Road trips ahoy! Volvo says its upcoming ES90 will offer up to 435 miles of range

Volvo ES90 Teaser Images
(Image credit: Volvo)

  • The ES90's 800V architecture is more efficient and faster to charge
  • Mammoth 111kWh battery offers huge range
  • Recycled materials and battery passport will also feature

Volvo is poised to reveal its handsome all-electric saloon next week, claiming that this "supercomputer on wheels" will be the most powerful electric vehicle it has created concerning processing power.

But the Swedish marque continues to drop enticing tidbits as we speed towards the full reveal, including the fact that it can manage 700km of range on a single charge – that’s 435-miles for imperial unit fans.

This is thanks to an enormous 111kWh battery pack and 800V electrical architecture borrowed from the EX90 SUV, which is not only more efficient during operation but can also assist in charging at speeds of up to 350kW.

Volvo says that if you can find the appropriate fast-charger, you can add 300km (186 miles) in the time it takes to use the toilet and order a coffee – or 10 minutes, in other words.

When developing the ES90, Volvo introduced lighter e-motors and other components to reduce overall weight, as well as creating the latest in-house battery management software that provides a more “robust charging experience,” according to the Swedish brand.

Harnessing the brains behind Breathe Battery Technologies, a company Volvo invested in last year, the carmaker has been able to shave down the time it takes to charge the ES90’s batteries from 10 to 80% by as much as 30 per cent, down to just 20 minutes from the fastest chargers.

The ES90 also includes plenty of recycled materials to reduce its carbon footprint, including the fact that 29 per cent of all aluminum and 18 per cent of all steel used in the ES90 is recycled, while the ES90 also contains 16 per cent recycled polymers and bio-based materials.

Volvo's blockchain-based battery passport initiative will also feature in the latest model, allowing owners to track the exact raw materials used, where they came from and its overall CO2 footprint.

Volvo feels premium saloons still have a place

Volvo ES90 Teaser Images

(Image credit: Volvo)

Despite the SUV body style still making up the bulk of vehicle sales around the world, Volvo still feels there is a place for long and luxurious saloons, with the ES90 set to offer a massive amount of legroom in the rear for those who like to be ferried around.

Speaking to Autocar recently, Volvo boss Jim Rowan explained that its Chinese buyers still favour luxury cars with “really long leg room” in the rear, indicating that the ES90 is likely to boast plenty of space to stretch out.

On top of this, the latest Superset tech stack, which we reported on last week, will allow Volvo’s suite of sensors, which includes cameras, radar and Lidar, to offer the next generation of advanced safety functionality and increasing levels of autonomous driving – something that Chinese customers also rank high on their list of must-haves.

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Leon Poultney
EVs correspondent

Leon has been navigating a world where automotive and tech collide for almost 20 years, reporting on everything from in-car entertainment to robotised manufacturing plants. Currently, EVs are the focus of his attentions, but give it a few years and it will be electric vertical take-off and landing craft. Outside of work hours, he can be found tinkering with distinctly analogue motorcycles, because electric motors are no replacement for an old Honda inline four.

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