Volvo is looking to its flagship EX90 electric SUV to strengthen its premium appeal in India, building on its safety heritage and Scandinavian identity as it prepares for the long-term growth of luxury car ownership.
Having introduced the smaller EX30 earlier this year to attract buyers entering the luxury segment, the Swedish carmaker is now broadening its offering at the upper end with the EX90 and upcoming ES90.
Jyoti Malhotra, Managing Director of Volvo Car India, sees the EX90 as a “brand shaper” that will help customers understand the company’s latest technology and premium offering.
“This will be a great brand shaper for us,” Malhotra said. “It will create the right image for us.”
Volvo describes the EX90 as its “safest Volvo ever”. Its sensors, radar and software capabilities, alongside a six-seat layout and claimed WLTP range of 625 km, bring together safety, passenger comfort and electric mobility. It is also the first software-defined vehicle Volvo is bringing to India.
The larger SUV addresses the importance luxury buyers attach to space and convenience.
“They want their personal space, they want it to be of a certain configuration,” Malhotra said.
EX90 deliveries will begin in January 2027. The ES90 will be Volvo’s next India introduction, extending the 90-family offering beyond SUVs. Its launch timing will be announced later.
In a luxury market led by German brands, Volvo is taking a long-term approach to building its presence through products, customer experience and desirability.
Malhotra said sales and market share remained important over time, with the current work aimed at establishing the foundations for that growth.
“We are running a marathon here, it’s not a sprint,” he said.
He identified three factors that would support a larger luxury car market: rising aspirations, higher incomes and a more supportive regulatory and tax framework.
The shift towards premium vehicles in the mass market reflects a growing desire among buyers to move up. As incomes rise and the affluent customer base expands, Malhotra sees greater scope for that aspiration to translate into luxury ownership.
He said understanding where purchasing power is growing, including at a district level, would help manufacturers identify future opportunities. A supportive tax framework could further improve accessibility and encourage purchases.
“If, as a country, we can match aspiration and incomes with the right regulatory framework, it will help the GDP,” he said.
The EX90’s arrival coincides with Volvo’s global centenary in 2027, providing an opportunity to introduce more Indian customers to its heritage and latest technology.
Electric vehicles already account for nearly one in four Volvo cars sold in India.
Malhotra believes the conditions for the market’s next phase are moving in the right direction. Volvo’s focus is to build its readiness as those opportunities develop.
“We are watching very carefully and laying the foundation so that when that inflection point comes, we are ready for it,” he said.