Volvo ES90 On Sale Just as the Tesla Model S Bows Out

As the sun has finally set on the Tesla Model S, a car that sadly has not been on sale in the U.K. since 2020, Volvo is plugging the gap for the large, premium, electric saloon car sector, albeit it’s a hatchback and not a Saloon … just like the Tesla Model S.

The ES90 opened it’s order books late last year, but deliveries have now begun, so what is the ES90 about, and is it a suitable replacement for the Tesla Model S?

There are many similarities with the Model S, and some may say that it comes with better features, too.

First off, Volvo wishes to express how sustainable the car is and they have published a 3rd Party Life Cycle Assessment Report on the very subject. with some impressive stats. The report claims “The total carbon footprint of the ES90 is 31 tonnes when using a European energy mix to charge it. With a European energy mix, the ES90’s footprint is approximately 50 per cent lower than the Volvo S90 mild hybrid variant, and 30 per cent lower than a plug-in hybrid S90. It is also lower than the EX40 and EC40”.

This is an extraordinary claim as its one of their largest EVs that has better sustainability credentials than it’s smaller internal combustion, hybrid and electric cars.

Aside from sustainability, Volvo has thrown everything at the ES90 and it’s their first car to be equipped with new 800-volt architecture that can add 190 miles of charge in just 10 minutes.
And a 10% to 80% rapid charge takes just 20 minutes at a 350 KW ultra-rapid charger.

But Volvo hasn’t stopped there as the ES90 also has bi-directional charging capabilities and it is prepped for Plug and Charge functionality (in available markets) providing a similar experience to Tesla’s using the Supercharger network.

At 5 meters in length, the ES90 has a drag coefficient of 0.25, which makes for a slippery car and helps extend the range to 426 miles (WLTP) for the more leggy Twin Motor version with a 103 kWh usable battery pack.
The Single Motor version gets a 90 kWh usable battery pack and will drive for 411 miles on a single charge according to the WLTP test cycle, but there is also a Performance version, too, that also claims 426 miles of range. Power without sacrificing range is quite rare.

Both non-performance variants are built for wafting, with the Single Motor ES90 gracefully reaching 62 mph in 6.6 seconds and the Twin Motor adopting a more brisk pace taking 5.4 seconds to 62 mph.

But if its speed that you need, then the Performance option may be worth considering. With a colossal 680 bhp and 870 Nm of torque, this 5 meter long land barge suddenly becomes a rocket thrusting you to 62 mph in just 4 seconds.

However, Volvo wouldn’t be Volvo without focusing on supreme ride and comfort as a priority. With dual-chamber air suspension and an active chassis, plus seats that will coset and support in the most supremely comfortable way, Volvo has focused on insulating the car from outside noise so that the ES90 will glide along in absolute serenity. That’s quite posh!

It’s also great for heyfever sufferers and asthmatics as the ES90 is equipped with air purification technology and has been certified as allergy and asthma friendly by Allergy Standards Limited.

Volvo states that the ES90 is their second software-defined car using Volvo’s Superset tech stack, following the EX90. This is a single set of hardware and software modules underpinning their cars that future proofs them with regular software updates, as we recently reported.
It’s something that Volvo won praise for by the The S&P Global Mobility group for leading legacy manufacturers into a software-defined era.

And utilising Volvo’s Superset tech stack, the ES90 comes with state-of-the-art occupant protection to keep all occupants safe should an accident happen. However, with five radars, seven cameras and twelve ultrasonic sensors, it is fully equipped to avoid collisions where possible.

With a 3.1 meter wheelbase, there is luxurious amounts of room inside for all occupants and the boot - which is a hatchback - has 425 litres of stowage with a further 22 litres in the frunk.

For the passengers luxuriating in that space, they can take advantage of the electrochromic panoramic roof filling the cabin with natural light and darkened at the touch of a button.

To compliment the serenity inside the car, the ES90 offers a high quality sound system with 25 high-fidelity speakers from Bowers & Wilkins delivering 1,610 watts supported with Dolby Atmos® for an immersive sound experience.

The Volvo ES90 starts from £67,560 for the base Single Motor Plus trim rising to £77,260 for the Ultra trim.
The twin motor version adds £4,200 to both trim levels whilst the Performance starts at £87,060.

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About the Author

Graeme Cobb is a lifelong car enthusiast with a passion for writing about cars, EVs, industry updates and more.

You can find Graeme on 𝕏 at @graeme_cobb or YouTube @REV-EV.