Volvo’s first two bespoke EV launches didn’t go to plan. The EX30 was waylaid by tariffs, arriving late and with a far higher price than planned. The EX90 was delayed by software and quality issues, which persisted far into its first year on sale. The result is Volvo has burned a lot of goodwill and even more cash in an attempt to get its electric ambitions rolling.
Now, its EV future hinges on the EX60. The mid-size crossover has to right the wrongs of the previous attempts, all while battling stiff competition from cars like the Mercedes GLC EV, BMW iX3, and Rivian R2.
Can Volvo finally get an EV launch right? Does it really have what it takes to do battle with the best of them?
I’ll save you the suspense: Yes it can, and yes it does. Over five hours of back-country and city driving around Barcelona, the Volvo EX60 was exceptionally smooth, nearly silent, and utterly charming. I haven’t driven the R2 or the iX3 yet, so I can’t say that it’s best-in-class. But it’s an EV that finally feels like a true Volvo, through and through.
