Tesla Model X vs Volvo EX90

The Tesla Model X costs £1,890 more than the Volvo EX90. For that premium it adds 421 litres more boot space and 38 kW more power. The Volvo EX90 is not just cheaper - it also offers 113 miles more WLTP range, 230 kW faster peak rapid charging and lower energy use, 185 versus 220 Wh/km. On EVcarsguide's combined category scores, the Volvo EX90 comes out ahead overall.

The Volvo EX90 is £1,890 cheaper to buy. The Volvo EX90 is cheaper to charge, roughly £200 a year versus £240 for the Tesla Model X, at 8,000 miles on an off-peak home tariff. Add 5 years of charging and the Volvo EX90 comes out roughly £2,090 cheaper overall. These figures cover list price and home charging only - insurance, servicing, tyres and depreciation will move the real total.

EVcarsguide estimates a real-world motorway range of about 171 miles for the Tesla Model X and 246 miles for the Volvo EX90 - both below their WLTP figures, because sustained high speed is the hardest case for an EV. The Volvo EX90 goes roughly 75 miles further between charging stops. A rapid charge to 80% takes around 40 minutes in the Tesla Model X and 22 in the Volvo EX90, so the Volvo EX90 loses less time at each stop. That makes the Volvo EX90 the stronger long-distance car.

The Volvo EX90 is the easier car for tight UK car parks: it is 35 mm narrower than the Tesla Model X. In a standard 2,400 mm bay that leaves about 436 mm of total clearance for the Volvo EX90 and about 401 mm of total clearance for the Tesla Model X. The Volvo EX90 also turns in a 0.4 m tighter circle, which helps with U-turns and multi-storey ramps.

Over a 8-year ownership window EVcarsguide's degradation model projects roughly 84% battery health for the Tesla Model X and 84% for the Volvo EX90. That is close enough that capacity loss should not decide between them. Both use NMC-type cells, so for daily use keep the charge limit near 80% to slow degradation. Both batteries carry a 8-year manufacturer warranty.