Volvo EM90 Plug-In Hybrid Minivan Revealed in New Patent Images
Could this luxury minivan be the ‘hybrid’ model that Volvo intends to build in South Carolina?
Volvo
The Volvo EM90 is an all-electric luxury minivan that’s sold abroad.
Patent images submitted to the USPTO by Volvo appear to show a plug-in hybrid variant of the vehicle.
Volvo recently announced plans to build a new hybrid vehicle at its South Carolina plant.
American consumers need more minivan options, and if a recent patent submitted by Volvo to the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) is any indication, U.S. car buyers may soon have another family-friendly vehicle with sliding doors to consider. That’s because the vehicle featured in the images below does not appear to be a battery-electric Volvo EM90, but a plug-in hybrid variant of the automaker’s minivan it sells abroad.
What makes us write this? Well, it’s that little cutout at the right rear fender of these patent images. Unlike the production EM90, which includes a charge port door on the left rear fender, these illustrations show a van with doors on both rear fenders. We presume the right-fender-mounted one covers a fuel cap.
Is this EM90 plug-in hybrid (or will it be called HM90? XM90?) the “new hybrid” that Volvo intends to produce in its South Carolina plant by the end of the decade? As minivan fans, we certainly hope this is the case. That said, we wager it’s wise to lower our expectations, given the U.S. new-vehicle market tends to favor crossovers and SUVs over minivans.
Still, a minivan may be in the making. After all, Mercedes intends to bring a luxury-lined mid-size van to market in the U.S. next year, previewing the model in the form of the Vision V concept. Maybe Volvo wants to get in on this action too.
We reached out to Volvo for comment and have yet to hear back. Nonetheless, we will continue to hope Volvo makes our sliding-door dreams come true, even if we have a feeling that the Swedish brand is sure to let us down when it inevitably announces the “new hybrid” rolling down the line of its South Carolina plant is another crossover or SUV that just so happens to have a better shot at contributing to the bottom line.
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Greg S. Fink
Senior Editor
Despite their shared last name, Greg Fink is not related to Ed “Big Daddy” Roth’s infamous Rat Fink. Both Finks, however, are known for their love of cars, car culture, and—strangely—monogrammed one-piece bathing suits. Greg’s career in the media industry goes back more than a decade. His previous experience includes stints as an editor at publications such as U.S. News & World Report, The Huffington Post, Motor1.com, and MotorTrend.