After over two years of delay, the first Volvo EX90s are finally about to be delivered. However, once again, not everything will go as planned. The brand has informed its customers that certain features of the electric SUV will not be available at the time of delivery.
The Volvo EX90 is not quite ready yet
With the support of Geely, Volvo is undergoing a transformation. The Swedish manufacturer has phased out diesel and aims to become a 100% electric brand as quickly as possible. Volvo is expanding its range to achieve this goal. The small EX30 was introduced in late 2023, and soon it will be the turn of the EX90, the largest electric model ever produced by the Gothenburg-based firm, to be unveiled.
However, Volvo’s teams encountered some difficulties during the development of this SUV. Its launch was delayed by almost two years due to software-related issues. This did not concern the brand’s CEO, who even stated that the company would be able to “benefit from the situation in the long term.” According to him, the efforts made for the development of the EX90 will benefit future models.
Missing features for the initial deliveries
While Volvo’s large electric SUV is indeed ready for delivery, not all issues have been resolved. The automaker has informed its first customers that some functions of the model will be added later through an update. This is the latest setback for this vehicle, which is crucial for Volvo and inaugurates a new platform: the SPA2.
The manufacturer has provided a specific list of features that will not be available at the time of delivery. Among these are: LiDAR sensors that power autonomous driving technologies, two ADAS programs related to safety at intersections, voice control with Siri, and the ability to transfer excess energy from the vehicle to the home (V2H).
Jim Rowan, Volvo’s top executive, once again downplayed the situation when questioned on July 18, 2024. For him, “the value of a software-defined vehicle is its ability to continuously update. I believe that customers investing in advanced technology products like the EX90 understand this perfectly and will reap the benefits over time.”
A situation reminiscent of the Volkswagen ID.3
He believes that this delay “will not change the success of the EX90” and that his teams “do not see any major difference in pre-orders.” Volvo is not the first automaker to face a situation like this. Other automakers have already dealt with software-related issues in the past. This was notably the case with Volkswagen during the launch of the ID.3 in 2020.
At the time, the brand also had to delay the release of its model due to software problems. Like Volvo, the German manufacturer started delivering its model without some key features. The first ID.3 vehicles were delivered in September 2020, and the issues were resolved by December of the same year. Hopefully, the same will be quick for the Swedish brand.
The same goes for the electric Porsche Macan or the Audi Q6 e-tron. Both models were significantly delayed due to the development of the PPE platform. According to McKinsey, this delay likely cost the company nearly 3 billion euros. To avoid damaging its reputation (and finances), Volvo would be wise to speed up and complete the development of the missing features as quickly as possible.