Volvo’s first EV sedan to launch with 111 kWh battery… in 2025

Volvo has begun prototype manufacturing of its next-generation luxurious electrical sedan, probably referred to as the ES90. The V551, because it’s internally identified, might be inbuilt China. This info comes through a leak from Volvo’s personal inside board, with a photograph of the V551 workforce proudly kneeling subsequent to an enormous “CONFIDENTIAL TOP SECRET” signal under a banner with the textual content “Volvo Automobiles V551 First VP Automotive Celebration.” Looks like fairly stable affirmation to us!

The information was initially reported by Swedish outlet TeknikensVärld. There are some noteworthy tech specs included, like a 111 kWh battery (107 kWh accessible), 600 km of vary (372 miles), 3100mm wheelbase, 2600kg curb weight (round 5700 lbs), and two drive configurations: dual-motor all-wheel drive and single motor rear-wheel drive. In response to the article, Volvo allegedly plans to start out producing the ES90 in Could 2024 (presumably, they imply pre-production), although retail availability isn’t deliberate till mid-2025.

The specs of the ES90 would place it on the bigger aspect of mid-size EV luxurious sedans just like the Mercedes EQE, BMW i5, Tesla Mannequin S, and Lucid Air. As for the vary, that quantity really appears fairly real looking given the battery capability and anticipated weight of the automobile, although we’re clearly a good distance off from validating that in actuality.

Volvo is investing closely in electrification, and this automobile will supposedly be the primary Volvo developed solely by the corporate’s China-based R&D workforce. Whereas lots of Volvo’s electrical fashions are inbuilt China, together with the EX30 we simply drove, the corporate has retained a big engineering and design contingent in its residence nation of Sweden so far.

Electrek’s Take

Sedans are a tricky promote in a crossover-first world. Whereas plenty of people on-line might clamor about their elevated aerodynamic effectivity and decrease rooflines, most shoppers are at the moment SUV and CUV-crazy. The truth that Volvo has prioritized efforts just like the EX30 and the upcoming EX90 is by no means shocking, and speaks to the decline of the sedan globally.

Nonetheless, there’s house for a luxurious sedan on the market — Mercedes, Audi, BMW, and Porsche all produce high-end EV sedans, and these are the manufacturers Volvo has historically positioned itself towards as a “worth” competitor, providing class-leading security and comparable tech options at a cheaper price than the Germans.

Mid-2025, although, is an extended methods off, and I think 372 miles of vary gained’t be all that spectacular in a year-and-a-half. Will Volvo introduce an 800V structure with this automobile? Will there be modern autonomy options? Can it enormously undercut the prevailing luxurious EV sedan house on pricing? There are plenty of unknowns right here, and it appears we’ll be ready some time to reply them.