Volvo EX90 first drive: not totally baked

Volvo’s flagship electrical SUV, the EX90, has been a very long time coming. And despite the fact that it’s hitting the street a full 12 months delayed, a few of the standout know-how and options will nonetheless be in a “studying” section. Volvo is promising some progressive options, however the tech nonetheless feels a bit like a minimally viable product. 

We spent a number of hours across the Newport Coast in California in an early model of the Volvo EX90. Our tester was a Twin Motor Efficiency model with a Sand Dune exterior. 

The EPA says that the EX90 will stand up to 310 miles of vary from the 111 kWh battery pack. The Twin Motor Efficiency model places out 510-horsepower and 671 lb. ft. of torque,  whereas the decrease trim will make 402-hp and 568 lb. ft. of torque. 

Volvo says that each ought to cost from 10 to 80 p.c on a 250 kW DC Quick charger in about half-hour. Whereas the EX90 is meant to come back with bidirectional charging, the system received’t work till a later date by way of a software program replace. 

Volvo leaned onerous into Swedish minimalism with its design each in and out. Its understated inside is extremely stress-free. A single 9-inch driver’s data display screen sits behind the steering wheel and might be modified to point out pace, vary, and mapping data. You additionally get a really clear heads-up show that may be equally custom-made. 

Volvo runs its infotainment system on Google’s Android Automotive platform. Meaning you’ll be able to merely ask Google to vary your settings for a lot of issues, like mapping, radio options, and even temperature controls. 

The automobile has virtually no bodily buttons–only one massive scroll wheel on the middle console and some buttons (together with hazards) on the headliner. All the pieces else is frustratingly managed by means of the principle 14.5-inch touchscreen set vertically into the sprint. Like Tesla, this contains adjustment for the steering wheel, side-view mirrors, seats, rain-sensing wipers, glove field opening, trunk peak, lights, suspension setup, mapping, audio, and extra. 

Whereas the system labored effective, it’s a ache in the event you simply want to regulate one thing easy, like wiper sensitivity or efficiency settings, as a result of it’s at the very least a number of menus deep. Volvo assumes that these options will likely be set-it-and-forget-it for house owners. The EX90 can use your smartphone because the digital key — although you get a bodily fob, too. 

Sadly, the digital key we tried was buggy at finest. Whereas Volvo mentioned they had been working carefully with Apple to excellent the tech (and combine CarPlay, which received’t be obtainable till later by way of software program replace, both), the model we tried was unreliable. Greater than as soon as, we needed to open up the Pockets app, discover the EX90 digital key card, and place it on the wi-fi charging pad to get the automobile to acknowledge that the important thing was within the automobile. A number of individuals on the drive occasion needed to do the identical; some even needed to have Volvo’s assist employees plug in a laptop computer to get the automobile to acknowledge the important thing. Not precisely confidence-inspiring.

Volvo additionally took a web page out of Rivian’s playbook with the EX90’s superior adaptive cruise management options, referred to as Pilot Help. As an alternative of buttons to activate the function on the steering wheel, you need to pull the drive choose lever on the precise aspect down towards drive and maintain it for a second when Pilot Help is offered (a grayed-out steering wheel image seems within the driver’s data display screen). As soon as it’s on, you should use the lane-change assistant to change lanes. Although the method is a bit sluggish, it’s higher and extra predictable than most of the lane-changing assistant options on different autos. 

On the street, the massive SUV (it’s somewhat bigger than Volvo’s XC90) doesn’t really feel ungainly. The cabin is notably quiet and comfy. With the muted colorways and minimal distractions, it’s surprisingly calm. It doesn’t really feel rolly or jarring on damaged pavement if you put the air suspension into the default consolation mode. Whereas there’s a sportier journey obtainable, it’s onerous to foretell whether or not house owners can have the persistence to dig by means of the 5 layers on the infotainment display screen to get there. In Efficiency mode, every part will get barely extra amped up, however that is no canyon carver. 

The EX90 additionally will get new inside sensors, together with a radar system that senses every part from the motive force’s eye motion as to if you’ve left a baby or pet within the automobile unattended. On the drive, whereas attempting to dig by means of menus to seek out the drive settings, I had to have a look at the infotainment display screen, and inside a number of quick moments, the automobile chimed, letting me know I used to be distracted. The system is a bit delicate however not intrusive, and for drivers who stupidly want to scroll on their telephones relatively than take note of the site visitors forward of them, like most LA drivers, the EX90 may very well be a wanted wake-up name. 

Quite a few well-known suppliers, together with Nvidia, Google, Qualcomm, and Luminar, comprise the EX90’s suite of security and tech options. Nvidia’s ORIN compute platform, which the corporate rolled out simply this 12 months, performs 254 trillion operations per second to assist the EX90 handle every part from security to infotainment and battery administration. Qualcomm is answerable for the inside tech, whereas Luminar’s lidar is answerable for the exterior adaptive and security options of the automobile. All the pieces has to seamlessly talk with each other, which is likely one of the main causes that the EX90 has been so delayed in attending to market. 

That strange-looking lump on the high of the windshield is Luminar’s new Halo lidar, and together with the Polestar 3, the EX90 is among the many first autos to get it. Sadly, it’s not purposeful as a result of it’s nonetheless in studying mode, the corporate says, gathering information about real-world situations earlier than being “turned on.” When it’s obtainable, Volvo has mentioned the lidar will assist allow hands-free freeway driving — after which inevitably “unsupervised” Degree 3 automation. 

Each Luminar and Volvo say they’re targeted on ensuring that the techniques are foolproof and protected earlier than unleashing them on the general public. As to when that will likely be, Volvo received’t say, citing varied regulatory and security approvals in international locations the place the automobile will likely be bought. They word that the know-how will likely be rolled out regularly and solely obtainable on sure divided highways underneath restricted circumstances, very similar to GM’s Tremendous Cruise system. There are some studies that a few of the superior driving options will begin to be obtainable in early 2025. 

Regardless of a number of tech hiccups, and a few TBD options, Volvo’s EX90 is driving the ball ahead. At the least viable product, the EX90 remains to be fairly good. Future updates and bug fixes will make it the luxurious automobile that Volvo hopes it is going to be, with all of the promised bells and whistles.