Volvo released a fully-electric minivan called the EM90 in China on Monday, where the luxury MPV segment is hugely popular. The Volvo EM90 will be the Swedish automaker’s first minivan, and it just happens to be a rear wheel drive EV, though Volvo says the EM90 traces its roots back to the Volvo Duett from the mid-20th century.
The connection is tenuous at best since the Duett resembles more of an SUV that would pave the way for Volvo’s estate models. That is, its wagons, which Volvo would come to be known for. The EM90 is built on the same platform as the Zeekr 009 and shares its fully-electric drivetrain with the Chinese minivan.
The EM90 and 009 share so much thanks to Geely’s ownership of Volvo. Now that Volvo’s parent company is also the owner of Zeekr, the two are sharing their latest platforms as well as a commitment to EVs, which are taking off in the world’s largest auto market, China.
The Volvo EM90 is basically a rebadge of the Zeekr 009 but has major differences, including a less powerful drivetrain with a single electric motor riding over the rear axle, which makes 268 horsepower. The Zeekr 009, on the other hand, gets a dual-motor setup that makes 536 hp for a sprint to 62 miles per hour in 4.5 seconds ...in a minivan.
The EM90 will do the same run in a leisurely 8.3 seconds, which is not exactly slow, per se. Just not comparable to the Zeekr’s blistering speeds. While the Volvo loses some of the speed of its 009 cousin, the Swedish MPV gains a small bit of range, getting up to 738 kilometers per full charge. That’s 459 miles, but those range estimates are based on the Chinese test cycle, which accounts for EV range differently than the U.S. test cycle.
The Volvo EM90 will have a battery pack with a 116 kWh capacity, the same as the base model Zeekr 009. The EM90 is capable of charging from 10 to 80 percent in under 30 minutes. The Zeekr 009 can be ordered with a larger 140 kWh battery while that doesn’t seem to be an option with the Volvo.
Volvo has not confirmed whether the EM90 will come to the U.S. or not, but it’s not likely to be sold in the states. Luxury minivans aren’t as popular here — or aren’t popular at all — as they are in China, where the EM90 will be sold as an MPV that pulls double duty hauling fancy executives during business hours and families with up to six members after the workday ends. Hence the connection to the Volvo Duett.
Since it’s meant to ferry high-powered executives, the Volvo’s cabin is decked out in luxury. A roof mounted 15.6-inch screen folds down to be used for meetings, conferencing or watching movies. The EM90's second row has captain’s chairs, or what Volvo calls “lounge seats,” while the third row is a standard bench seat, though it looks plush and comfy in its own right.
The rest of the luxe appointments include a 15.4-inch screen on the dashboard and a Bowers and Wilkins audio system that boasts 21 speakers. Volvo says it paid extra attention to sound proofing the EM90's cabin to turn it into a living room on wheels. The luxury minivan is expected to start at 818,000 yuan, or about $113,000 at current exchange rates.
