New Volvo ES90 locked in for South Africa

It’s official: the new Volvo ES90 is due to launch in South Africa in “early 2026”, combining a fully electric powertrain with a fastback body style…

Volvo Car South Africa has confirmed that the new ES90 fully electric fastback is scheduled to launch locally in “early 2026”.

Revealed in March 2025, the new ES90 is available exclusively in battery-powered guise, unlike the S90 sedan that exited the local market towards the middle of 2024. In fact, the Swedish brand’s fresh-faced fastback shares its SPA2 platform with the similarly box-fresh EX90.

Though it’s not yet clear which derivatives will be offered in Mzansi, the Single Motor (rear-wheel-drive) version of the ES90 available overseas generates 245 kW and 480 Nm, facilitating a claimed 0-100 kph time of 6.9 seconds and a WLTP range of 650 km from the 92 kWh (nominal) battery pack.

The Twin Motor variant, meanwhile, gains an extra electric motor on the front axle, resulting in all-wheel drive and boosting peak outputs to 330 kW and 670 Nm. This, in turn, translates to a claimed sprint to 3 figures in 5.5 seconds and a single-charge WLTP range of 700 km from a larger, 106 kWh (nominal) battery pack.

Finally, the Twin Motor Performance flagship derivative boasts maximum outputs of 500 kW and 870 Nm, along with a claimed 4.0-second 0-100 kph time. Volvo says this range-topper – which employs the same size battery pack as the standard Twin Motor – will likewise travel 700 km on a single charge.

The ES90 debuts Volvo’s 800-volt electric system, which the company claims allows for faster charging, “improved overall performance” and better efficiency compared to a 400-volt system. According to the Gothenburg-based automaker, plugging in the ES90 at a 350 kW fast-charging station for just 10 minutes will add 300 km of range.

Just how big is the ES90? Well, it measures precisely 5 000 mm from nose to tail, while its wheelbase comes in at 3 100 mm. Produced at parent company Geely’s Zhejiang factory in China, the electric fastback has a listed luggage capacity of 424 litres (expandable to 733 litres by dropping the rear seats). There’s also a 22-litre “frunk” that the brand says is ideal for storing charging cables.

Look out for more details on the new Volvo ES90 ahead of its scheduled launch in early 2026. Before then, however, Volvo Car SA says it plans to introduce the EX30 Cross Country (in Q3 2025) as well as the facelifted XC60 and refreshed XC90 (both at some point in Spring).