OFFICIAL New Volvo EX60

REVEALED Wraps come off Swedish brand's zero-emission rival for BMW iX3 and Mercedes GLC

- Jordan Katsianis

MEET the new Volvo EX60, a car that the Swedish company claims constitutes one of the biggest advances it has made on a single model for decades.

This all-electric midsize premium SUV will join the XC60 in the Volvo range, although this wasn't the initial plan. Instead, the EX60 was meant to replace the ICE-powered version, and given that it was the highest-selling model in the brand's history, Volvo couldn't take any shortcuts. Judging by our first acquaintance with the car in Sweden, it certainly hasn't.

This is the company’s first 'software-defined' vehicle, it’s the first with cell-to-body technology, and the first Volvo in a decade without an upright touchscreen on the dashboard. Instead, the chassis, cabin and powertrain adopt brand-new solutions, which will form the basis of all new Volvos from now on.

Prices start from £56,360 for the entry-level P6 rear-wheel-drive model, while the dual-motor P10 gets under way from £59,860 and the range-topping P12 version, with a class-leading 503-mile range and 671bhp, kicks off from £64,860. The first cars should arrive in the summer.

As well as the three powertrains, customers have a choice of either Plus or Ultra trim. A Cross Country variant with more rugged styling and some subtle chassis changes is also on the way.

Prices for the EX60 have been carefully arranged around its three main competitors, the BMW iX3, which starts from £58,755, the Mercedes GLC400 4Matic with EQ Technology that kicks off from £60,350, and the Audi Q6 e-tron which is priced from £61,265. It’s also worth noting that, despite arriving six months earlier than the Volvo, the BMW and Mercedes are still only available in a dual-motor layout.