Volvo is starting to reveal some details about its upcoming mid-size electric SUV, the EX60, ahead of its official launch on January 21. The EX60 has an estimated range of 400 miles (or 810 km based on the generous WLTP standard in Europe). That’s a significantly higher range than any previous Volvo EV—at least until the 434-mile range ES90 sedan came out. And the EX60 will be the first vehicle to take advantage of the automaker’s new megasustainable production process to reduce weight and improve manufacturing efficiency.
“One of the things we wanted to do was make an electric vehicle without compromise,” Akhil Krishnan, EX60’s head of program management, told me. “Choosing to drive electric shouldn’t be a compromise for you, so that was very important to us.”
To this end, improving the vehicle’s range and charging time were key goals for Krishnan and his team. They wanted to turn “range anxiety” into “range comfort,” meaning the driver would have enough range that it would no longer be a hindrance — just as consumers don’t choose gasoline cars based on tank size.
But the limit alone is not enough. Charging speed was also important. Krishnan said Volvo conducted extensive customer research and found that many EV owners felt forced to plan their lives around charging stops, often waiting 40 minutes or more. Volvo wanted the EX60 to fit into natural human intervals instead. For example, if a driver stops for 10 minutes to get coffee or use the restroom, the car should be ready to go again in that time.
The EX60 should meet that standard, thanks to its 800-volt architecture, a first for Volvo. Other automakers like Hyundai and Kia have positioned themselves amid the cooling demand for EVs thanks to fast-charging, 800-volt-architecture vehicles, and now Volvo wants to do the same. The EX60 can charge from 10-80 percent in 19 minutes, or add 168 miles of range in just 10 minutes when using the 400kW fast charger.
But the limit alone is not enough. Charging speed was also important
Of course, finding a charger that can produce that kind of speed is difficult, especially here in the US — but it’s definitely getting better. Krishnan said that Volvo aims to offer excellent charging performance not only on the 400 kW chargers, but also on the more common 250 kW units.
The vehicle is built on Volvo’s new Spa3 platform, designed exclusively for electric vehicles, without the legacy constraints of combustion engines. The EX60 isn’t relying on any battery breakthroughs to achieve its improved range—the nickel-cobalt-manganese chemistry is the same as the rest of the EV lineup—but rather manufacturing advances, such as mega-casting and the use of a structured battery pack, to reduce weight and improve the vehicle’s integrity. It will also include pre-conditioning the battery so the battery is at the right temperature for maximum charging to help maintain those high speeds.
Krishnan said the new platform enables not only weight savings but also cost reductions, with estimated component-level savings of 20–35 percent, helping to keep prices competitive with gas and hybrid equivalents. Volvo has said it intends for the EX60 to be priced similarly to the XC60 plug-in hybrid, which will now start at around $63,000.
Volvo is also offering a global 10-year battery warranty of up to 240,000 km for the first time. This extends the company’s previous eight-year coverage and, according to Krishnan, reflects confidence in its in-house battery development and manufacturing capabilities.
The EX60 will also have other tricks up its sleeve, including vehicle-to-home and vehicle-to-grid functionality that is standard across all markets and trims. Volvo has already announced a partnership with Swedish energy supplier Vattenfall to explore how the EX60 and other Volvo EVs can help stabilize and balance the grid.
Krishnan sees the EX60 as a critical piece that was missing from Volvo’s EV strategy: a family SUV that’s more affordable than the automaker’s three-row, $80,000 EX90. “So it’s a huge addressable market for the car,” he said.
The EX60 will be built at Volvo’s Gothenburg factory, with production starting in the first half of 2026.
