If you have not heard of the newest Volvo EV SUV yet, the automaker plans on you seeing it a lot in the near future. The 2024 Volvo EX90 will be the brand’s new flagship EV, and a lot is riding on its success already. However, Volvo is pretty confident that the EX90 could be a best-seller right off the production lines and might even be the best EV of 2024. What is the EX90’s secret weapon?

How much will the Volvo EX90 EV cost?

At this point, Volvo has declined to release the EX90 price, but Automotive News reports that the Volvo EV will start at less than $80,000. The primary issue at hand is the ever-changing federal tax credit. Volvo wants the EX90 to cost less to qualify for the full $7,500 federal EV tax credit.

It will now qualify for a partial credit under the Inflation Reduction Act. EVs assembled in North America with a battery made in the country are eligible for the higher amount. Still, Volvo Car USA CEO Anders Gustafsson did not yet confirm where the battery is coming from.

However, Gustafsson is not worried. The automaker and CEO think Volvo’s newest electric SUV will be a big seller in the States. In fact, Volvo anticipates the EX90 will be the brand’s best-seller by volume in its first year. “The EX90 is built for the U.S. market with a 100 percent focus on electrification. The volume on this car will be significant in year one for our [retail] partners.”

How far can the Volvo EX90 EV go?

Early estimates say the Volvo EV has an estimated range of up to 300 miles. It will get a 111 kWh battery with around 496 horsepower at first. That puts the top speed at about 112 mph and the zero to 60 mph time at 4.7 seconds or so. But Gustafsson clarified that the new EV would have no legacy technology.

Right off the production line, the EX90 will be available with a twin-motor, all-wheel drive setup. Labeling it a large premium crossover with a “shield of safety” to reduce accidents and keep all occupants safe. The automaker says these new safety technology and systems should decrease injuries or death by up to 20%. Eight cameras, five radars, lidar, and more are all connected to keep passengers safe.

Volvo cars and SUVs have always been known for safety, and this new lidar tech will roll out in other vehicles soon as possible. Using laser light pulses to render images of what is happening around the EV, the EX90 can detect pedestrians or obstacles up to 820 feet away.

Is the Volvo EX90 replacing XC90?

This new flagship Volvo EV won’t replace the XC90 or any other vehicles in the lineup. It is brand new and plans to forge ahead as a totally new vehicle. While many brands have been releasing electric vehicles to the market, not all have been a success. Volvo plans to build the EX90 in the brand-new EV assembly plant in Ridgeville, South Carolina. It will be the first EV to come off those production lines sometime later this year. Projections have the factory building around 60,000 units next year, but most of the allocation will be from shoppers who order at launch.

Volvo is betting big on its newest EV, but there are plenty of reasons why it should be a success. Keep an eye out for more information closer to the release date, and get your order in quickly if this looks like your next EV. It probably won’t last long before all of those initial orders are gobbled up.