Tech-packed Volvo EX60 gets megacasting, CTB & 3rd gen motors

Update (4 September, 2025): Recognisable shape, and Manufacturing and launch sections revised.

As a direct rival of the best-selling Tesla Model Y, and also the fully-electric alternative to Volvo Cars’ global best-seller, the XC60, the EX60 will be the Swedish brand’s most crucial EV launch to date. Arriving in the same year as its formidable German rivals, the next-gen BMW iX3 and the Mercedes GLC Electric (EQ), it sets the stage for the most thrilling three-way showdown in recent history!

And very important is the EX60, which will be our best seller produced here in Gothenburg (Sweden) and will be our very first electric car with a very competitive cost positioning. And it’s also then making it possible for us to really get high volumes electric cars, and also good margins on electric cars.

Håkan Samuelsson, CEO of Volvo Cars (opening remarks during the Q2 2025 earnings conference call on 17 July 2025)

Recognisable shape

The Volvo EX60 will carry Volvo’s familiar design identity, borrowing cues from the EX90, EX30 and the new XC70 for China. Distinctive LED lights at the front and rear, vertical brake lamps, and muscular fenders will mark its appearance. One of its teasers has confirmed blacked-out elements around the rear windshield, a silver strip on the bumper, and reflector units on the corners.

New Infotainment System

Inside, the Volvo EX60 is expected to debut a further step evolution of the Android-based infotainment system under Volvo Cars.OS, offering a large central touchscreen, a high-res instrument cluster, and an optional HUD.

Features will be hardware-ready, allowing customers to activate additional functions post-purchase. The vehicle will also integrate with connected home devices and support remote functions via a mobile app.

LiDAR and Multi-Adaptive seatbelt

Safety will be one of the key selling points of the Volvo EX60. A roof-mounted LiDAR unit from Luminar will help detect hazards up to 250 metres ahead. Inside, two in-cabin cameras will monitor driver alertness and health, while a radar system will prevent children or pets from being left behind. The EX60 will also debut a multi-adaptive seatbelt system that adjusts tension based on the occupant’s profile and crash severity. It will support OTA updates for future enhancements.

CTB and skateboard

Built on the new SPA3 platform, the EX60 will introduce major technological upgrades over the SPA2-based EX90. The skateboard-like structure will integrate cell-to-body (CTB) battery tech, enabling lower weight, higher rigidity, and more space. Volvo Cars will use its own high-efficiency, third-gen electric motors with up to 93% efficiency and 40% lower cost.

800V architecture and 640 km range

The Volvo EX60 will boast an 800V charging architecture and should thus be able to take maximum advantage of 350 kW ultra-fast chargers. A 10-80% charging session will likely take just around 20 minutes – just enough time for a coffee break. On a full charge, it should deliver a WLTP range of up to approximately 400 miles (643 km), depending on the variant.

We have, with the EX60 now coming next year, made drastic cost reductions and those cost reductions also come with a CapEx price tag. We have mega casting, we have cell-to-body technology, we have in-house e-motors, all innovations that will structurally create a cheaper car to produce with better performance.

Fredrik Hansson, CFO of Volvo Cars (Q2 2025 earnings conference call on 17 July 2025)

It’s safe to assume Volvo Cars will launch the EX60 in single-motor and dual-motor variants, with the latter targeting higher performance and all-weather readiness. The dual-motor variant could pack up to 400 kW (536 bhp) of combined power and accelerate from 0 to 62 mph (0 to 100 km/h) in under 4.5 seconds.

Manufacturing & launch

Volvo will manufacture the EX60 using megacasting. Large aluminium castings will replace over 100 parts, cutting cost by up to 35% and reducing weight by 15–20%. This method also allows more precise design and sustainability through full material reuse.

Volvo Cars has confirmed the global debut of the EX60 for 21 January, 2026. It is expected to launch the EX60 in the UK in early 2026, likely with a starting price of around GBP 65,000, with customer deliveries following in the first half of the year. Australia and New Zealand could get their first shipments sometime in the second half of the year.

My first experience with the XC60 was in 2011, and I came away impressed with the Scandinavian midsize model, which played a huge role in turning around the brand. 14 years later, I feel that the EX60, like its combustion-powered counterpart, can make or break Volvo. The company is expected to throw up the full weight of its technological arsenal to make it its most innovative and technologically advanced EV yet.

Shrawan Raja, founder & editor of ElectricVehicleWeb.com

Featured image: Volvo Cars/Facebook