Why you have to wait six months longer for your Volvo EX90

It seems like it’s becoming more and more common for new cars to be delayed. A small selection of recent cases: the McLaren Artura, the Porsche Macan, the Tesla Cybertruck and now the Volvo EX90. Buyers now have to wait six months longer for the electric SUV.

The first examples of the Volvo EX90 would be delivered to customers this year, but that will be five to six months later. The reason given by the brand is the problems with the LiDAR system and the complexity of the associated software.

Volvo EX90 and Polestar 3 are related

It is the first time that Volvo uses LiDAR in a car. Such a system works in a similar way to radar, but uses a laser instead of radio waves. It is used for semi-autonomous driving assistants.

According to Volvo, there are problems with the integration of the LiDAR into the new SPA2 architecture of the EX90, which is also used in the new Polestar 3. LiDAR is standard on Volvo and optional on Polestar.

The EX90 uses a combination of cameras, radar, ultrasonic sensors and LiDAR to monitor the road ahead. Several manufacturers have stated that self-driving cars are not possible without LiDAR. Although Tesla, for example, thinks differently.

The first cars will now be delivered in early 2024

Volvo builds the EX90 in the US state of South Carolina. Production was originally supposed to start at the end of 2023, but that will not happen. The first customers will now receive their car in the first quarter of 2024.

Two EX90 versions: with 408 or 517 hp

The EX90 is currently available in two versions: 408 hp or 517 hp. The latter sprints to 100 km/h in 4.9 seconds and has a limited top speed of 180 km/h (Volvo limits all its models to this speed).

There is a 107 kWh battery in the floor of the Volvo EX90, which should be sufficient for a range of up to 600 kilometers. The large seven-seater SUV is of course not a lightweight. It weighs about 2800 kilograms.