Volvo continues to hint at its upcoming high-tech electric sedan, the ES90, ahead of the electric vehicle’s official presentation next month. Today, the Swedish automaker provided new details about the ES90’s range and battery efficiency, calling it “a car that goes further and charges faster than any electric Volvo before it.”
This is largely due to the ES90’s new 800-volt architecture, which puts it on par with other fast-charging electric vehicles such as the Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Kia EV6. The new architecture is an upgrade from previous Volvo electric vehicles, such as the $80,000 EX90 SUV, which features a 400-volt system.
Volvo claims that the ES90 will be able to increase its range by 300 km (186 miles) in just 10 minutes when connected to a 350 kW fast charging station (depending on the outside temperature). Moreover, it will be able to travel up to 700 km (435 miles) when subjected to a more rigorous WLTP test cycle.
Automakers are increasingly leaning toward higher-voltage systems in hopes of attracting more customers who are put off by slow charging speeds and the prospect of being stuck at a public charging station for 40 minutes or more. Stellantis, the parent company of Jeep and Ram, recently announced a new 800-volt flexible architecture for some of its future electric vehicles.
Volvo said it needed to upgrade a number of components to support the higher voltage system, including batteries, motors, inverters, and thermal components. The new motors are lighter and more efficient, and the entire system now generates less heat, meaning the battery can be charged faster without overloading the electrical system.
Volvo also plans to introduce new in-house developed battery management software for the ES90, provided by Breathe Battery Technologies, which also received investment from Volvo’s corporate venture capital arm. The new software will reduce the time required to charge from 10 to 80% by as much as 30%, to 20 minutes.
The ES90 will also feature many recycled materials, including 29% aluminum, 16% polymers, and 18% steel. The wood panels inside the ES90 are made from FSC-certified wood, according to Volvo. The automaker is also introducing a new blockchain-based battery “passport” to track raw materials such as lithium, cobalt, nickel, and graphite used in the battery.
