If it's boxy, bulky and looks like it's built like a tank - it must be a Volvo. But this latest, all-new model from the Chinese-owned Swedish brand is a Volvo with a difference.

The new EX90 is a full seven-seater, all-electric SUV which its makers say further raises the bar of its legendary safety standards and represents the start of a new era for the company.

The EX90 is just the start of Volvo's electric revolution with one new fully electric car slated for launch every year on the way to the company's goal of selling only fully electric models by 2030.

Volvo calls it an "instant classic in Scandinavian design" and says that it defines the principle of form following function. There's certainly no denying that the no-frills styling makes it instantly recognisable as a Volvo.

But the plain Jane styling is combined with cutting-edge technology in core computing, connectivity and electrification systems and the EX90 will have more safety systems than any previous Volvo models, including cameras, radars and lidar connected to high-performance core computers. It's not just a new car, says Volvo, it's a highly advanced computer on wheels.

The initially available twin-motor all-wheel-drive version is powered by a 111kWh battery and two permanent magnet electric motors together delivering in its performance version 380kW (517hp) and 910Nm of torque. It will be capable of up to 373 miles of driving range on a single charge, according to the WLTP test cycle, and can be charged from 10 to 80 per cent battery capacity in under 30 minutes.

But while it may look the very epitome of Scandinavian design, this new Volvo won't be rolling off a Swedish production line. For when it goes into production next year, the EX90 will be built initially in the USA at the company's production facility in South Carolina followed by further production in China at a later date.