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BIG Volvo SUVs don’t come around very often. We’ve only ever had two XC90s in 20 years and I’ve always been a big fan (and been lucky enough to run a couple of them), which makes the arrival of that car’s replacement – called EX90 – officially a big thing. But, for all the excitement I’ve felt in the lead up to the new car’s launch, I can’t help but feel a little disappointed by two big things: its price and its weight. The new EX90 weighs an astonishing 2,818kg – and that’s before it’s fully loaded with up to seven people. Has Volvo done absolutely all it can to keep the kilos off? Weight is the enemy of efficiency, and that is all the more important in an EV – which…

Yousuf_Ashraf@autovia.co.uk @ashrafoncars ● New flagship SUV revealed with up to 510bhp and 364-mile range ● Seating for seven, while prices start close to £100,000 in UK “The EX90 is the first Volvo to be built on a dedicated EV platform, and is the flagship of its next-generation range” VOLVO made headlines in 2017 when it became the first major car manufacturer to announce the end of internal combustion engines in its line-up, with a switch to a fully electric range by 2030. Now, the launch of the new EX90 SUV marks the most important milestone in that transition so far. The EX90 is the brand’s first model to be built on a dedicated EV platform, and it’s looking to land a heavyweight blow as the flagship of its next-generation range. In fact, with a version wearing a…

GLASGOW-born Rowan took over from Håkan Samuelsson earlier in 2022. Formerly CEO at Dyson, during the technology company’s brief flirtation with the automotive world, the Brit will now lead the Swedish brand into its new all-electric era. Q Will the Volvo line-up of tomorrow look similar to today, with saloons and estates alongside SUVs? A “I can’t go into specifics about what models we’ll be releasing, but we play across all the spectrums. We’ve already said that we’ll produce a smaller SUV, and then we’ll look at different formats, such as saloons and estates, when we get to that point.” Q Will all future models be based on the same SPA2 platform as the EX90? A “We have another platform which will take us to a much lower cost. But in terms of price,…

ANOTHER Brit high up the ladder at Volvo, Page joined the brand in 2013. He has also worked at Bugatti, Rolls-Royce and Bentley. Q The EX90 looks similar to the XC90 in its overall silhouette – what’s the reason for this? A “What we’ve done is kept the three rows the same, but then created space around the occupants. We created this silhouette, keeping the strong, clean language of Scandinavian design and then brought in elements of electrification.” Q The car’s lidar sensor is very prominent. Why? A “The engineers turned up with this big sensor, and we asked if we could mount it low rather than on the roof. But the thinking is that, like in the animal kingdom, the sensor needs to be mounted at the ‘top of the head’. It’s there…

VOLVO hasn’t forgotten about small cars in its electrification push, and a reminder of that was teased at the conclusion of the new EX90’s presentation. Next year Volvo will reveal an entry-level electric SUV, which looks set to take strong inspiration from the EX90, distilled into a much more compact footprint. It could use the EX30 or EX40 names – Volvo has applied for both of those trademarks – while it features the same rear light signature and stocky stance as the EX90, with an upright tailgate and short overhangs front and rear. The new model will use the Geely-developed SEA platform, which underpins the Smart #1. It will be similar in size to that car and is likely to use the same running gear, so a range of 273 miles from a…

Richard_Ingram@autovia.co.uk @rsp_ingram ● UK’s first EV from GWM ORA ● 193-mile range, room for five THIS is the GWM ORA Funky Cat. Yes, you read that correctly. An all-new Chinese car maker with an all-electric product portfolio is launching its first model in the UK, and it’s called the Funky Cat. Jokes aside, this odd-looking electric car has the potential to put the metaphorical funky cat among the pigeons. It costs from £31,995 (or £399 per month with an 11 per cent deposit) in First Edition spec, but it’s likely we’ll see cheaper models join the line-up later, as well as a bigger-battery version boosting range to more than 260 miles. Every Funky Cat for the time being comes with 64kW charging; that’s a little off the pace, although an 80 per cent charge should…