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Chinese-owned Swedish brand will have an even split of two hybridised and fully electric products coming to South Africa between now and 2026.
ES90 has been approved for South Africa before the end of 2025. Image: Volvo
Volvo Car South Africa has revealed the remainder of its plans for 2025 with the roll-out of three new models over the next five months, plus a unexpected debutant in 2026.
Even propulsion split
“We are committed to offering South African motorists more choice as they make the transition to electric driving,” newly appointed Volvo Car South Africa Managing Director, Grant Locke, said in a statement.
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“These new vehicles, paired with our ongoing investment in our local operations and services, underline the fact that we are here to stay and grow.”
Part of the Chinese-owned Swedish brand’s reversal on going fully electric before 2030, a split in propulsion methods will be applied for the incoming models; two being hybridised and one being fully electric followed by a second EV next year.
Models planned
EX30 Cross Country
Debuting first, the all-electric EX30 Cross Country will make its market premiere next month as the first to wear the Cross Country nameplate since the end of V40 Cross Country production six years ago.
Set to become available in flagship Twin Motor Ultra guise only, the EX30 Cross Country will have the same 315kW/543Nm outputs as the regular EX30, but with a reduced range of 427 km.
XC60 and XC90
Next in-line for a ‘Spring’ reveal, i.e. between September and November, the revamped XC60 will make its debut as one of the two mentioned hybridised models.
Likely to join it at the same time is the refreshed XC90 that premiered at the end of last year as the first model to form part of Volvo’s decision not to go 100% electric before the end of the decade.
As in Europe, both will be offered with mild-hybrid or plug-in hybrid powertrains modelled around the stalwart 2.0-litre turbocharged Drive-E petrol engine.
In the case of the XC90, range positioning will below the electric-only EX90, while the XC60 will remain above the EX30 and the unchanged XC40.
ES90
The mentioned penned-in surprise for 2026, the all-electric ES90 will mark Volvo’s return to the sedan segment for the first time since the end of S90 sales some two years ago.
The spiritual replacement for the S40 and to some extent, the S60, the ES90 will become the second Volvo after the EX90 to have LiDAR in South Africa, along with a supposed range of 700 km.
Ruled-out
Surprisingly, the facelift S90 has not been given the go-ahead for South Africa, most likely as a result of pricing, possible overlapping with the XC90 and the lack of demand in the premium D-segment.
Another no-no is the China-only EM90 based on sister brand Zeekr’s 009, and the revived plug-in hybrid XC70 destined only for the People’s Republic.
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