Volvo ES90 flagship to rival EQE and i5

The new ES90 is an electric hatchback with a windswept shape that gives it range in excess of 650km. Its name suggests it replaces the S90 saloon, and is electrically powered.

The 5m titan, resembling Polestar 4, only with a rear screen, is Volvo’s tech leader. It features computing power that permit future updates and over-the-air refreshes across its lifetime.

Volvo says it melds the raised driving position and ground clearance of an SUV (it is 40mm lower than the EX90) with a five-door, hatchback body shape. It is also the most aero-efficient shape in the history of the brand, with a Cd of 0.25.

The ES90 rides on the same SPA2 electric architecture as the EX90 SUV. When it eventually arrives in RHD form, it will come in Ultra and Plus variants, with three powertrains and two battery grades.

A standard 245kW/480Nm rear-drive Single-Motor model kicks things off. The other pair are Twin-Motor models, with 330kW, and 670Nm. A Performance version is good for 500kW of power and 871Nm of torque. Respective sprint times are 6.9sec, 5.6sec and 4.0sec, while all are governed to 180km/h. 

The battery options are 88kWh (646km) for the Single-Motor and a 102kWh unit for the Twin-Motor variants. The lesser of them allows a headline range of nigh on 700km. 

There’s 350kW rapid charging too thanks to 800V electric architecture. This adds almost 300km of range in 10 minutes with the 102kWh battery pack (or 10-80 per cent in 20min). Bidirectional charging is also possible.

The ES90 follows the EX90 gaining Volvo’s Superset tech stack. An additional Nvidia Orin processor makes the difference. Twin central Nvidia Orin processors can handle more than 500 trillion operations per second, so multiple ECUs aren’t needed.

This so-called ‘software-defined vehicle’ allows for faster and more efficient updates over time.

Underpinning ES90 are the dual-chamber air suspension and adaptive dampers of the EX90 SUV. Volvo claims it is not only comfortable and calm to drive, but it is also home to the quietest cabin in Volvo’s history.

Luggage space ranges from 425-1256L. A 22L frunk hides the charging cables. 

The ES cabin is almost a copy of the EX90’s, along with a powered panoramic roof. A 14.5in central touchscreen, nine-inch driver display and head-up display are standard. This system incorporates Google Maps and Waze. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are also features. 

Read our review of the Volvo EX30 Twin-Motor Performance.

Four-zone climate control, and heated seats in the front and rear come as standard. Top-spec variants get electro-chromatic glass, a 25-speaker B&W sound system, and laminated side and rear windows to reduce cabin noise. 

A lidar sensor ensures a level of automated driving, though it is not yet fully operational. It is sure to be unlocked and enhanced with software updates over time.

Rivals include Audi A6 e-tron, BMW i5, Mercedes EQE and Lucid Air, all at five metres long, almost two metres wide and just over 1.5m tall. A wheelbase of 3.1m ensures generous rear leg room and there are reclining rear seats. These are big in China, Volvo’s key market.

There will be no estate version of the ES90.