Volvo Car Australia has confirmed it has an additional new electric vehicle (EV) on the way in 2025, but it’s unclear just what it will be.
Speaking with CarExpert, Volvo Car Australia managing director Stephen Connor confirmed the new EX90 – due late 2024 or early 2025 at this stage – will be followed by another battery-electric vehicle Down Under.
“We’ll be launching another car later [in 2025] with battery electric as well,” Mr Connor said.
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Mr Connor’s comment came off a question about future product launches being plug-in hybrid (PHEV) or electric leading into the local division’s strategic move to go all-electric from 2026.
The brand’s local boss said all new model launches from now on will be electric, with the scope for new or additional PHEVs to come in the form of facelifts or additional versions of existing models.
“Every new car that we bring will be a battery electric car. So every new model that comes into the range will be battery electric,” Mr Connor told CarExpert.
“That’s critical for me to emphasise that. If it’s a new model, it will be purely battery electric; if it’s an existing model or facelift then that’s the current XC60 or XC90 [where there’s scope for non-EV launches before 2026].”
It’s unclear what this new Volvo EV will be in Australia, given the recently revealed EM90 people mover hasn’t been given the green light by the Chinese-owned Swedish brand’s local arm just yet.
Fellow Geely subsidiary Zeekr is also preparing to launch the almost identical 009 MPV in Australia.
At this stage only one electric powertrain option has been detailed for the EM90. The single, rear-mounted electric motor produces 200kW of power, which Volvo claims is good enough to sent the car from 0-100km/h in 8.3 seconds.
Volvo claims the EM90 has a range of up to 738km from its 116kWh battery pack according to lenient CLTC standards. The company also claims charging the battery from 10 to 80 per cent will take under 30 minutes.
The Zeekr 009 on the other hand is powered by a dual-motor all-wheel drive setup producing 400kW and 686Nm. It’s unclear if this powertrain will become available in the EM90 at some stage.
Following the arrival of the EX90, it’ll be Volvo’s 60 Series that will be the brand’s only line of vehicles without an electric option.
The current S60, V60, V60 Cross Country and XC60 are available globally with a mix of mild-hybrid petrol engines and a couple of plug-in hybrid options, but Volvo is yet to reveal or detail a new EV model for any of these nameplates.
Given the XC60 is the brand’s top seller globally, it would be logical to assume that the next all-electric reveal from Volvo will be a new version badged EX60 – much like the EX90 is to the existing XC90.
However, Volvo hasn’t released any teasers or confirmation of such a model yet. Mr Connor’s timeline of sometime in 2025 still works though, as the vehicle could be revealed in the second half of this year and be in market Down Under within 12 months after that – especially if it’s sourced from China like the EX30, XC40 and XC60.
Another possibility is a next-generation flagship sedan, which according to a recent report will be a successor to the existing S90 and be called ES90.
Teknikens Värld reported in December that Volvo built the first example of the new car, referred to internally as the V551, at its plant south of Shanghai.
The publication also posted an image from the factory floor of a sign that reads “Top Secret”, and near another that reads “Volvo Cars V551 First VP Car Celebration”. ‘VP’ is another term for verification car, intended for evaluation before full production commences – this is expected to begin in 2024.
It’s understood that like the current S90 and XC90, the ES90 will be closely related to the upcoming EX90 under the skin, as well as the Polestar 3.
Volvo Car Australia axed the S90 back in 2019, with its V90 Cross Country sibling following it out the door in 2021. Should it come to Australia, the ES90 (or whatever it’s called), would compete with the likes of the BMW i5 and Mercedes-Benz EQE.
Mr Connor has also confirmed that Volvo Car Australia will bring the more adventurous EX30 Cross Country, likely in 2025, though this isn’t expected to be the other new EV that Mr Connor has confirmed for a 2025 launch.
The EX30 Cross Country will bring a more SUV-like aesthetic for the city-sized electric crossover.
Key highlights of the near-production concept revealed last year include raised ground clearance, and 19-inch black alloy wheels with the option of smaller 18-inch alloy wheels “with bespoke tyres” – likely more rugged rubber.
Other distinguishing features include a front, rear and side skidplates; special black panel trims for the front bumper and tailgate; as well as Cross Country badging with a small bonnet-mounted Swedish flag as “the cherry on top”.
Volvo Car Australia posted a record sales year in 2023, with 11,128 units (up 3.9 per cent) registered for the calendar year.
The petrol and electric XC40 range was the star of the show, accounting for 5837 registrations (up 14.0 per cent). Second place went to the mid-sized XC60 with 2542 units (down 26.6 per cent).
The brand is down 30.8 per cent year to date as of 30 April, though the launch of the all-new EX30 is expected to provide a shot in the arm.
Mr Connor himself said the EX30 could account for 30 per cent of the brand’s overall volume in Australia, with 3900 units expected to be delivered to customers throughout the course of 2024.
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