Upgraded 2026 Volvo EX90 gets new tech and faster charging
Volvo has announced a raft of upgrades for the 2026 EX90 which are set to bring technology promised from launch, as well as speeding up charging.
In a radical move, the Swedish car maker has also confirmed it will replace the core computer in existing 2025 cars in order to address problems with missing technology and problem-riddled systems.
When the EX90 went on sale in late 2024 Volvo had to admit that several of its much-touted high-tech systems would not be operational from launch. The 2026 upgrade aims to bring those features to market as well as roll them out to existing owners of the flagship seven-seat SUV.
A significant change to Volvo’s all-electric flagship SUV is swapping out the 400 volt architecture for an 800V system. This means that with a fast charger, 155 miles of range can be added in just 10 minutes.
While Volvo hasn’t announced the latest EX90’s peak charging output or 10-80% charging time, the 2025 topped out at 250kW and took 30 minutes to charge from 10-80%. The new electrical architecture has allowed the Swedish carmaker to shave some weight off the battery and motors thanks to new materials used in the powertrain.
Further changes to the ‘upgraded for 2026’ EX90 include the addition of stable Apple CarPlay functionality, curve speed assist, and automatic emergency steering, which will now work in the dark. These are all features Volvo promised at the launch of the 2025 car.
Volvo’s upgraded 2026 EX90 also gets several driver safety improvements, including safety alerts for slippery roads, hazards and accidents ahead. In the event of an emergency, e-call functionality automatically connect the car to an emergency call centre linked to Volvo Cars. The centre can then speak with the occupants and contact emergency services if needed.
Central to the roll-out of the extra systems is a new dual Nvidia Drive Orin central computer, which underpins all of the improved EX90’s features, and is capable of 500 trillion operations per second (TOPS). The new computer will allow Volvo – and other makers who use it – to deliver Level 2+ ADAS features and full automation in the future.
In a tacit admission that the previous central computer was not up to the task of delivering the promised features, Volvo has also offered owners of the 2025 EX90 a free upgrade to the new computer system.
Several reports have cited a number of problems affecting the last-gen EX90 including a keycard that seldom worked, infotainment glitches, error messages, and even the throttle sticking at 40mph when merging onto a motorway.
When it launched two years behind schedule in 2024 for the 2025 model year, the all-electric EX90 was Volvo’s first software defined vehicle and laid the path for a new, tech-focused future for the brand. Fully-electrified Volvos that have since followed are the ES90 saloon and the upcoming EX60.
