Volvo Cars South Africa has launched the new ES90 electric luxury sedan, which is claimed to have a 755km range on a single charge.
Available in three variants priced from R1.6m, the rear-wheel-drive fastback expands the Swedish brand’s line-up of battery-powered cars as it transitions to an all-electric future.
A rival to the Mercedes-Benz EQE and BMW i5, the Volvo ES features an advanced 800-volt electrical system and 92 kWh battery for significantly faster charging and enhanced efficiency.
Volvo has plans to introduce additional powertrain options in the future, but for now all ES90 variants are powered by a rear-mounted electric motor driving the rear wheels. Producing outputs of 245kW of power and 480Nm of torque, the car is good for a claimed 0-100 km/h in 6.6 seconds and a top speed limited to 180km/h.
Available with adaptive air suspension (standard on the Ultra trim level), the ES90 can adjust ride height and damping to match changing conditions. With the height-adjustable air suspension, the ES90 has a generous ground clearance that varies between 178mm and 203mm.
The boot has no spare wheel and offers a generous 446l of space, which expands to 1,427l with the backrests folded. An additional 27l trunk provides extra cargo space.
The entry model is the ES90 Core, which comes standard with four-zone climate control, a panoramic roof, Nordico upholstery, power-adjustable and heated front seats, a head-up display, Park Assist Pilot and a power-operated tailgate. A comprehensive suite of driver assistance and safety systems also comes standard.
Infotainment is powered by Google, featuring a 14.5-inch central touchscreen with wireless smartphone mirroring.
The ES90 Plus adds further features, including an air-purification system, expanded upholstery and decor options, front-seat cushion extensions and high-level interior illumination.
The flagship ES90 Ultra adds tinted windows, an electrochromic panoramic roof, massaging front seats, HD headlamps and a 360-degree parking camera. Rear passengers have electrically reclining seats and a luxury armrest.
Safety specification is generous across the range, with all models equipped with adaptive cruise control, blind spot information with cross-traffic alert, lane-keeping aid and road sign information. The higher models add pilot-assist steering support and upgraded park-assist functionality.
I drove the range-topping ES90 Ultra at a launch hosted by Volvo in KwaZulu-Natal last week on a mixture of smooth freeways and country roads.
The cabin is styled with Volvo’s typical Swedish minimalism and digitised controls dominate — even adjusting the side mirrors and opening the glovebox require a distracting foray into the infotainment system. A crystal volume adjuster is a nice touch, however, and adds some practicality with styling flair.
Under that eye-catching, coupe-like roof is a cabin that is luxurious and large, with stretch-out space for four to five adults. The fastback shape’s one drawback is that the small rear windscreen restricts the driver’s rearward vision.
The ES90 has a similarly elevated driving position to an SUV, and the air suspension delivers an impressively comfortable ride even on rippled roads. The big sedan takes corners with a satisfying agility that belies its size and weight too.
The ES90 has the typically stepless and eager performance of high-powered EVs, delivered in near-total silence. The big car springs swiftly off the line and cruises the open road effortlessly, with brisk overtaking requiring just a quick prod of the throttle.
The refinement and brisk performance are matched by a range that is realistically capable of covering a Joburg-to-Durban drive on a single charge. That makes the ES90 a more practical family car than earlier EVs, which had limited ranges.
Apart from its impressive range, the ES90 can be juiced up to a 300km range in only 10 minutes on a 350kW public charger. It can be charged from 10%-80% in as little as 25 minutes.
The price includes a home wallbox, two years of free public charging and 10GB of Vodacom data per month for three years.
Prices:
Volvo ES90 Core — R1,590,000
Volvo ES90 Plus — R1,655,000
Volvo ES90 Ultra — R1,795,000
Prices include a five-year/100,000km maintenance and warranty plan, an eight-year battery warranty, and five years of unlimited roadside assistance.
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