Volvo’s first people-mover teased, caught on camera with electric power – UPDATE

UPDATE, 25 August 2023: Swedish car maker Volvo has released a teaser image of its first people-mover, set to be known as the 2024 Volvo EM90.

Due to be unveiled on 12 November 2023 – when pre-orders in China will open – the EM90 will be closely related to the Zeekr 009, an electric people-mover from another brand in the Geely automotive group.

When asked if the EM90 will be sold in Australia, a Volvo Car Australia spokesperson told Drive: "The vehicle for now is planned for mainland China. Other markets are yet to be decided."

Our original story continues below.

10 July 2023: The first people-mover from Volvo – designed for the Chinese market with electric power – has been spied ahead of its launch due later this year.

As reported by Drive earlier this year, Volvo – owned by Chinese car giant Geely – is working on an electric people-mover for sale in China, where high-priced "MPVs" (multi-purpose vehicles) remain popular as chauffeur-driven luxury transport.

Now the new model – which is highly unlikely to be sold in Australia – has been photographed in a car park in China (via Car News China), ahead of first showroom arrivals due there at the end of 2023.

The images show the Volvo people-mover – the first of its kind, despite the company's 50-year history of building roomy station wagons and SUVs – will be a revised version of an electric people-mover from another Geely-owned company, the Zeekr 009.

The front and rear ends of the vehicle appear to be unique – with Volvo's 'Thor's Hammer' headlights visible through the camouflage, with 'pixel' patterns – but the body structure, windows and doors appear to be sourced from the Zeekr.

The people-mover – which remains unnamed – will be the first Volvo model introduced in decades that does not wear bodywork completely designed by Volvo.

As the Volvo people-mover may be sold exclusively in China, the Chinese-owned Swedish car maker looks to be leveraging the structure and body panels from another Geely brand to reduce development costs.

Inside, the seats look to be sourced from the Zeekr 009, rather than Volvo's own design. It's unclear if there will be any changes to its dashboard.

The Zeekr 009 relation means the Volvo people-mover will be underpinned by Geely's SEA electric-car platform – as used under the new Volvo EX30 city SUV – with two electric motors and batteries up to 140kWh, for power outputs of up to 400kW, and up to 800km of claimed driving range in Chinese lab testing.

The Volvo people-mover is due to be unveiled in the coming months ahead of deliveries in China by the end of this year, according to Car News China.

Australian showroom arrivals are yet to be confirmed, however luxury people-movers are a niche market locally – and the vehicle is unlikely to be sold here.