New tech-laden Volvo EX60 to challenge BMW iX3 with 503-mile range and sub-£60k pricing
Volvo has unveiled its all-new EX60 SUV, which promises a range of up to 503 miles in all-wheel drive (AWD) guise, along with a starting price of less than £60,000.
The mid-sized EX60 is the Swedish brand’s latest electric car. It sits between the smaller EX30 and EX40 crossovers, and the full-sized, seven-seat EX90 SUV in its model hierarchy.
The EX60 isn’t visually dissimilar from either sibling, benefiting from Volvo’s signature ‘Thor’s Hammer’ LED headlights and a smoothed-off front end. A pronounced beltline runs the length of the car, while its two-step rear lights are integrated vertically into the rear D-pillar.
In place of conventional door handles, Volvo has chosen to fit the EX60 with a set of electronically operated latches to improve aerodynamics and eke out those precious extra miles.
Inside, the EX60 is a largely clean break from the EX90. An Android Automotive-based infotainment system sits horizontally in the centre of the dashboard with a rocker switch underneath.
A two-spoke steering wheel is finished with physical buttons to control several of the car’s functions and the infotainment system. Behind it sits a horizontally mounted driver display in favour of a traditional instrument cluster.
The EX60’s Scandinavian-inspired cabin with its light and airy colours can be trimmed in either vegan leather or cloth to align with Volvo’s environmental credentials.
The new EX60 is available with either a single or twin-motor powertrain. Dual-motor, AWD cars come with a range of either 503 miles in range-topping P12 guise and a huge 117kWh battery, while the P10 can manage 410 miles on a single charge from its 95kWh unit.
A rear-wheel-drive (RWD) P6 model with a 385-mile range and an 85kWh battery is also available.
Entry-level 385bhp P6 cars are expected to be priced between £55,000 and £58,000, while the mid-tier P10 gets 503bhp, and a £60,000 starting price. The flagship P12 comes with a pricetag of approximately £65,000 and an ES90 sedan-matching 670bhp.
The AWD EX60’s range makes it the longest-range D-segment SUV on sale today, pipping its closest rivals, the latest BMW iX3 and the Mercedes GLC, for honours.
This is because it rides on Volvo’s completely new in-house developed SPA3 – or Scalable Product Architecture 3 – platform as opposed to SPA2, which is used to underpin the recently updated EX90.
SPA3’s 800V setup also allows for a 211-mile top-up charge in just 10 minutes when using an ultra-fast 400kW charger.
Focusing on modularity to save weight and improve efficiency, SPA3 has cell-to-body technology, meaning the battery is integrated into part of the car’s chassis structure.
The new Volvo EX60 will be built at Volvo’s Torslanda factory in Sweden, which has been manufacturing its cars since 1964.
However, the EX60 is the first Volvo to be built with megacasting technology. Its entire rear underbody is cast from a single piece of aluminium instead of 100 separate parts, reducing both manufacturing times and the car’s overall weight.
The EX90 offers 522 litres of boot space with the rear seats up, and 988 litres with the second row folded flat. Up front is a 58-litre frunk for charging cables
In terms of tech, the strictly five-seat EX60 will run on computing power from NVIDIA and Qualcomm. Its Snapdragon Cockpit Platform with Drive AGX Orin can perform over 250 trillion calculations each second.
The EX60 is also the world’s first Volvo with Google Gemini integration, allowing for a more conversational style of voice command between car and driver.
When it comes to safety, the EX60 represents another first for Volvo. Instead of a conventional seatbelt tension system, it uses real-time sensor data to adjust belt tension based on the occupant’s body characteristics, traffic conditions, and the severity of the accident.
At today’s launch event in Stockholm, Sweden, Volvo confirmed that a more visually rugged, Cross Country version of the EX60 (pictured above) will join the line-up later this year.
