The Volvo EX90 is slated to start shipping to US buyers soon, with global production having commenced in early June, but it looks like the first group of buyers to receive their EX90 electric SUVs will be receiving an EV with an incomplete software package. The list of features that “may be delayed” on the EX90 include Apple CarPlay, a host of LiDAR-based safety features, and battery management and charging features.
Volvo says that “These features will be added later via an update,” but no exact date or window has been provided for the updates. Some features, like the centre and driver display light mode and bidirectional charging, are minor or niche enough that the late arrival of these features shouldn't be too much of a problem. There are, however, features on that list that are essential to the driving and ownership experience and can form a significant part of a buying process.
According to a recent study, as many as 35% of EV buyers said that they would not consider a car without CarPlay or Android Auto, suggesting that Volvo will face at least some backlash over the news of the lacking feature.
Another concerning mention on the list of potentially missing software features in the Volvo EX90 is titled “Battery Drainage,” which Volvo explains as “In order to keep the EX90's core computer powered to control the highly advanced functions on the car, you may notice it uses some energy while parked and not being charged. (~3% per 24 hours; after 72 hours of being parked without charging, the energy use will stop, and the car will go into a deep sleep mode to conserve battery power).”
On a similar note, Smart Charging, which allows the EV to charge efficiently and automatically charge during off-peak hours, and Plug & Charge, which streamlines the charging experience at certain public charging networks, may also be delayed.
It also seems as though the LiDAR hardware may not be enabled at delivery, either, and a number of automated safety features, like cross traffic alert front automatic braking, straight crossing path, and curve speed assist may also be missing.
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