Volvo Cars held the world premiere of its new fully electric SUV EX60 at Artipelag in Sweden. The model is a five-seat mid-size vehicle with up to 810 km range and Google's AI assistant Gemini. CEO Håkan Samuelsson downplays risks from Trump's tariff threats and views the premiere as a boost for European competitiveness.
On Wednesday evening, the world premiere of Volvo's new electric car EX60 took place at the Artipelag art gallery outside Stockholm. It is a fully electric five-seat mid-size SUV competing with models offering similar range. According to specifications, the EX60 in all-wheel-drive version can travel up to 810 km on a single charge, while the shorter-range variant manages 620 km. Fast charging provides up to 340 km range in ten minutes. The EX60 is the first Volvo model launched with Gemini, Google's AI assistant, integrated.
The introductory price in Sweden ranges from 699,000 to 889,000 kronor, depending on the drivetrain. The model targets primarily European and American buyers, but not initially China due to software differences. CEO Håkan Samuelsson, who returned to the position last year after a decade as leader and a break in 2022, does not rule out a future launch in China.
Samuelsson also commented on US President Donald Trump's threats of higher tariffs on imported cars to the USA, where Volvo is the second-largest market despite a factory in South Carolina. ”I might be too optimistic here but I actually don't think there will be any change,” he says. He notes that tariffs require executive orders or congressional decisions, not social media posts, and refers to Trump's previous announcements that were withdrawn—a phenomenon called ”Taco,” for ”Trump always chickens out.”
According to the National Board of Trade, the automotive sector would be hit hardest in Sweden by tariff changes, but Samuelsson says it would only affect prices in the USA without disrupting Volvo's plans. He describes Trump's leadership style as ”totally different” but sees a positive in it urging Europe to sharpen its competitiveness. Meanwhile, Dagens Nyheter conducted a survey with foreign journalists and influencers on their views of the EX60, Sweden's hope in electric vehicles.
