Volvo promotes the EX60’s range and charging capabilities prior to its official launch.

Volvo is beginning to reveal details about its forthcoming midsize electric SUV, the EX60, ahead of its official unveiling on January 21st. The EX60 is expected to boast a range of 400 miles (approximately 810km according to the favorable WLTP standard in Europe). This marks a significant increase in range over any prior Volvo EV — at least until the 434-mile-range ES90 sedan is released. Furthermore, the EX60 will be the pioneer in utilizing the automaker’s new megacasting production technique aimed at minimizing weight and enhancing manufacturing efficiency.

“One of our primary goals was to create an electric vehicle that entails no compromises,” explained Akhil Krishnan, who leads program management for the EX60. “Choosing to drive electric should not require sacrifices, which was extremely important to us.”

With this in mind, enhancing the vehicle’s range and charging time ranked high on Krishnan and his team’s priority list. They aimed to turn “range anxiety” into “range comfort,” ensuring that the driver enjoys so much range that it ceases to be a deterrent—similar to how consumers don’t select gasoline vehicles based solely on tank capacity.

Nevertheless, range is not the only factor; the speed of charging is also vital. Krishnan stated that Volvo engaged in thorough customer research and revealed that numerous EV owners felt obliged to schedule their routines around charging stops, frequently waiting 40 minutes or longer. Volvo’s aim was for the EX60 to coincide with convenient human breaks instead. For example, if a driver pauses for 10 minutes to have coffee or take a restroom break, the vehicle should be prepared to continue within that time.

The EX60 is designed to meet these expectations through its innovative 800-volt architecture, which is new for Volvo. Other manufacturers, such as Hyundai and Kia, have distinguished themselves during the declining demand for EVs with their fast-charging, 800-volt architecture vehicles, and now Volvo is following suit. The EX60 is capable of charging from 10–80 percent in just 19 minutes or adding 168 miles of range in merely 10 minutes when utilizing a 400kW fast charger.

Finding a charger capable of achieving such speeds may pose a challenge, especially in the US — but improvements are on the horizon. Krishnan mentioned that Volvo’s goal is to ensure strong charging performance not merely on 400kW chargers but also on the more prevalent 250kW units.

This vehicle is constructed on Volvo’s new SPA3 platform, specifically crafted for electric vehicles, devoid of any legacy limitations from combustion engines. The EX60 does not depend on groundbreaking battery technology to realize its enhanced range—the nickel-cobalt-manganese chemistry remains consistent with the rest of the EV lineup— but instead relies on advancements in manufacturing, such as megacasting and the implementation of a structural battery pack, to lower weight and bolster the vehicle’s integrity. It will also feature battery preconditioning ensuring that the battery reaches optimal temperatures for efficient charging and sustaining higher speeds.

The new platform not only facilitates weight reductions but also diminishes costs, with projected component-level savings of 20–35 percent, maintaining competitive pricing against gasoline and hybrid counterparts, asserted Krishnan. Volvo has indicated its intention to price the EX60 similarly to the XC60 plug-in hybrid, which currently starts around $63,000.

Furthermore, Volvo is providing, for the first time, a global 10-year battery warranty covering up to 240,000km. This expands the previous eight-year coverage and, as per Krishnan, indicates confidence in its in-house battery development and production capabilities.

The EX60 will also boast additional features, including vehicle-to-home and vehicle-to-grid capabilities as standard across all markets and trims. Volvo has previously announced a collaboration with Swedish energy provider Vattenfall to investigate how the EX60 and other Volvo EVs can assist in stabilizing and balancing the power grid.

Krishnan perceives the EX60 as a vital component that was previously missing in Volvo’s EV strategy: a family-friendly SUV that is more accessible than the automaker’s three-row, $80,000-plus EX90. “It presents a significant market opportunity for the vehicle,” he noted.

Production of the EX60 is scheduled to occur at Volvo’s Gothenburg factory, with manufacturing commencing in the first half of 2026.