Volvo has had an undeniably momentous start to 2023, especially in the EV department. In the first three months of the year, Volvo sold 30,000 BEVs, representing a 157 per cent jump from Q1 2022, during which only 8 per cent of the brand’s sales could be attributed to EVs. Currently, an EV represents one in every five cars sold, and customers are so eager to get their hands on a Volvo EV, the automaker just had to close orders for the flagship EX90 SUV, which only debuted in November.
“I feel proud that the customer response to that car has surpassed our boldest and most ambitious ambitious internal projections,” shared Volvo CEO, Jim Rowan. “As a result, we have now had to close the order book for the time being because the model year is sold out.” Don’t worry, though, Rowan noted that Volvo EX90 sales will open again soon.
Orders will be filled from Volvo’s US production plant in Charleston, South Carolina, this year, with further production scheduled for its Chinese plant in Chengdu at a later date.
Of course, the highly anticipated EX90 isn’t the only Volvo EV in high demand. The automaker’s 157 per cent growth in EV sales reflects the success of the Volvo XC40 and the C40 Recharge. This year, the EC40 BEV surpassed 21,100 orders while the C40 reached 9,000 orders. As fans of the brand surely know, Volvo has established itself as a leader in the electrification movement, and plans to release (at least) one new EV each year until 2025. The automaker is also working towards a 100 per cent battery-powered roster by 2030.
Read more: The new Volvo EX90 is finally here!
Volvo is also preparing to launch a new, smaller SUV this year, which Rowan describes as a vehicle suited to “younger buyers with an entry-level price point”, while still offering “bold exterior design and digital experience. According to reports, this SUV will be built upon Geely’s premium SEA architecture — notably the same technology used for the upcoming Polestar 4.