despite the Volvo EM90 being quite heavy and designed to prioritize range over performance, it’s still reasonably quick. It can go from 0 to 60 miles per hour in 8.3 seconds, which isn’t the fastest but is decent for a vehicle of this type.
Thinking of buying the Volvo EM90? Unfortunately, it’s currently only set for release in China. Volvo has stated that the EM90 will “come first to China,” implying it could be available in other markets later, but no concrete plans or timelines have been released.
If you do live in China, there’s another catch: the EM90 is expected to cost around $114,000, placing it in the same price range as the Mercedes EQS, far from the budget-friendly Toyota Sienna.
The upside is that automakers are clearly developing more electric vehicles in various forms. Hopefully, we’ll see more big electric cars in the near future.