Due to the incessant rise of SUVs, the sedan body that used to be a staple of the automotive world has become an endangered species. While many major carmakers have given up on the three-volume body almost entirely, Volvo is one of the brands to continue to support it. And with the S90, the Swedish automaker’s flagship sedan, currently due for replacement, Volvo has trademarked the ES90 nameplate and, thanks to statements made by its CEO, prepared us for an all-electric replacement of the executive sedan.
Volvo has pledged to only build EVs by 2030 and has kickstarted this new age (EX30 entry-level electric crossover, anybody?) via the recent EX90 battery-powered SUV that’s currently being offered alongside the XC90 flagship high-rider it will eventually replace. And the all-but-confirmed ES90 should go down a similar path.
Carmakers don’t always follow through with the names they trademark, but Volvo CEO Bjorn Annwall has talked to Australian media last year, appearing to confirm that the S90, which has been in production since 2016 and is thus due for a replacement, will get an all-electric successor.
“We can have the S90 in parallel with a kind of full-electric 90. […]. That’s the hedge we’re using in this period between now and 2027 or something, so it gives us a bit of flexibility to play them slightly differently in different countries,” the head honcho told carsales.
The ES90 electric sedan is expected in 2024 (2025MY)
As for the arrival of the EX90, the all-electric executive sedan is expected to land in 2024. In terms of the competition, the EX90 will target an area in between the Mercedes-Benz EQE and EQS, while also fighting the Tesla Model S.
The Swedish automaker is owned by Chinese company Geely, which has spun off the former’s Polestar division into a dedicated EV brand. Volvo and Polestar share parts, albeit with distinct interior/exterior design and sometimes seating arrangement setting their products apart (think: EX90 7-seater and Polestar 3 five-seater).
However, while a confirmed upcoming flagship sedan using the Polestar 5 name is expected to arrive at the same time as the probable EX90, they may not share their platform. So while the Polestar 5 is officially set to ride on an aluminum chassis the carmaker designed in the UK, the ES90 should adopt the SPA2 architecture of the EX90.
As far as the powertrains go, the EX90 using the XC90’s tech side means a base model called Twin Motor (402 hp and 568 lb-ft, with a 373-mile WLTP range). There’s also a higher version named Twin Motor Performance, which delivers 496 hp for North America and packs a range of 367 miles WLTP, with both using a 111 kWh battery pack.
Until we get more info on the Volvo EX90, we’ve brought along a set of renderings portraying the flagship electric sedan. The 3D work has seen digital artist Sugarchow (aka sugardesign_1) tasking the Midjourney AI with pixel-painting the EV.
Many of the Sino-Swedish automaker’s latest styling cues are present, albeit with some design features appearing a tad too rounded for the Volvo mantra—the roof line is the best example here.
Regardless, since Volvo currently offers the S90 in North America, the ES90 EV should follow suit.
