What started off as a wild rumor at the beginning of the year will become a reality in a matter of months. Yes, Volvo is preparing to launch its first-ever minivan, which it describes as being a “Scandinavian living room on the move.” Known as the EM90, the Swedish family hauler “creates room for your life” and will break cover on November 12 when the order books will open in China, the home of parent company Geely.
More teasers are coming between now and the debut date, and in the meantime, the first preview provides an aerial view of the EM90. It’s hard to miss the panoramic sunroof for the rear occupants along with a much smaller glass piece for the driver and front passenger. With this being a minivan, the sliding doors on both sides of the car are more important. Volvo’s first MPV appears to be big enough to accommodate three rows of seats.
Other than being fully electric, other details remain shrouded in mystery. However, the EM90 is likely to be related to the Zeekr 009, a wild-looking minivan from one of Geely’s many brands. That seems just about right considering one of the adjacent images shows the 009’s roof looking virtually identical to that of Volvo’s upcoming posh people-mover. The door handles, antenna, side mirrors, and other details seem unchanged.
Provided the EM90 is a reskinned 009 with different taillights and backlit Volvo lettering at the rear, it’s going to be on the large side. Zeekr’s box on wheels is 205 inches (5209 millimeters) long, 80 in (2024 mm) wide, and 74 in (1867 mm) tall, with a massive wheelbase of 126 in (3205 mm). It’s sold with 2+2+2 or 2+2 seating and weighs a hefty 6,239 pounds (2,830 kilograms).
Riding on the SEA platform shared with the Lotus Eletre and Polestar 5, the Zeekr 009 has a pair of electric motors providing a combined output of 534 horsepower (398 kilowatts). It’s enough punch for a 0 to 62 mph (100 km/h) in four and a half seconds, while the massive 140-kWh battery has enough juice for 511 miles (822 kilometers) in the China Light-Duty Vehicle Test Cycle (CLTC).
The Volvo EM90 won’t be the only premium minivan out there as Buick has been selling the GL8 for several years before the Lexus LM joined the niche. It should be mentioned there could also be an entry-level version considering the Zeekr 009 can be had with a rear-mounted motor and a smaller 116-kWh battery pack.
Read the full article here