Volvo has set out its most ambitious electric vehicle to date, unveiling preliminary details of the forthcoming EX60 – a mid-size SUV positioned to erase lingering customer concerns about range and charging speeds. Ahead of its global reveal on 21 January, the company is touting headline figures designed to put the EV market on notice: a best-in-class 810-kilometre WLTP range and the ability to add up to 340 kilometres of charge in just 10 minutes.
The EX60 will sit above the EX40 and EX30 in Volvo’s rapidly expanding electric line-up, but early specifications suggest the model could eclipse not only its stablemates but also many recently revealed rivals. The company claims the forthcoming SUV “doesn’t just go further than any electric car that Volvo Cars has ever created” but advances the conversation from range anxiety to what it describes as “range comfort”.
A strategic pivot to long-range EV engineering
The press release makes clear that the EX60 is intended as a “gamechanger”, a word chosen by Volvo’s Chief Technology Officer, Anders Bell. According to Bell, the company’s next-generation electric vehicle architecture directly addresses customer hesitations about transitioning to fully electric motoring. “With our new electric vehicle architecture, we directly address the main worries that customers have when considering a switch to a fully electric car,” he says. “The result is class-leading range and fast charging speeds, marking the end of range anxiety.”
Volvo states that the EX60’s 810km range figure applies to the all-wheel drive configuration and is based on preliminary WLTP testing. Although WLTP certification often diverges from real-world usage, the company emphasises that its engineers have optimised performance for everyday driving conditions. They point to key enhancements in energy efficiency, weight reduction and power management as contributing factors.
400kW-capable charging pushes refuelling-speed parity
Charging performance, too, receives a substantial leap. The EX60 is the fastest-charging Volvo yet, capable of using 400kW ultra-rapid chargers. Under ideal conditions, the company says the vehicle can add 340km of range in 10 minutes, comparably fast to a traditional fuel stop. Importantly, Volvo highlights that these figures apply “in all weather conditions”, a nod to consumer frustrations with EV performance in cold climates.
Charging times, the company notes, are always subject to variables such as temperature, battery condition and charger performance. Still, the underlying 800-volt architecture represents a transformative shift for the brand, enabling superior energy throughput, reduced heat losses and improved overall thermal management.
In an effort to boost customer confidence, Volvo is also offering EX60 buyers a 10-year battery warranty – a significant statement at a time when long-term battery health is a chief concern among prospective EV owners.
SPA3: A new foundation for Volvo’s electric future
The technical backbone of the EX60 is SPA3, Volvo’s most advanced electric platform to date. The architecture not only enables improved efficiency but gives the brand the flexibility to compete with petrol-equivalent driving ranges. SPA3 combines several innovations: cell-to-body battery integration, in-house-developed motors, and a structural redesign enabled by mega-casting.
Cell-to-body construction brings the battery into the core structure of the vehicle, enhancing rigidity while lowering mass. Volvo explains that this method allows for a careful balancing of energy density and power delivery. Meanwhile, mega-casting replaces hundreds of traditional stamped components with single, high-precision structural castings. The resulting reductions in mass and complexity help further extend range.
SPA3 also supports the new 800-volt electrical system essential to the EX60’s charging performance. Volvo says its in-house-developed software manages energy flow more efficiently than previous architectures, while lighter materials and lower heat generation enable more consistent charging speeds.
Intelligent battery management through Breathe Battery Technologies
Another notable inclusion is a suite of algorithms developed by Breathe Battery Technologies, a company in Volvo’s investment portfolio. These algorithms continuously adapt how the battery accepts charge, maintaining it within an optimal operating zone regardless of ambient temperature. The result, Volvo claims, is improved performance and longevity in both hot and cold climates – a significant advantage for markets such as Northern Europe, where extreme winters can dramatically affect EV efficiency and charge times.
Volvo positions the EX60 not only as a high-range EV but also as a low-maintenance one. With fewer moving parts than traditional internal combustion vehicles, the SUV will require less frequent servicing. The company describes the EX60 as a “no-compromises electric car, designed to provide the freedom to move in a new, all-electric era”.
A competitive landscape and strategic timing
The EX60’s introduction comes at a pivotal moment for Volvo, which is targeting a fully electric range by 2030 and net-zero emissions by 2040. Its product cadence over the past two years has accelerated, and the brand is leaning heavily into its Scandinavian identity of safety, sustainability and understated design. While the press release does not expand on interior features, driver-assistance technologies or styling cues, images accompanying the announcement show a silhouette consistent with recent Volvo design language: clean surfaces, restrained lines and signature pixel-style lighting (Page 1 image).
If the claimed numbers hold at launch, the EX60 could challenge vehicles such as the Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV, BMW iX and Audi Q8 e-tron, all of which register notably lower WLTP ranges. Its closest competitor by the raw range figure may be the Lucid Air, though that is a saloon rather than an SUV and occupies a different price category. BMW's forthcoming iX3 Neue Klasse will also be a strong competitor.
The Swedish manufacturer is also in a period of financial stability. The press release highlights a record-breaking 2024: SEK 27 billion in core operating profit, SEK 400.2 billion in revenue and a global sales record of 763,389 units. These numbers underscore Volvo’s ability to scale electrified production and invest aggressively in EV platforms and technologies.
Looking ahead to the full reveal
The EX60 will be fully revealed on 21 January 2026, with the event livestreamed globally. The company has not yet discussed variants, pricing or specific market launch timelines, though these details are expected at the reveal. Early indications suggest the EX60 will play a central role in Volvo’s North American, European and Chinese strategies, particularly where long-distance, high-speed motorway travel is common.
Should Volvo deliver on its promises, the EX60 may shift expectations of what an attainable, mainstream premium EV crossover can achieve. Its long range will appeal to drivers transitioning from diesel or petrol SUVs, while ultra-fast charging capability could reduce the psychological barrier still associated with EV road-tripping.
Across Europe and the UK, where 150kW to 350kW public chargers are becoming more widespread, a 400kW-capable vehicle positions Volvo favourably for the next phase of infrastructure growth. It also gives the company a technology story that moves beyond its long-standing safety reputation into performance-led EV engineering.
Regulatory caveats and real-world relevance
Volvo is upfront about the variables associated with WLTP testing. Actual range will depend on specification, temperature, battery condition, topography, driving style and speed. Similarly, the quoted charging performance assumes access to 400kW chargers – still relatively rare in many markets. Nonetheless, even partial real-world achievement of these figures would represent a substantial improvement over existing Volvo electric models.
For now, the EX60 enters the spotlight backed by strong preliminary numbers and a clear message: the brand wants to make EV ownership feel as effortless as conventional motoring. With a decade-long battery warranty, cutting-edge architecture and a range figure designed to impress even sceptics, the model marks a bold step in Volvo’s transition to an all-electric future.
As the market awaits the January reveal, the EX60 stands poised to redefine customer expectations of electric long-distance capability in a premium SUV package.
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