The Fully Electric EX90 Is the Culmination of Decades of Volvo Cars Safety Innovations

Backed by more than 90 years of research and innovation, Volvo Cars and its new flagship SUV embodies the safety and technology for which the carmaker is famous.By Hearst AutosPublished: Oct 25, 2024Save Article

When it comes to vehicle safety, the contributions Volvo Cars has made to the science are renowned. The automaker developed what is now today’s three-point-safety-belt system in 1959; introduced the Side Impact Protection System (SIPS) in 1991, the Whiplash Protection System (WHIPS) in 1998; and the Blind Spot Information System (BLIS) in 2003. All the while Volvo Cars has been integrating these critical safety systems into increasingly sleek, modern packages.The all-electric Volvo EX90 SUV is no exception.

Perched at the top of the Volvo Cars lineup, the new EX90 is the largest in the automaker’s fleet of electric vehicles, which also includes the C40 Recharge, XC40 Recharge, and EX30. The 2025 EX90 delivers signature Scandinavian design elements, up-to-the-minute technology, and a fully electric powertrain alongside a never-wavering commitment to safety that suffuses every one of its vehicles. And as Volvo Cars steps further into the future, it’s the first of its vehicles to be powered by a core system with an in-car AI computer that will augment the responsiveness of key safety functionalities. In fact, Volvo Cars asserts that the EX90 is designed to be the safest vehicle it has ever produced.

Safe Space Technology

After close to a century of pioneering innovations, Volvo Cars and its philosophy on safety has extended beyond the vehicle itself. The automaker is devoted to not only protecting the driver and passengers inside its vehicles, but other road users, too.

The newest generation of Volvo cars are endowed with Safe Space Technology. This suite of safety features—such as automatic emergency braking, the aforementioned BLIS that monitors the sides and rear of the vehicle, and Pilot Assist, a lane-keeping aid to gently steer the vehicle back on course if it drifts over a lane marking—is all part of the brand’s commitment to strive towards zero collisions involving its cars.

But all of this is pretty standard stuff these days. What makes the EX90 exceptional is how its complex network of sensors and alerts helps to prevent crashes with other vehicles, as well as pedestrians, cyclists, and inanimate objects. As you might expect, the EX90 has the full complement of airbags. But what is unexpected is how Volvo Cars, over the last four decades, has maintained its commitment to developing crash-test dummies that represent humans of all sizes and genders pays off with optimized seat and airbag positioning inside its vehicles.

Together, these technologies aid in the car’s ability to help mitigate human error. The braking system inside the EX90 pre-charges the brakes if the car’s sensors notice that the driver may not be responding to alerts. The EX90 is ready to quickly steer around an obstacle if the driver’s reaction time is stymied due to fatigue or medical emergency.¹ Indeed, Volvo Cars is constantly evolving its driving technologies to not only help keep its customers safe, but also everyone else with whom its cars share the road.

Future-Proof Mobility

Volvo Cars offers the EX90 in two, twin-motor setups—a standard version that produces 402 horsepower and 568 pound-feet of torque for an estimated zero-to-60-mph time of 5.7 seconds, and a performance version that boosts horsepower to 510 and 671 pound-feet for an estimated zero to 60 time of 4.7 seconds.

Onboard, it’s equipped with an 111-kWh battery pack and can deliver up to 310 miles of range on a full charge.² In other words, there’s plenty of range for most weekly commutes, or a weekend road trip. The EX90 can charge from 10 percent to 80 percent in as little as 30 minutes at a 250kW DC fast charger.³

As with smartphones and laptop computers, Volvo Cars uses over-the-air (OTA) software updates to keep the EX90 current. Its engineers are vigilant about safety updates, rolling the revisions out to Volvo vehicles several times per year. OTA updates not only ensure that the EX90 is carrying the latest technology, they continue to improve the SUV over time without having to travel to a retailer.

Open Gallery

In addition to Volvo Cars and its in-car AI computer built on the NVIDIA DRIVE® platform, the automaker partnered with Snapdragon Cockpit Platforms and Epic Games’ Unreal Engine for crystal-clear graphics on the center touchscreen, driver information display, and head-up display. The vertically oriented 14.5-inch Center Display (HMI) includes in-dash navigation with Google built-in⁴ and keeps infotainment, temperature, and vehicle settings in the line of sight for the driver, creating an in-cabin experience that is seamless and familiar. Inside the EX90, Volvo Cars engineers worked diligently to ensure the controls are easy to use without looking away from the road ahead or behind. Volvo Cars and its aim of reducing at-the-wheel complexity required endless hours of research and testing to make sure every encounter with the EX90 feels intuitive.

Inside the cabin, the integrated air purifier is capable of removing up to 97 percent of airborne viruses and up to 99.9 percent of grass, tree and weed pollen allergens from incoming air, adding another dimension to the approach which Volvo Cars takes to improving the experience drivers and passengers have with its vehicles.⁵Volvo

Lasting Impressions

In Sweden, the word lagom refers to something that is not too much and not too little; it’s just right. And the phrase lagom är bäst is a proverb that means “the right amount is best,” which Volvo Cars takes to heart when designing its vehicles.

With ergonomically friendly seating for six or seven—depending on the configuration—the EX90 is the physical manifestation of lagom är bäst. Inside, the Volvo Cars designers created a comfortable and highly adjustable space to create the most spacious vehicle in the brand’s lineup. The long panoramic glass roof invites natural light into the cabin, channeling an open-air feel and is subtly tinted to minimize glare and UV radiation.

Volvo Cars offers the EX90 in two cabin trims: Plus and Ultra. Plus comes standard with a Bose Premium Sound system. Ultra is available with a Bowers & Wilkins High Fidelity audio system with built-in headrest speakers featuring Dolby Atmos surround sound compatibility.

The interior styling of the EX90 channels the calming aesthetic of the Scandinavian living room. With a selection of neutral colors and a light-colored headliner, the cabin feels more like cozying into a sculptural armchair than your typical black hole of a car cockpit. Natural fabrics and materials such as wool and recycled plastic bottles are present in the upholstery, and Nordico, a synthetic leather substitute, abound inside. Natural birchwood accents complement the upholstery selections.VolvoVolvo

When it comes to building its vehicles, Volvo Cars and its efforts to reduce environmental impact extend to the EX90’s exterior as well. The body is composed of approximately up to 15 percent recycled steel and up to 25 percent recycled aluminum. Available in eight colors—from a light-catching Crystal White to a sophisticated deep Mulberry red—each of the rich exterior hues accentuate the modern and minimalist lines of the SUV. From the front, a Volvo signature can be seen in the Thor’s-hammer-shaped LEDs flank a grille-less fascia, and complement the taillight animation at the rear.

Volvo Cars has made it its mission to make life easier, better and safer for everyone, and the new, fully electric EX90 is a monumental step in that direction. Every detail on the EX90 has been carefully considered to help drivers and passengers travel in confidence, comfort, safety, and style. Volvo Cars wouldn’t have it any other way.Volvo

¹Driver support functions are not a substitute for the driver’s attention and judgment. Brake intervention is only active at lower speeds. Driver remains responsible for safe driving at all times.

²Models equipped with 21-inch wheels have an EPA-certified electric driving range of up to 310 miles (MPGe: 86 city/ 82 highway/ 84 combined), while models equipped with 20-inch or 22-inch wheels feature an electric range of up to 300 miles (MPGe: 83 city/ 78 highway/ 81 combined) when the battery is fully charged and under ideal driving conditions. Use for comparison purposes only. Your range and MPGe will vary for many reasons, including but not limited to, driving conditions, how and where you drive, how you maintain your vehicle, battery-package/condition, and other factors. Visit fueleconomy.gov for further information.

³Typical time to charge from 10 to 80% with 250kW DC fast charging (CCS2). Charging times can vary and are dependent on factors such as outdoor temperature, battery temperature, charging equipment, battery condition and car condition.

⁴Google, Google Play and Google Maps are trademarks of Google LLC.

⁵Air in the cabin is cleaned by removing up to 95% of one of the most common hazardous materials, PM 2.5