Mega Zeekr SUV clone in the works: Volvo planning new three-row hybrid flagship SUV to sit above the XC90 and EX90 as rival to huge SUVs like the 2026 Zeekr 9X, Li Auto L9, Nio ES8 and Aito M9: Report

Volvo is reportedly looking to make a new flagship SUV to sit above the XC90 and EX90 due to rising demand for such vehicles in the US and China.

As reported by Autocar, Volvo CEO Håkan Samuelsson said “bigger SUVs are something we’re looking into”, however the company has “still not made any decision on going there”.

“Especially in China and the US, the real three-row SUV is a growing segment and an interesting segment, but so far we have the [EX and XC]90 which covers the three-row,” said Samuelsson.

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Samuelsson didn’t mention any specific details on what form this new flagship SUV could take, though he did note that the customers in the US and China “probably at least for the next few years would be more interested in a hybrid” and that US production would be likely to minimise tariffs on US vehicle sales.

Volvo already has a production facility in South Carolina and currently builds the EX90, along with the related Polestar 3 there.

It’s reported this new flagship Volvo SUV could use the Zeekr 9X as a base. Zeekr is another brand that falls under the Geely umbrella and the company is known for sharing its tech between brands.

Measuring in at 5.24-metres long, the Zeekr 9X is longer than the circa-5.0-metre Volvo EX90 and XC90. It also has a more overt luxurious focus.

Volvo EX100 digital render (Image: Sugar Design)

The 9X is based on Geely’s SEA-R platform, which is a version of the SEA platform but for large plug-in hybrid (PHEV) or range-extender (REEV) vehicles. It’s set to form the base of the forthcoming Lotus For Me, which is a REEV version of the Eletre SUV.

Power in the Zeekr 9X comes from 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine along with three electric motors for a humongous total system output of 1030kW and a claimed 0-100km/h sprint of 3.1 seconds.

Depending on the variant there are two battery packs available, a 55.1kWh unit which offers up to 235km of range, or a 70kWh unit which offers up to 302km of range, both according to lenient CLTC testing.

2026 Zeekr 9X

It’s unclear whether this type of vehicle will ever come to fruition, nor what name it will receive. Previous reports have indicated it could potentially be called the EX100.

In mid-2025 digital artist, Sugar Design, mocked up what this new flagship Volvo SUV could look like with current Volvo exterior design language.

This includes the iconic ‘Thor’s Hammer’ LED headlights and a full-width rear tail-light set-up with Volvo script written out on the tailgate.