The electric and technically advanced sedan with Swedish-Chinese roots defies Audi, BMW and Mercedes

Even a few years ago, sedans were a very common commodity in many car markets. Nowadays, it is often difficult to find a manufacturer that has a classic sedan, so it was a real pleasure to be part of Volvo’s ES90 presentation. Not only is it a limousine, it is also electric. Volvo already has a car of a similar size, albeit in an SUV version – the EX90. Now it’s about a model that wants to compete with the German trio – BMW i5, Mercedes-Benz EQE and Audi A6 e-tron.

Round 5 meters

The Volvo ES90 is built on the SPA2 platform with a very long wheelbase of 310.2 centimeters with a total length of around 500 cm. It is 194.2 cm wide and 154.7 cm high. If we look at the competition, it is not the lowest, but it has the smallest luggage space of 424 liters. The front tank of 22 liters is of modest help. Unfortunately, the luxury of the luggage space of electric sedans is very weak, so the A6 E-Tron offers the most with 502 liters and another 17 liters in the front. There is as much space in the front seats as your heart desires, while the tear is a minor problem. At first glance, there is plenty of it, but due to the battery, i.e. the high floor, there is no legroom under the front seats, so it is not a luxury.

For many years, Volvo has been striving for simplicity and airiness, and the passenger cabin of the ES90 model has been designed in the same ‘Swedish living room’ style. Everything is nicely arranged and packed, everything in its place without too many details. Decent, with a lot of taste and sense of beauty. In front of the driver is a small, but very good and reviewed 9-inch digital screen. The front part is still dominated by the 14.5-inch screen, which provides an overview and control of navigation, entertainment, climate, in-car applications, phone, camera for parking assistance… There is a wireless connection for Android Auto and Apple CarPlay.

Modernly equipped car

Ease of use is in the digital key. The Volvo ES90 offers full access to the car via iPhone, Apple Watch or a compatible Android phone. All that is needed to unlock the doors and use the car is a device with a digital key stored in the Wallet app.

Volvo has prepared seven exterior colors for the ES90, four types of rims from 20 to 22 inches in diameter, as well as three types of materials used to cover the seats. From the synthetic material Nordico, through ventilated napa leather to an extremely interesting solution for me – a mixture of wool and recycled polyester. That would be my pick. Depending on the equipment level, it is possible to choose a lighter or darker interior.

A very pleasant solution is wood decor with backlighting. Built into the dashboard, front and rear door trims and front seat backs, this backlit decor made from real certified wood gives the cabin a touch of Scandinavian luxury. During the night, the decor glows in a bright, warm pattern of the starry sky. Also, the decor on the right side of the dashboard has a Morse code pattern (translated as ‘Volvo’) that lights up at night.

Three levels of equipment

The panoramic roof, which is part of the standard equipment, certainly contributes to the impression of spaciousness. Supposedly dark tinted glass with a Low-E IR coating minimizes glare and heat without the need for physical sun protection. It should filter up to 99.9% of UV radiation and block approximately 80% of solar thermal radiation. It is possible to pay extra for the electrochromatic panoramic roof.

Three equipment packages have been prepared: Core, Plus and Ultra. Volvo has simplified the offer into three clearly defined levels, so that customers can more easily choose what suits them. The starter is aimed at fleet buyers and those who appreciate subtlety. As is the case with Volvo, the basic package already brings a rich package of safety equipment, a recycled textile interior and the Google operating system. The Plus brings more advanced lighting, a Harman Kardon audio system, an air purification system and additional sensors for parking assistance. This will probably be the best-selling package in Croatia. If that’s not enough, there’s Ultra. It includes air suspension, a 25-speaker Bowers & Wilkins audio system, massaging seats upholstered in eco-friendly Nordico leather or wool, and a touch-dimming panoramic sunroof.

Security at an extremely high level

Volvo has been striving to produce the safest cars for years. Accordingly, the ES90 also comes equipped with a Lidar sensor on the roof that sees pedestrians up to 250 meters away, even in complete darkness. It is the so-called safety shield that reduces the risk of collision by over 20%. However, after the presentation, we found out that the models arriving in Croatia will not be equipped with the Lidar system. However, regardless of that, it would take me a lot of time and space to list and explain the numerous safety systems that the ES90 is equipped with, so it makes no sense to list them. In support of safety in Volvo cars, I should also mention that the maximum speed of all versions of the ES model is electronically limited to 180 km/h.

The ES90 is built on an advanced 800V architecture. The first option is a single engine, which comes on the rear axle. It comes with a 92 kWh lithium-ion battery integrated in the floor, and it is a 245 kW / 333 hp electric motor. There is also 480 Nm of maximum torque. The declared range is 650 km. The Twin Motor has 335 kW / 456 hp (5.3 s to 100 km/h and a range of 700 km) or 500 kW / 680 hp in the Performance variant. The latter has 870 Nm of maximum torque, so it only takes 4 seconds to accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h. They are powered by a 106 kWh battery. The advantage of the 800 V architecture is certainly in fast charging. Supports DC charging up to 310 kW (single motor) or 350 kW (twin motor). This means that charging from 10 to 80% is achieved in 20 minutes. When we talk about charging with alternating current, there is an 11 kW charger.

When driving, the ES90 seems very refined. Although it is an electric car that knows how to show its explosiveness, here it seems extremely smooth. The car feels very comfortable, and the model I drove was helped by the air suspension. Also, a lot of attention was paid to noise protection, so the passenger cabin is incredibly quiet. Among the good options for city driving, I would definitely highlight the one-pedal function, which is becoming almost standard in many EV cars.

Excerpt from the price list