Although every new Volvo released in recent years has been an SUV, that’s not the case here with the EM90. It’s the Swedish brand’s first-ever minivan, complete with sliding doors on both sides. Leveraging on its position underneath the massive Geely corporate umbrella, the people hauler is largely based on the Zeekr 009 but (thankfully) with a less striking appearance.
Riding on 19- or 20-inch wheels with an aero-optimized look, the Volvo EM90 has a redesigned front fascia compared to the Zeekr 009. It adopts a more subtle illuminated “grille” and new headlights that take after those of the EX90 electric SUV. The profile gives away the minivan’s origins while the rear has been subtly updated with new taillights that extend onto the pillars to better align with Volvo’s design language.
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The sleek box on wheels is offered with room for six people on three rows but you’ll want to sit on the middle row where there’s a pair of comfy lounge-like ventilated seats that slide fore and aft. Coming down from the headliner is a 15.6-inch screen, which some might find on the small side considering the BMW 7 Series has a 31.3-inch display that also folds down from the ceiling.
Nearly as large, the 15.4-inch touchscreen for the infotainment provides access to most functions since conventional controls are kept down to a minimum. The big center screen is accompanied by a fully digital instrument cluster that has pretty much become the norm. Volvo mentions the rear seats can be a “theatre, meeting room, or a bedroom” at the flick of a switch or by a voice command to change the settings for the windows, seats, screens, lighting, and air conditioning. The 21-speaker Bowers & Wilkins sound system promises to turn the EM90 into a “private concert hall on the move.”
Power is provided by an electric motor mounted at the rear, delivering 268 hp (200 kW), good for a 0 to 62 mph (100 km/h) sprint in 8.3 seconds. While the Volvo EM90 is RWD-only for the time being, the Zeekr 009 also comes in a far more potent dual-motor AWD setup with a whopping 536 hp and a 4.5-second sprint.
Much like its sister model, a massive 116-kWh battery pack can be charged from 10 to 80 percent in less than 30 minutes. The maximum range is quoted at 459 miles (738 kilometers) but that’s in the China Light-Duty Vehicle Test Cycle (CLTC). Echoing the EX90, the zero-emission minivan supports bidirectional charging to juice up other vehicles or home appliances.
It’s imposingly large, stretching at 5206 millimeters (205 inches) long, 2024 mm (79.6 in) wide, and 1859 mm (73.1 in) tall. It boasts a massive wheelbase of 3205 mm (126 in) and tips the scales at 2,763 kilograms (6,091 pounds).
Volvo says the EM90 is already available to preorder China where it rivals other high-end minivans such as the Lexus LM and the Buick GL8. Additional markets are under consideration.
