Volvo will introduce the EX90 electric SUV on November 9. The automaker has been teasing the model over the last few weeks, previewing the technology and features coming with the car. With just over a week to go until the big reveal, Volvo teased today the exterior design and explained some of the thinking behind the styling.
The automaker put efficiency at the top of the list when designing the EX90, concentrating on reducing drag and cutting wind resistance. The seven-seat SUV will have a 0.29 drag coefficient, helping to maximize its driving range, which the company hasn’t detailed yet. Volvo achieves the low cd with a rounded front-end design and flush door handles, which are visible in the close-up teaser images.
Gallery: Volvo EX90 Exterior Teasers
Volvo also showed off the roof-integrated LiDAR system, which the company called a design challenge. It sits just above the windshield at the front of the roof. The automaker wanted to put the system as high as possible on the vehicle so it could see as much as possible, likening grille-mounted systems to having eyes at knee height.
The company says LiDAR will be a cornerstone of its safety systems as it works toward offering unsupervised autonomous driving capabilities. The LiDAR can detect pedestrians up to 250 meters (820 feet) away, and it’s just one part of the SUV’s greater technological abilities that Volvo says will understand the driver and its surroundings.
The EX90 will have 16 ultrasonic sensors, eight cameras, and five radars monitoring outside the vehicle. Inside, the company will train cameras and sensors not only on the driver but the passengers as well. The company will use radar to detect sleeping kids and pets left inside the SUV and alert drivers as needed.
Last week, Volvo teased the EX90’s interior, highlighting the dashboard and digital displays, and today’s tease paints a fuller picture of the SUV. Sustainability will also be a model feature, with the SUV containing nearly 110 pounds of recycled plastics and bio-based matter. We’ll get a complete look at it next week, and hopefully learn more about the powertrain setup.
