During a recent media briefing, Volvo disclosed that it is developing its first electric minivan. The car is expected to go on sale this year in China, but it’s not clear if it will make it to the United States.
The first electric minivan from Volvo is coming soon:
During a slide presentation highlighting the company’s electric journey thus far, Qin Peiji, president of Volvo Cars Greater China, unveiled the new electric Volvo.
Six existing Volvo EVs, including the XC40 and C40, were displayed on the slide. The EX90 and three additional electric vehicles that will be available later this year were also on display at the presentation.
- EX90 Excellence
- A small SUV
- The MPV, or minivan
According to Car News China, the electric Volvo minivan (MPV) will be based on the Zeekr 009 (shown below), an all-electric MPV that starts at around $87,000 and has a range of more than 500 miles on a single charge, all-wheel drive, and 536 horsepower.
Since Geely owns both Zeekr and Volvo, using the EV as a starting point will help streamline production. Zeek will give the Volvo MPV a distinctive appearance even though it will use the SEA EV platform. The “semi-concept” version of the vehicle is expected to go on sale in the third quarter, while the production model will go on sale in China in the fourth quarter.
In the meantime, the small Volvo SUV will be based on the upcoming Zeekr 003, and the “ultra-luxurious” Volvo EX90 Excellence will be an EX90 SUV. Instead of the three-row, seven-seat Excellence, it will have large captain seats with two rows and four seats.
Lastly, if you’re a fan of minivans, don’t expect the electric minivan to be sold outside of China because Volvo hasn’t said whether it will be.