Volvo released a few interior teaser shots of the upcoming EM90 electric minivan ahead of its November 12 reveal, as well as some new information.
The Swedish-based, Chinese-owned automaker describes the soon-to-be-revealed MPV as “a Scandinavian living room on the move,” saying that it isn’t designed to create room for more things, but room for life.
Whatever the description, the fact of the matter is that the EM90’s interior is the biggest and most flexible that Volvo has ever offered, and features seating for six people on three rows. There’s no mention of any fancy feature for the front two seats, but the people sitting on the second row get massaging lounge chairs, individual ventilation and heating options, as well as built-in tables and cupholders.
Gallery: Volvo EM90 interior teaser images
Furthermore, the second-row seats get so-called zero-gravity cushions with a seven-layer structure and a thickness of over 4.7 inches (120 millimeters), plus controls for the infotainment system on the armrests and a touchscreen.
As for the rear-most seats, they can be easily accessed thanks to the sliding rear doors and long-sliding second row, Volvo says. But, again, no mention of fancy features like heating, ventilation, or massage.
This isn’t really a surprise, seeing how the EM90 is most probably based on the same platform as the Zeekr 009 MPV, a Chinese electric people mover made under Geely’s umbrella – the same company that owns Volvo. And if there’s one thing Chinese buyers love in their cars, it’s massive amounts of legroom and cool amenities for the rear passengers.
And wouldn’t you know it, the Volvo EM90, which is the Swedish carmaker’s first-ever minivan, will go on sale in China on November 12, with no word on whether it will be available in other markets.
Getting back to the interior of the MPV, it also has a panoramic sunroof that includes a curtain and multiple ambient lighting settings, which Volvo says provide a genuine Scandinavian mood. Other details, such as the Orrefors crystal used in the gear selector to back-lit birch wood deco panels on the dashboard, doors, and the back of the front row seats, are also inspired by Scandinavian design.
“Inside the EM90, we’ve brought together inspiration from Scandinavian and Asian sources that reflect the majestic natural beauty around us and will resonate with customers,” said Sophie Li, Volvo’s head of design at the Design Studio in Shanghai. “Whichever interior room you choose, you can be sure that you’ll travel inside a premium, stylish, and calming interior that reflects modern Volvo Cars design.”
While unconfirmed, the EM90 might get the same powertrain setup as the Zeekr 009, so a rear-mounted electric motor good for 268 horsepower and a CATL-supplied 144-kilowatt-hour battery pack that can offer up to 511 miles of range, according to the local China Light-Duty Vehicle Test Cycle (CLTC). The Zeekr is also available with a dual-motor, all-wheel drive setup that outputs 536 hp, as well as a smaller, 116-kWh battery pack.
We’ll know more about Volvo’s first minivan after it debuts next week. Until then, let us know what you think about its interior in the comments section below.
