The EX90 will arrive as Volvo’s first EV with bi-directional charging and the ability to power your home
Volvo Cars continues to offer fresh tidbits pertaining to its upcoming all-electric flagship SUV – the EX90. Ahead of its full debut in November, we have now learned that the latest EV will the first Volvo to include bi-directional charging, arriving with the technology to power your home, devices, and eventually send surplus energy back to the electrical grid.
Volvo Cars currently offers several electrified models, including the XC40 Recharge and most recently, the C40 Recharge. That being said, Volvo has only delivered a plug-in hybrid version of its XC90 SUV, its most flagship vehicle in the fleet.
For over a year, Volvo has been promising an all-electric version of the XC90, alongside news that it would come standard with LiDAR sensors. In September, we learned that instead of making the XC90 SUV all-electric as a “Recharge” model, Volvo has instead announced a successor called the EX90.
So far, we’ve learned that the EX90 will in fact come standard with LiDAR technology, offering an “invisible shield of safety” to its driver and their passengers. According to CEO Jim Rowan, the safety will “beyond any Volvo that came before it.”
Following a similar trend, we now know that the upcoming EV will be the first Volvo to feature bi-directional charging capabilities, opening up a whole new chapter of possibilities for sustainable energy use.
Volvo’s EX90 EV is bi-directional capable, but may take time
The automaker shared the latest news surrounding its upcoming EV model in a press release today, sharing some of its capabilities, while mostly focusing on its future potential rather than what it will be able to achieve when deliveries begin. Per the release:
We believe that with bi-directional charging, electric cars can have the potential to contribute to an easing of this strain while plugged in – together with many other electric cars forming a virtual power plant. It can also help power your own home energy needs and, when unplugged, become a battery on wheels powering your life on the go – for your cookout, power tools or music system.
With bi-directional charging capabilities, the Volvo EV will be able to send energy both ways, whether it’s to a mini fridge at a tailgate, an e-bike out in the mountains, or your home while safely parked in the garage.
What’s key here is that Volvo is describing the EX90 EV as “hardware-ready” for bi-directional charging. As you’ll see in the video below, Volvo sees the EX90, and assumedly its EVs that will follow, as part of a holistic energy management system that includes charging, wall boxes, the cloud, and the Volvo app.
From the get-go, the EX90 should be able to power outside devices as a vehicle-to-load (V2L) energy storage system. However, other capabilities like powering your home and selling energy back to the grid will take time to be to roll out, will require additional equipment, and may only be available to customers in certain areas.
So far, a lot of the charging prospects outlined by Volvo and its upcoming EV are scenarios left to the imagination, but the point the automaker is driving home is that if and when these scenarios do become reality, the EX90 will already be equipped with the technology to assist.
One thing you may have noticed from the images above is the lack of a Volvo EV seen charging. That’s because the automaker has not officially unveiled the EX90 yet, which will happen on November 9, when we are sure to learn more about what this new SUV can do.
If we learn anything else before then, trust we will keep you in the know. For now, here’s that video from Volvo explaining the potential of its EVs charging bi-directional capabilities:
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Environment
Hyundai’s first EV sports sedan has arrived: The 650 hp IONIQ 6 N launches in Korea for $57,000
Hyundai officially launched the new IONIQ 6 N in its home market this week. The IONIQ 6 N, Hyundai’s first electric sports sedan, packs a monstrous 650 horsepower, yet Hyundai insists it’s not all about the performance.
Hyundai’s first EV sports sedan hits Korea: The IONIQ 6 N
After unveiling the IONIQ 6 N at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in July, Hyundai promised the electric sports car “redefines the EV driving experience” with new vehicle control software, fun features, and plenty of power.
The IONIQ 6 N is Hyundai’s first EV sports sedan and second electric vehicle to receive the “N” treatment. Hyundai’s first, the IONIQ 5 N, has been one of the most awarded high-performance electric SUVs since its debut in 2023.
With the addition of the new IONIQ 6, Hyundai said its N brand is “once again redefining the boundaries of high-performance electrification.”
Hyundai launched the IONIQ 6 N sports sedan in Korea on October 1, with prices starting at just 79.9 million won. That’s about $57,000 and doesn’t include government subsidies.
Drawing power from a dual-motor AWD powertrain, Hyundai’s EV sports sedan delivers up to 609 horsepower (448 kW) and 740 Nm of torque.
However, if you really want to feel the power, there’s an added N Grin Boost function that bumps the output to 650 horsepower (478 kW) and 770 Nm of torque, enabling a 0 to 62 mph (0 to 100 km/h) sprint in just 3.2 seconds.
The IONIQ 6 N features an 84 kWh battery, good for 291 miles (469 km) WLTP range, but Hyundai fine-tuned it to optimize efficiency, power output, and temperature control.
With a new electronically controlled suspension (ECS), front Hydro G bushings, and rear dual-layer type bushings, the EV sports car offers “precise body control.” Like the IONIQ 5 N, Hyundai has added performance features such as N e-Shift, which simulates the sensation of shifting gears, and the N Active Sound + system, which replicates the sounds of a gas-powered engine.
Although it packs a punch, Hyundai said the electric sports sedan is designed for both the track and as a daily driver.
“Hyundai Motor Company’s first high-performance sedan EV, the IONIQ 6 N, offers a comfortable ride during everyday driving and predictable performance,” a company official said.
At 4,935 mm long, 1,940 mm wide, and 1,495 mm tall, the IONIQ 6 N is about the size of the Porsche Taycan, but it’s about half the cost.
Following its home market, Hyundai will launch the IONIQ 6 N in Europe by the end of the year and in the US in early 2026. We will learn prices closer to launch, but given the IONIQ 5 N starts at $66,200, it’s expected to arrive at a slightly lower price.
Hyundai announced the 2026 IONIQ 5 will start at under $35,000 in the US after cutting prices across all trims. It also plans to continue offering the $7,500 federal tax credit on 2025 models. The IONIQ 6 could be next in line.
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The $7,500 tax credit may be gone, but that isn’t stopping BMW. The Ultimate Deal Machine is rolling into the Brave New World of EVs this October with a $7,500 purchase credit off MSRP across the board (and that’s just the beginning).
The sitting administration killed off the $7,500 Federal EV tax credit abruptly after September 30th, leading many casual industry watchers to proclaim that the age of the great EV deal was over. And, while many argued that view was too cynical, it turns out it wasn’t too cynical enough with OEMs like Ford and GM turning to tricky accounting and others like Hyundai simply cutting prices to keep demand for its EVs high.
German performance brand BMW is also getting in the mix, offering a “$7,500 purchase credit off MSRP” across its electric and electrified vehicle lineup. And, while it may sound like a 1:1 sort of replacement for the Federal tax credit, there’s a few significant reasons to believe that this deal might actually be better than the one that went away.
Everyone gets the money
The EV tax credit was (advertised as) a great tool to help people overcome the higher up-front cost of EVs, but vehicles with starting price tags over $80,000 and income caps at $150,000 for individual filers meant that many Americans who were interested in a new EV were never benefitting to begin with. At the same time, Americans who didn’t have a $7,500 tax burden may have wondered how or if the tax credit would work for them.
While BMW’s latest $7,500 across-the-board discounts likely won’t move the needle much for Americans who don’t earn enough to pay $7,500 in taxes, the fact that it applies to even the lofty 2025 BMW i7 M70 with its $169,675.30 MSRP (don’t forget those thirty cents) is, at least conceptually, a move towards a more universally applied EV incentive to counter the “forgotten costs” of oil subsidies.
It’s a really nice car, you guys
If that take isn’t quite cynical enough, consider this: the rebate probably convinced more OEMs to artificially jack up the prices of their US-bound EVs by $7,500 (give or take) than it did to reduce any supposed barriers to entry.
Time will tell if that proves to be the unexpected consequence of EVs incentives going away or not. In the meantime, BMW is pairing its lower-priced electric cars with 2.99% subsidized financing rates for up to 60 months and up to $5,000 in loyalty money as well, so if you’ve been waiting to see for yourself why the company has occupied the top spot in J.D. Power’s EV satisfaction surveys for the last few years, now might be your chance.
SOURCE | IMAGES: BMW.
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Urban Arrow, a Dutch brand best known for its front-loading cargo box bikes (or bakfiets), has just expanded into new territory with the launch of the Urban Arrow Breeze, the company’s first-ever longtail electric cargo bike. In addition to bringing a new form factor to the brand, it also offers a more affordable price.
Long recognized for their high-quality electric family and commercial cargo bikes that feature massive front boxes, Urban Arrow is now jumping into the more compact and versatile longtail category, putting them head-to-head with several of the biggest longtail cargo bike competitors. And true to form, they’re not cutting corners, just complications.
Longtail cargo bikes are generally more streamlined to produce due to simpler steering and more conventional frames, allowing the Breeze to look and feel more like a typical urban bike, while still offering plenty of cargo goodness.
The Breeze is designed to carry serious loads without taking up as much space. With a wheelbase comparable to a standard city bike, the Breeze can still handle up to two child seats on the rear rack while keeping a nimble footprint. Total carrying capacity tops out at 200 kg (440 lb), and the rear rack is fully MIK-compatible, allowing for fast, tool-free swaps of baskets, bags, and child seats. Both the front and rear racks are included with the bike.
Powering the Breeze is the Bosch Cargo Line motor, a popular choice among heavy-hauling e-bikes thanks to its torque-rich, low-speed performance. Riders can choose from 400 Wh up to 800 Wh of battery capacity via the online configurator. The front end features a beefy Suntour Mobie 34 suspension fork, and the bike rolls on 26” wheels with wide tires for extra comfort and stability.
Priced at €5,499 in Europe, the Breeze undercuts Urban Arrow’s other pricier models, yet still offers family vehicle performance. The model also comes standard with a double kickstand for easy loading, and Urban Arrow is offering a wide range of accessories at launch, including everything from panniers and cushions to protective side rails.
Available now in black or green, the Urban Arrow Breeze marks a significant step for a brand that helped define the modern e-cargo bike, and now looks ready to expand its offering by showing what an Urban Arrow longtail can do.
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