Volvo is about to introduce a brand new giant sedan with electrical energy, exhibiting it hasn’t given up on the more and more unpopular physique fashion.
The Volvo ES90 would be the model’s rival to the likes of the BMW i5, Mercedes-Benz EQE and upcoming Audi A6 e-tron.
Teknikens Värld studies Volvo has constructed the primary instance of the brand new automobile, referred to internally because the V551, at its plant south of Shanghai.
It additionally printed a picture from the manufacturing unit ground of employees standing subsequent to an indication that reads “High Secret” and certain obscuring the automobile itself, and close to one other that reads “Volvo Automobiles V551 First VP Automobile Celebration”.
A ‘VP’ is one other time period for a verification automobile, meant for analysis earlier than full manufacturing commences. That is anticipated to start in 2024.
Whereas Volvo already produces quite a few autos in China, together with the XC40, that market would be the key cause it’s producing the ES90 as sedans stay well-liked there.
The brand new sedan won’t be capable to be offered because the ES90, nevertheless, as Lexus has reportedly objected to the moniker because it has its personal ES sedan.
The ES90 will reportedly share the SPA2 structure of the upcoming Volvo EX90 and Polestar 3 SUVs.
Chinese language documentation leaked on-line in 2022 confirmed manufacturing of the sedan would start in Might 2024, and it’ll use the 111kWh battery of the EX90.
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S90 Recharge
It’ll be supplied in both single-motor rear-wheel drive or dual-motor all-wheel drive configurations, weighing 2500kg and 2600kg, respectively.
Whereas the doc didn’t element powertrain specs, the EX90 will provide outputs of as much as 380kW of energy and 910Nm of torque and vary of as much as 600km on the WLTP check cycle.
The brand new sedan will measure 4990mm lengthy, 1945mm broad and 1547mm tall on a 3102mm wheelbase.
The doc additionally suggests it’ll be offered alongside the S90, which measures 5083mm lengthy on a 3060mm wheelbase and is obtainable with a selection of mild-hybrid or plug-in hybrid powertrains. The S90 has been in manufacturing since 2016.
Volvo’s present flagship sedan is now not supplied in Australia, having been axed in 2019. Its V90 Cross Nation sibling adopted it out the door in 2021.
Per Carsalesbase, gross sales of the S90 have been regularly declining in markets just like the US and Europe, but it surely has proved a steadier vendor in China.
Volvo has very a lot grow to be an SUV model in Australia, although it continues to subject the slow-selling S60 sedan and V60 Cross Country wagon.
To the tip of November, nevertheless, Volvo has offered simply 307 examples of those in Australia this yr. That’s a paltry three per cent of its whole gross sales.
Volvo Australia confirmed earlier this yr they’ll stick around for now, regardless of having not too long ago been axed within the UK, although famous its line-up might look completely different because it strikes to an electric-only vary.
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V90 Cross Nation
Transferring ahead, Volvo will provide no less than one sedan globally with this new electrical mannequin. The way forward for the wagon, nevertheless, isn’t as sure.
Regardless of Volvos and wagons having lengthy been entwined in consumers’ minds, the corporate’s CEO has advised they could be dropped.
“Can we do a very properly designed and clever wagon? Sure, after all can can. The purpose actually is whether or not we should always do it – is there sufficient margin there, is there sufficient demand for that automobile?” Volvo boss Jim Rowan stated to Auto Express.
“Are folks actually going to say, ‘Okay, I’d somewhat have a properly designed wagon than select a sedan [saloon] or an SUV’? Do we predict the market goes to maneuver again into that space? As a result of demand for property vehicles and saloons has gone down in Europe.
“It’s a call that we have to make, and we have to make it with the market intelligence that we’ve got. We’re going to launch a brand new electrical automobile yearly for the subsequent 5 years. Will an electrical wagon be one in every of them? Watch this house.”
Audi and BMW will provide wagon variations of their A6 e-tron and i5.
Volvo goes electric-only in Australia by 2026, and by 2030 worldwide.
