When it comes to EVs, Volvo hasn’t been afraid to experiment. It’s tried repurposing a platform from its internal-combustion cars (for the EX40 and EC40, nee XC40 Recharge and C40 Recharge), a flagship SUV that’s also a technology demonstrator (the EX90) and a radical reinvention of its brand (with the EX30). The Swedish automaker’s latest EV takes yet another approach — one that could make it the most important Volvo EV yet.

The 2027 Volvo EX60 boasts engineering improvements in a package that’s likely to have mass appeal. It’s based on a new architecture that offers improved range and charging performance, backed by software with now-obligatory AI integration. And as a five-seat SUV similar in size to the current Volvo XC60 — the automaker’s bestselling model — it’s exactly the type of car most people are looking for.

It’s a big step forward for Volvo

Buyers will be able to choose between single-motor rear-wheel drive P6, dual-motor all-wheel drive P10, and bigger-battery dual-motor P12 specs. With a 117-kilowatt-hour (112-kWh usable) battery pack, the P12 will have up to 400 miles of EPA-estimated range with the smallest-available 20-inch wheels (21-inch and 22-inch wheels will also be available), according to Volvo. The P10 gets up to 320 miles from a 95-kWh (91 kWh usable) pack), and the P8 is estimated at up to 310 miles with 83 kWh (80 kWh usable) of battery capacity.

The EX60’s SPA3 architecture also incorporates 800-volt charging, allowing dual-motor models to charge at up to 370 kilowatts (the single-motor P6 maxes out at 320 kW). Volvo estimates that an EX60 can add up to 211 miles of range using the most-powerful DC fast-chargers. Bidirectional charging can output up to 22 kW of power.

Performance specs are also impressive, although not as big of a step up from previous Volvo EVs. The EX60 P12 has 671 horsepower and 582 pound-feet of torque, getting it from zero to 60 mph in 3.9 seconds, according to Volvo. The P10 has 503 hp and 523 lb-ft of torque, enough for zero to 60 mph in an estimated 4.6 seconds. The single-motor P6 has 369 hp and 354 lb-ft, still enough to reach 60 mph in 5.9 seconds. As with other Volvos, the EX60 is limited to 112 mph as part of Volvo’s constant safety crusade.

It’s built different

A stylish but familiar look conceals major engineering changes. The EX60 looks like an enlarged EX30, but the increased size gives it a more proper-SUV appearance, especially if you go for the more rugged Cross Country model. It adds a layer of cladding around the lower perimeter of the body, and sits 0.7 inch higher (air suspension jacks it up a further 0.7 inch).

The size is fairly conventional as well. At 189 inches long, 74.7 inches wide, and 64.5 inches tall, the EX60 is 3.7 inches longer than the current Volvo XC60, about as wide, and about an inch lower. That’s still well within the compact SUV envelope most new-car buyers prefer. The added length and 116.9-inch wheelbase (4.2 inches longer than the XC60’s) is likely a result of battery-packaging demands. 

But unlike any previous Volvo EV, the EX60 adopts cell-to-body construction. The battery cells are mounted directly to the vehicle’s structure, without the modules and additional packaging of traditional battery packs. This helps reduce weight and simplifies manufacturing, and is made possible by a new-to-Volvo cell design that likely also contributes to the EX60’s impressive range.

The EX60 chassis will also be built from several large “mega castings.” These reduce the number of individual parts that need to be welded together to make a complete vehicle, theoretically streamlining the manufacturing process and cutting costs. However, mega casting is still a new process, so it’s a risk compared to traditional production methods. Repairability is also a major question.

It has god-tier computing power

Volvo was among the first automakers to adopt Google’s Android Automotive operating system and to offer built-in Google Maps, Google Assistant, and Google Play Store apps as part of its infotainment systems. So it’s unsurprising that Volvo is adding Google Gemini integration as well, following other automakers like Mercedes-Benz and Volkswagen onto the AI hype train. Volvo promises a natural-language interface that does away with rigid commands, and the ability to query the car for things like hotel recommendations and whether potential purchases will fit in the cargo area.

Qualcomm’s Snapdragon Cockpit Platform system-on-a-chip handles infotainment functions, providing more processing power than any previous Volvo production car. Nvidia’s Drive platform (also incorporating a system-on-a-chip, the Drive AGX) does the same for driver-assist features. They’re tied together with in-house developed electronics into what Volvo calls the HuginCore architecture. Named after one of the pair of ravens from Norse mythology that serve as the roaming eyes of the god Odin, it leaves considerable headroom for future software improvements via over-the-air updates, Volvo claims.

It’s got a tough job ahead

Volvo is already taking orders for the European market, with production scheduled to start in Sweden this spring and European deliveries following in the summer. U.S. launch timing and pricing will be announced at a later date. As good as it looks on paper, the EX60 will face strong competition when it arrives.

The EX60 is a big step forward for Volvo, but its European rivals are making their own progress in EV efficiency, range, and charging. The BMW iX3 is also gunning for 400 miles of range, and the electric version of the Mercedes-Benz GLC-Class could get pretty close to that as well. Like Volvo, the German brands are also aiming to create electric analogs of their most-popular models with these new EV SUVs.

Most established automakers have had a few EV false starts at this point, but after the EX30’s value proposition was ruined by tariffs and the EX90 failed to deliver on some promised tech features, Volvo needs a mainstream hit more than its rivals. Can the EX60 deliver?