Volvo Car unveils flagship electric SUV in push to ditch engines

VOLVO Car showed off the EX90, a battery-powered sport utility vehicle to succeed its petrol-era flagship as the automaker pushes to go all-electric by the end of the decade.

The vehicle, featuring lidar sensors to better see its surroundings, has as much as 600 kilometres (373 miles) of range and succeeds the popular XC90 introduced eight years ago. Chief executive officer Jim Rowan is under pressure to deliver on the manufacturer’s ambitious electrification plan, with EVs making up just 15 per cent of total shipments in October.

Volvo Car is entering a crowded space as manufacturers jostle for a piece of the lucrative SUV market. Last month, Mercedes-Benz and Polestar Automotive Holding unveiled new battery SUVs to take on Tesla’s Model Y. Chinese manufacturers are also seeking to make inroads into Europe, with Nio planning to start sales in markets including Sweden.

The EX90 is the first model built on Volvo Car’s new dedicated electric vehicle platform. Making the car a success is crucial for reaching targets to sell 1.2 million vehicles annually by mid-decade, up from around 699,000 last year, and to cease making combustion autos by 2030.

Volvo Car plans to introduce several new battery models in the coming years, starting with a smaller SUV in 2023. The company will hold an investor day on Thursday (Nov 10). BLOOMBERG