Volvo has announced its EX90 electric flagship SUV will be delayed. The company made the announcement on Thursday, stating the upcoming EV “is a very exciting and important car for Volvo Cars, representing the start of a new era for the company and introduces a new generation of technology – hardware and software.”
As for why the EX90 has been delayed? It’s because Volvo says it needs more time to develop software and test it. This has adjusted the production start timing, now moved to the first half of 2024.
The announcement comes one day after Volvo hyped up the Bowers & Wilkins sound system coming to the EX90. The EV’s premium, 3D surround sound experience will include a whopping 25 speakers placed throughout the vehicle. The system was designed in collaboration with audio engineers from Bowers & Wilkins from the very beginning of the car’s conceptualization.
“Bowers & Wilkins was an obvious choice as the partner for our premium audio system. The acclaimed approach of Bowers & Wilkins to sound perfectly aligns with our design ethos. We are proud to deliver this premium audio experience to our customers with the help of some of the most respected names in audio,” said Jorge Furuya, head of car UX at Volvo Cars.
The 1610W system features optimized speaker placements and studio-derived loudspeaker technology, delivering music to listeners exactly as the artist intended, a principle Bowers & Wilkins refers to as ‘True Sound.’ The system is further enhanced by the inclusion of Dolby Atmos, a technology that provides a more immersive sound experience through the intentional placement of individual sounds within a three-dimensional space.
The car’s audio system offers several surround sound listening modes for listeners to tailor the sound to their personal preferences. These include Studio mode, Individual Stage setting, and Concert Hall mode, which replicates the acoustic ambiance of Gothenburg’s Concert Hall. Sounds pretty exciting.
The speaker placements, integrated in the dashboard, doors, headlining, rear-wheel housing, and front-row seat headrests, reflect Volvo’s minimalist Scandinavian design language. Speaker grilles feature double-etched and brushed stainless steel housed in backlit wood panelling, ensuring optimal sound quality without compromising the car’s premium design.
“As we approach a decade of close collaboration with Volvo Cars, we are excited to introduce the premium audio system in the Volvo EX90. This is the most advanced in-car entertainment system we have developed together, delivering an incredibly realistic and immersive listening experience,” said Dan Shepherd, Vice President Licensing Partnerships at Bowers & Wilkins.
Volvo is owned by parent company Geely, based in China. Again, we’re hearing about the production delay of a new EV. Automakers—aside from Tesla—have struggled to ramp up production of their EVs.
