FYI: Volvo’s Best-Selling XC60 Evolves Into the All-Electric EX60, Offering Groundbreaking Technology and Sustainability
The Volvo EX60: Leading a New Electric Era
Volvo’s XC60 has cemented its status as the brand’s global best-seller, boasting nearly a quarter of a million units sold in 2023. Evolving from this success, Volvo is taking a significant step forward with an all-electric version of this popular model—the EX60.
Despite some delays in its electrification timeline, Volvo remains committed to a fully electric future by 2030. The introduction of the EX60 is pivotal in Volvo’s strategy to decarbonize its lineup, ensuring that the company plays its part in creating sustainable transport solutions.
Next-Gen Platform: The Volvo EX60 SPA3
The EX60 won’t just be another electric option in Volvo’s lineup, but will spearhead a new generation of platforms and technological advancements. Unlike its predecessor, the XC60, the EX60 will harness the power of the SPA3 platform. As Volvo’s Chief Product and Strategy Officer Erik Severinson explains, "The EX60 will be our first car model based on SPA3—the next generation of our SPA architecture and a step function change from SPA2.”
The previously launched EX90 SUV utilizes the SPA2 platform, but the SPA3 platform promises even more efficiency, with motors reaching 93% efficiency—a step up from the current 91% motors. Notably, SPA3 is highly scalable, capable of supporting vehicles ranging from smaller models like the EX30 to larger ones than the EX90.
Structural battery packs, incorporating new high-energy density cells, will be a hallmark of the SPA3 platform, moving closer to Tesla’s innovative designs.
Cutting-Edge Software for the EX60
Volvo has branded its new holistic technology suite as the "Superset." This encompasses a standardized set of modules, software, and hardware that will be installed in future Volvo models.
The recently reviewed EX90 SUV already offers a glimpse of this technology with its Nvidia Drive Orin system on a chip (SoC), boasting 250 trillions of operations per second (TOPS). However, the EX60 will kick this up several notches by featuring Nvidia’s Drive Thor SoC, capable of an astounding 1,000 trillion operations per second.
According to Volvo’s Chief Technology Officer Anders Bell, the advanced platform is not necessarily aimed at fast-tracking autonomous driving but is focused on enhancing safety systems through AI-powered supercomputers.
“Thor significantly reduces energy consumption while improving vehicle efficiency. We will offer it in varying performance versions based on customer needs—from basic to advanced driver assistance systems and future autonomous driving capabilities,” said Bell.
Innovative Features of the Volvo EX60
The EX60 is set to include the latest Google-based infotainment systems found in models like the EX30, EX90, and upcoming 2025 XC90. Enhancements in these systems have made controls for maps, media, and phone more accessible, reducing the number of screen taps needed to operate them.
Volvo’s customer feedback-driven approach aims to continuously optimize and improve the user experience, making data-driven decisions to remove unwanted features and enhance appreciated ones.
EX60 Pricing, Production, and Availability
Production of the EX60 will take place at Volvo’s main plant in Torslanda, Gothenburg, Sweden. While the release timeline remains under wraps, speculations suggest a 2026 debut.
Volvo positions itself firmly as a premium car brand, implying that the EX60 will likely be priced in the same ballpark as its gas-powered predecessor. For context, the XC60 starts at around $47,000 in the U.S. and competes with the Tesla Model Y, starting at $45,000. With the advanced technology that the EX60 brings, it could be priced slightly higher.
Summary
Volvo’s EX60 signifies a monumental shift for the automaker, marking the advent of its all-electric future. Built on the next-gen SPA3 platform and equipped with cutting-edge technology like the Nvidia Drive Thor SoC, the EX60 is not just a vehicle but a leap towards efficient, sustainable, and smarter automotive solutions. Expect it to set new benchmarks in the realm of electric vehicles upon its anticipated launch in 2026.
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William Kouch, Editor of Automotive.fyi
