Volvo’s ES90 Aims Big, with a Smaller Footprint

Volvo has introduced its newest all-electric model, the ES90, set to enter production this summer. This spacious electric sedan is being positioned as the brand’s most environmentally responsible vehicle to date, at least according to Volvo’s own life cycle assessment (LCA) report.

When charged from the European grid, the ES90’s lifetime carbon footprint amounts to 31 tonnes. Power it solely with wind energy, and that figure drops to 26 tonnes. That’s half the footprint of the S90 mild hybrid and a third less than the S90 plug-in hybrid. Even the smaller EX40 and EC40 leave a larger mark.

Volvo promises the ES90 will be built using climate-neutral energy. It’s based on a new 800-volt electric architecture that allows for faster charging while shaving off weight. The drag coefficient is 0.25—the most aerodynamic of any Volvo so far.

Roughly one-third of the aluminum used in the ES90 is recycled, along with a fifth of the steel and one-sixteenth of the plastics. Inside, the cabin features FSC-certified wood and Nordico upholstery made from PET bottles and bio-based materials. The ES90 will also debut Volvo’s first “battery passport,” a blockchain-based tool to trace raw material origins and track battery condition.

The first ES90 units will reach customers this summer, with sales already underway in several European countries including Spain, Germany, and Finland. Additional markets will follow gradually through 2026.