Volvo Cars has started series production of the new EX60, a fully electric mid-size SUV positioned as one of the company’s most important launches of the decade. The first customer cars are now rolling out of the Torslanda plant outside Gothenburg, with deliveries expected in early summer.
For Volvo, the significance goes beyond a single model. The EX60 is the first fully electric Volvo to be designed, developed and built in Sweden, underlining the firm’s intention to keep high-end EV engineering and manufacturing anchored at home. The company has also pitched the EX60 as a future heavyweight export, supporting growth in Gothenburg and strengthening Western Sweden’s reputation as an automotive hub.
Demand has dictated the pace. Volvo says early orders in markets such as Sweden and Germany exceeded internal forecasts across most major European countries, prompting an increase in planned production for 2026. To help meet the uptick, Volvo aims to keep the Torslanda factory operating for an additional week over the summer, something it says would be a first for the site. Order books for the United States and parts of Asia are due to open later in the spring, potentially widening the queue.
On the product side, the EX60 is designed to challenge premium electric SUVs from established European rivals and fast-moving new entrants. Volvo claims a headline range of up to 810 km on the WLTP cycle and says the car can charge from 10 to 80 per cent in about 16 minutes under ideal rapid-charging conditions. Pricing is intended to sit broadly in line with the brand’s best-selling XC60 plug-in hybrid, a familiar benchmark for buyers weighing up the switch to fully electric.
Torslanda’s readiness for the EX60 has been years in the making. Volvo has invested about SEK 10 billion in upgrades including mega casting capability, a new battery assembly facility, and refreshed paint and final assembly operations, all intended to support higher-volume next-generation EV production.
Staff Writer
Reporting from the front lines of the automotive industry, delivering expert analysis and the technical updates that drive the South African motor sector forward.
