Review: Volvo EX90 is a smooth AWD 7-seat luxury kid-hauler
Volvo flew us to Newport Beach, California, to test its new EX90 7-seat AWD SUV. For many people, including my family, this is the holy grail of EVs. It is part electric luxury sports sedan, part four-wheel-drive off-roader and trailer hauler, and most importantly, part minivan.
How well do these come together? Let’s see…
Volvo EX90 appearance
The EX90 is unmistakenly a Volvo with the signature electric closed grill at the front and Thor’s hammer headlights. The rear is more subdued and could be mistaken for a traditional Volvo XC90 or similar. The vehicles they had us in were either sandstone tan or gray which felt stately but muted.
The front hump at the top of the windshield may seem like it is paying homage to London taxis or stealth police vehicles, but it is, in fact, the housing for Volvo’s very high-tech Lidar safety and eventually self-driving system.
There’s also a “Volvo for Life” tagline underneath, proudly displaying Volvo’s commitment to safety. Is it a little much? Perhaps.
Volvo, more than any other carmaker, is proud of its safety features and seems to want to show them off rather than hide them. See also: those yellow 3-point seat belts in other models, which the company invented and shared freely with the rest of the industry. They’ve saved countless lives, and Volvo expects its Lidar system to do the same.
I think the EX90 has the perfect stance between sedan and SUV, allowing for a good ride height for visibility and mild off-roading but not so far off the ground that handling and turns are too compromised.
High marks all around on outward appearance. But is the EX90 just good looks on the outside? Let’s look inward.
We got to sit in two different interiors, a synthetic leather and recycled cloth. Both exuded Volvo’s spartan luxury feel – not cluttered at all but also not Tesla minimalist either. The four main seats were more than comfortable in over three hours of driving and, my word, this vehicle is quiet and smooth. If you aren’t driving, prepare to nod off.
The third row is a little bit of a compromise and you can probably see why the Polestar 3, built on this same platform, only comes in a 5-seat configuration. Jamie at about 6′ tall found it to be quite uncomfortable unless moving the middle row seats up. This would be mostly for children or quick airport or school runs, not for seven adults on a road trip. We later got to see the 6-seat configuration with two middle row captain’s chairs (including armrests ahem Tesla Model X) which made the 3rd row significantly less cramped. I think the 6-seat option is where I’d go on this car.
Even with the 3rd row seats up you have two rows of grocery room in the back and there’s room under the false floor for more permanent items. It is a good thing too because the “frunk” is small and hard to get to (boo!). We’d like to see some smarter packaging up front to enable a deeper, more accessible frunk.
With the 3rd row down, you’ve got some massive storage space and still room for 5 people.
About that second-row middle seat, though: It sits higher, is firmer/less comfortable with a folded armrest in your back, and, to me, is another reason to go with the 6-seat configuration.
The EX90 center stack runs on Android for Automotive, which means you will get a very Google-centric experience. That, in my usage, is fantastic. Volvo, unlike some other automakers, decided to keep access to Apple’s wireless CarPlay open so that you can run iOS over Google’s OS. Many folks will just use the built-in Google Maps, which also shows up on the fantastic heads-up display. Google’s OS has many, if not all, of the apps you’d use on your iPhone, so it becomes a little bit redundant, but Volvo was adamant about giving their customers a choice here.
The 360 camera was solid all around but sometimes made for some interesting interpreted obstacles (see above). Overall, however, it was certainly helpful in navigating close and unfamiliar territory.
The Volvo EX90 Drive
The most unique aspect of the car was the drive performance, and it was certainly rewarding. With its electric motors and insulated interior, the drive was the quietest I can remember taking in recent years. Add to that the smooth, vibration-free feel of the road, comfy and vented seats, and the fantastic assisted handling, and it felt like a $100K+ Mercedes to drive. Torque vectoring brings incredible ease and confidence to curves. Great visibility is confidence-inspiring and inspiring, as is that Lidar-enhanced safety suite.
However, the performance of the motors was somewhat muted. Talking to engineers at the event, they admitted that they softened the acceleration on purpose here, though it isn’t certain if it was for drive quality, keeping parts from wear, or what. Jamie and I both railed on them, noting that their half-the-price EX30 is somehow over a second quicker to 60mph, and it is a better experience to have your foot deciding the speed, not some computer algorithms.
Still, 4.7 seconds 0-60 is respectable, and the Polestar 3, which is the same SPA platform drivetrain (slightly higher 517 hp), is only .2 seconds faster. I think Volvo could do better here but whenever I talk about speed, Volvo comes back with “safety” and I guess I get it.
Depending on what tire size you pick, the EX90 will get you somewhere north of 300 miles of range, which I think is the sweet spot for vehicles like this. Rivian’s R1S offers more range but at much bigger battery/higher price points. Tesla Model X offers more range on paper, but in reality, is often less than 300 miles. Kia’s EV9 is going to be similar.
Bidirectional Charging is a big hit
While this will go under the Lidar (lol) for some, Volvo really amped up the vehicle’s ability to power homes. Rather than the ~2kW many cars have, the Volvo can put out up to 20kW of power, meaning houses connected to the Volvo will even be able to be heated and cooled electrically. Here’s a quick demo of some use cases with a DCBEL system connected to the EX90:
Our fast charging experience was lackluster because we were on a busy Electrify America station but we still got a 185kW output with 30% state of charge. Volvo tells us that we can expect speeds up to and over 250kW at the right stations and it takes about 30 mins to take the battery from 10 to 80% or add about 210 miles.
Volvo EX90 wrap up
Volvo’s South Carolina-built EX90 is a big win in my book. Historically, the Rivian R1S and Tesla’s Model X have owned the third-row EV space. Recent newcomers like the Mercedes EQS SUV/BMW iX/Audi Q8 and, on the value end, the Kia EV9 have shaken up the market a bit. But I love the Volvo EX90 because it blends performance, style, luxury, and ride really well. Priced from $80-90K based on trim and before incentives, it is going to be a popular option in this growing space.
There’s no better test of a vehicle than the “Do I want one?” test. Often after reviewing a car, I’m happy to give it back. In this case the EX90 is something I’m following up on and therefore a big win. As a Rivian R1S owner, I often ask myself if I really need a 3-second 0-60, crazy offroading skills, or the last 100 miles of range, which I almost never use. I’d love captain’s chairs in the 2nd row (though I’d miss the fold flat). Most of all, I’d love the smoother, quieter ride and, most of all, the enhanced safety features that the EX90 offers. Like they say, it is all about safety.
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In a bold bid to combat the crippling air pollution crisis in its capital, Delhi, Indian lawmakers have begun high-level discussions about a plan to phase out gas and diesel combustion vehicles by 2035 – a move that could cause a seismic shift in the global EV space and provide a cleaner, greener future for India’s capital.
Long considered one of the world’s most polluted capital cities, Indian capital Delhi is taking drastic steps to cut back pollution with a gas and diesel engine ban coming soon – but they want results faster than that. As such, Delhi is starting with a city-wide ban on refueling vehicles more than 15 years old, and it went into effect earlier this week. (!)
“We are installing gadgets at petrol pumps which will identify vehicles older than 15 years, and no fuel will be provided to them,” said Delhi Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa … but they’re not stopping there. “Additionally, we will intensify scrutiny of heavy vehicles entering Delhi to ensure they meet prescribed environmental standards before being allowed entry.”
Making it prohibitively difficult for Dehli’s residents to own and operate older, presumably more polluting vehicles is one way to reduce harmful emissions and air pollution, but Sirsa’s team isn’t just targeting newer vehicles. They’re also planning to deploy more than 900 electric transit buses, part of a larger plan to replace 5,000 of the city’s 7,500 total bus with lower- or zero-emission options this year alone.
The Economic Times is reporting that discussions are underway to pass laws requiring that all future bus purchases will be required to be electric or “clean fuel” (read: CNG or hydrogen) by the end of this year, with a gas/diesel ban on “three-wheelers and light goods vehicles,” (commercial tuk-tuks and delivery mopeds) potentially coming 2026 to 2027 and a similar ban privately owned and operated cars and bikes coming “between 2030 and 2035.”
Electrek’s Take
After a Chinese government study linked air pollution caused by automotive exhausts and coal-fired power plants to more than 1.1 million deaths per year in 2013, the nation’s government took serious action, shuttering older coal plants and imposing strict emissions standards. The country also incentivized EV adoption through license-plate lotteries favoring electric cars and a nationwide EV mandate set to kick in by 2030.
The results were astounding, and the technological innovations that have come from an entire nation of talented engineers all “pulling in the same direction” have put the West to shame, with Western auto executives repeatedly sounding the alarm and lobbying for tariffs and other protectionist policies on both sides of the Atlantic.
To see India make move towards a gas and diesel ban like this, and on such an aggressive timeline, can only mean that they’ve been paying attention … and America is about to fall even further behind.
SOURCE: India Times; featured image by Sumita Roy Dutta.
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Last week, Parker Hannifin launched what they’re calling the industry’s first certified Mobile Electrification Technology Center to train mobile equipment technicians make the transition from conventional diesel engines to modern electric motors.
The electrification of mobile equipment is opening new doors for construction and engineering companies working in indoor, environmentally sensitive, or noise-regulated urban environments – but it also poses a new set of challenges that, while they mirror some of the challenges internal combustion faced a century ago, aren’t yet fully solved. These go beyond just getting energy to the equipment assets’ batteries, and include the integration of hydraulic implements, electronic controls, and the myriad of upfit accessories that have been developed over the last five decades to operate on 12V power.
At the same time, manufacturers and dealers have to ensure the safety of their technicians, which includes providing comprehensive training on the intricacies of high-voltage electric vehicle repair and maintenance – and that’s where Parker’s new mobile equipment training program comes in, helping to accelerate the shift to EVs.
“We are excited to partner with these outstanding distributors at a higher level. Their commitment to designing innovative mobile electrification systems aligns perfectly with our vision to empower machine manufacturers in reducing their environmental footprint while enhancing operational efficiency,” explains Mark Schoessler, VP of sales for Parker’s Motion Systems Group. “Their expertise in designing mobile electrification systems and their capability to deliver integrated solutions will help to maximize the impact of Parker’s expanding METC network.”
The manufacturing equipment experts at Nott Company were among the first to go through the Parker Hannifin training program, certifying their technicians on Parker’s electric motors, drives, coolers, controllers and control systems.
“We are proud to be recognized for our unwavering dedication to advancing mobile electrification technologies and delivering cutting-edge solutions,” says Nott CEO, Markus Rauchhaus. “This milestone would not have been possible without our incredible partners, customers and the team at Nott Company.”
In addition to Nott, two other North American distributors (Depatie Fluid Power in Portage, Michigan, and Hydradyne in Fort Worth, Texas) have completed the Parker certification.
Electrek’s Take
With the rise of electric equipment assets like Bobcat’s T7X compact track loader and E10e electric excavator that eliminate traditional hydraulics and rely on high-voltage battery systems, specialized electrical systems training is becoming increasingly important. Seasoned, steady hands with decades of diesel and hydraulic systems experience are obsolete, and they’ll need to learn new skills to stay relevant.
Certification programs like Parker’s are working to bridge that skills gap, equipping technicians with the skills to maximize performance while mitigating risks associated with high-voltage systems. Here’s hoping more of these start popping up sooner than later.
SOURCE | IMAGES: Parker Hannifin.
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Based on a Peterbilt 579 commercial semi truck, the ReVolt EREV hybrid electric semi truck promises 40% better fuel economy and more than twice the torque of a conventional, diesel-powered semi. The concept has promise – and now, it has customers.
Austin, Texas-based ReVolt Motors scored its first win with specialist carrier Page Trucking, who’s rolling the dice on five of the Peterbilt 579-based hybrid big rigs — with another order for 15 more of the modified Petes waiting in the wings if the initial five work out.
The deal will see ReVolt’s “dual-power system” put to the test in real-world conditions, pairing its e-axles’ battery-electric torque with up to 1,200 miles of diesel-extended range.
ReVolt Motors team
The ReVolt team starts off with a Peterbilt, then removes the transmission and drive axle, replacing them with a large genhead and batteries. As the big Pete’s diesel engine runs (that’s right, kids – the engine stays in place), it creates electrical energy that’s stored in the trucks’ batteries. Those electrons then flow to the truck’s 670 hp e-axles, putting down a massive, 3500 lb-ft of Earth-moving torque to the ground at 0 rpm.
The result is an electrically-driven semi truck that works like a big BMW i3 or other EREV, and packs enough battery capacity to operate as a ZEV (sorry, ZET) in ports and urban clean zones. And, more importantly, allows over-the-road drivers to hotel for up to 34 hours without idling the engine or requiring a grid connection.
That ability to “hotel” in the cab is incredibly important, especially as the national shortage of semi truck parking continues to worsen and the number of goods shipped across America’s roads continues to increase.
And, because the ReVolt trucks can hotel without the noise and emissions of diesel or the loss of range of pure electric, they can immediately “plug in” to existing long-haul routes without the need to wait for a commercial truck charging infrastructure to materialize.
“Drivers should not have to choose between losing their longtime routes because of changing regulatory environments or losing the truck in which they have already made significant investments,” explains Gus Gardner, ReVolt founder and CEO. “American truckers want their trucks to reflect their identity, and our retrofit technology allows them to continue driving the trucks they love while still making a living.”
If all of that sounds familiar, it’s probably because you’ve heard of Hyliion.
Hyliion electric semi truck
Before it changed its focus to develop Carnot-cycle generators and gensets, Austin-based Hyliion built a number of EREV Peterbilts using the then-new 15L Cummins diesel as a generator and employing the same sort of battery and e-axle-arrangement as ReVolt.
In addition to being located in the same town and employing the same idea in the same Peterbilt 579 tractor, ReVolt even employs some of the same key players as Hyliion: both the company’s CTO, Chandra Patil, and its Director of Engineering, Blake Witchie, previously worked at Hyliion’s truck works.
Still, Hyliion made their choice when they shut down their truck business. ReVolt seems to have picked up the ball – and their first customer is eager to run with it.
“Our industry is undergoing a major transition, and fleet owners need practical solutions that make financial sense while reducing our environmental impact,” said Dan Titus, CEO of Page Trucking. “ReVolt’s hybrid drivetrain lowers our fuel costs, providing our drivers with a powerful and efficient truck, all without the need for expensive charging infrastructure or worrying about state compliance mandates. The reduced emissions also enable our customers to reduce their Scope 2 emissions.”
Page Trucking has a fleet of approximately 500 trucks in service, serving the agriculture, hazardous materials, and bulk commodities industries throughout Texas. And, if ReVolt’s EREV semis live up to their promise, expect them to operate a lot more than 20 of ’em.
SOURCES | IMAGES: ReVolt; via Power Progress, TTNews.
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