New Volvo EX90 launch in Barossa Valley
This started as report into the brand new Volvo (which I learnt) is Latin for I Roll, their latest pure EV, the EX90, which just launched last week here in Australia.
You know the one, Doug Demuro’s car of the year 2024 and clearly a favourite with Marquees Brownly ! It’s got to be good right, but suddenly in last few days this story has taken on more layers than Nana’s sponge cake – Let me explain!
Here in Australia, at the beautiful Barossa Valley – I was not in attendance, but I know from experience it’s beautiful, and classy enough to host a launch like this.
Local reviews confirmed this is a beautiful, luxury EV – giant SUV, 111 kWh battery, about Audi Q8 in length, with a price to match – maybe not expensive, starting at AUD125k, but after all, this is, according to Marquees, a Luxury car!
Volvo has gone a bit upmarket, actually a lot – we expect quality from them, a particular Scandy style, but the result is, the latest EV’s have continued to get more expensive, outright, and particularly versus there direct Chinese competition.
And we know that while they publicly listed on the NYSE, they are majority owned by Geely – that giant Chinese Auto conglomerate, with a few other brands in Australia.
And sure they had committed to an all EV range, by 2030, something they have now withdrawn from but we can’t really hold that against them given the challenges of running an auto manufacturer in 2025.
The new Volvo ES90 - like a Polestar 2 on steroids
But wait a minute, wasn’t Volvo suppose to leave it to Polestar to be the EV specialist. Who does Thor’s hammer belong to?
Take a closer look at the new EV sale figures for 23/24 and you’ll find the XC40 Recharge and the C40 electric versions were well in the top 10 sales charts.
No fanfare, few ads, just strong brand loyalty. The new EX30 launch last year and now the EX90 continue their race with Polestar, amongst many other now here in Australia
But then over weekend one of our spies pointed out this new EV launch in Europe, on YouTube – the new Volvo ES90. Wow, Fastback style, about BMW 5 Series size, but with super high end, minimalist, scandi plus luxury interior and space inside, thanks to the EV underpinnings closer a full size luxury sedan.
But is it just me, does this look like a oversize, enhance Polestar 2 – let me know in the comments below if you agree!
A new CEO is the answer
But this was not the icing on the Volvo cake of news this week. On Monday, a day before April Fools, we found out that, despite a record number of sales for 2024 – a strong first half, but slowing second half, the Volvo Board had parted company with CEO of 3 years Jim Rowan and in a blast from the artic past, reappointed previous CEO Håkan Samuelsson for two years while a replacement if found.
Volvo Chairman, Eric Li had this to say.
“We are very pleased to welcome Håkan Samuelsson back as CEO,” said Eric Li, Chairperson of the Board. “Håkan led Volvo Cars through one of its most transformative and value-creating decades — revitalising the brand, expanding into new markets, and successfully executing its IPO. He brings a rare combination of industrial depth, strategic clarity, and proven leadership and Håkan has a broad knowledge of our group. As the industry enters an even more complex phase, we believe his experience and steady hand are exactly what is needed to strengthen Volvo Cars’ global position and unlock its next wave of potential.”
That is fascinating and I don’t think we are any clearer whether Volvo are on the right track or not, but one thing is for sure we can look forward to more changes like this as Chinese growth and ownership continues to rock the global auto industry.