Trend Reversal in China Volvo EM90: Prefer Van Over Limousine

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When thinking of spacious Volvos, the boxy station wagons of the past come to mind first. But in China, the automaker is opening up entirely new spaces and building its first van.

The seats are more comfortable than at home in the living room, the ambiance is like a chic furniture store, more electronics than at Media Markt, and as much space as a hotel suite: Anyone stepping into the Volvo EM90 for the first time might think they are in an apartment, not a car.

No wonder, since the angular colossus of 5.21 meters (approx. 17.1 feet) is the first van from Gothenburg, with which the manufacturer, as the first European, responds to the trend towards luxurious 'space travel' in its new home of China. More and more often, the elite in Shanghai or Beijing are leaving old pompous limousines like an S-Class or an S90 aside and instead enjoying standing height and XXL legroom.

738 Kilometers/458 Miles Range

Of course, Volvo did not develop the EM90 on its own—nor of its own accord. The manufacturer teamed up under the umbrella of its Chinese parent company Geely and used its sister brand Zeekr's 009 as a base. It provides the skateboard platform with a 116 kWh battery, which—in the somewhat more lenient China cycle—offers an impressive range of 738 kilometers  (approx. 458 miles) and is also impressive at the charging station. With its 800-volt architecture, it allows charging capabilities of up to 360 kW, achieving the usual 10 to 80 percent charge in 28 minutes.

The drive is less ostentatious. On paper, the 272 hp of the rear motor seems modest given a weight of 2.8 tons. However, with the almost explosive torque development typical of electric motors, the 343 Newton meters are more than sufficient for a more dynamic driving experience than the occupants of a van might prefer—especially when they are lounging comfortably on their reclining seats. From zero to 100 in 8.3 seconds and a top speed of 180 km/h (approx. 112 mph) —these are two key figures that generally interest no one in a large sedan, particularly in the stop-and-go traffic of Shanghai.

Here, deceleration and relaxation are the order of the day, not excessive haste. After all, why have they programmed the air suspension to be cloud-soft and designed the steering so gently that one can steer the colossus through the cloverleaf interchanges of the urban highway with a single finger?

Warm and Homely Inside

The drive, structure, and tuning of the EM90 are Chinese, but the ambiance is Swedish, as Swedish as can be. Light colors, a restrained design, and a noble simplicity that still feels warm and cozy. As soon as you climb through the large sliding door, you feel a bit like you're in the upscale corner of a Swedish furniture store—except you don't have to assemble it yourself.

Instead, the electronics take care of everything here. The sliding door hums open electronically, and you literally fall into a seat that is air-conditioned and massages your back. If you really want, you can pull a table out of the armrest like on a plane and turn travel time into work time.

Those who can afford it recline into the lying position and instead enjoy the onboard infotainment at ground level. Movies, streaming, or all the apps of the Chinese digital universe run on the screen that hums down from the ceiling at the push of a button.

The "push of a button" is more of a concept—most of the rear features are controlled via touch strips elegantly embedded in the doors, complete with illuminated symbols or small displays. VW could learn a thing or two from these sliders.

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Sufficient Storage Space

Sure, the luxury seat is only available in the second row, and in the back, you sit on a relatively humble bench. But with a wheelbase of 3.21 meters (approx. 10.5 feet), it is more comfortable than in most other Volvos in the second row, and even when fully seated, no one needs to limit their packing: 535 liters (approx. 141.3 gallons) of trunk space are always available, and for those who fold down or collapse everything, 2,376 liters (approx. 627.9 gallons) can be stored, allowing for the casual loading of a few Billy shelves. It’s no wonder that they only offer a meager 29 liters (approx. 7.7 gallons) in the frunk instead of maximizing that space.

Volvo currently has no plans to bring the EM90 to us—especially since the space cruiser already costs a whopping 100,000 euros (approx. 109.000 USD) in China and is by far the most expensive model in the fleet. But slowly, it seems that the European elite is also starting to take a liking to luxury limousines for reclining and standing. It's no coincidence that Lexus has brought the LM to the country, and it's not without reason that Mercedes has piqued curiosity about the next V-Class in Shanghai with a first-class lounge on wheels.

If the planners at Volvo are smart, they will preempt Mercedes with the EM90 and soon roll west. But either way: with time comes space—and the days of annoying tightness in the luxury league are numbered.