Volvo’s electric future just started getting underway in the U.S. a year ago and the Swedish automaker’s already coming out swinging for the fences with a next-gen EV.
On Thursday, just weeks ahead of the Volvo EX60 reveal the automaker announced the upcoming electric SUV has a 400-mile EPA-rated range in its sights and the ability to fast charge in the time it takes to stop for gas and coffee.
Specifically, Volvo said the EX60 is able to add up to 168 miles of range in 10 minutes when hooked to a 400-kW fast charger. The system can add over 100 miles of range in “just a few minutes,” according to the Swedish automaker.
This is all enabled by the EX60 utilizing Volvo’s new 800-volt electrical architecture paired with in-house developed software. The combination is said to move energy efficiently while lighter materials and less heat generation support the faster charging times. Volvo hasn’t disclosed yet how this system is cooled or its thermal limits.
The EX60 will ride on Volvo’s new SPA3 EV platform, which integrates the battery pack into the vehicle’s structure with cell-to-body packaging. SPA3 also sees the introduction of mega castings to Volvo’s production process, which reduces weight and production complexity.
Volvo said the EX60 will be powered by electric motors that were developed in house, but no power output or details have been provided, yet.
As for the 400 miles of EPA-rated range? Volvo said while this number is preliminary it has been born from estimates and calculations based on the EPA testing cycle and it’s for a dual-motor model. If that’s the case, if a single-motor model were to be offered one would theorize there could be a future EX60 with more than 400 miles of range.
Volvo hasn’t said how large the EX60’s battery pack will be, but did note it will carry a 10-year warranty.
The EX60 will face off with the 2027 BMW iX3 and Electric Mercedes-Benz GLC when the two German luxury EVs arrive later this year. The former is expected to also feature about 400 miles of range while the latter is expected to arrive with a range rating of about 320 miles due to having a smaller battery pack than the BMW.
Last year, Volvo revealed the EX60 will debut a new seatbelt design after 66 years of the same old story. The multi-adaptive safety belts will optimize themselves for different crash conditions, body types, and even driving posture.
The Volvo EX60 will debut on January 21.
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As Director of Content and Product, Joel draws on over 15 years of newsroom experience and inability to actually stop working to help ensure The Drive shapes the future of automotive media. He’s also a World Car Award juror.
