Volvo Cars has started building the fully electric EX60 at its Torslanda factory outside Gothenburg, with first customer deliveries due in early summer.
The mid-size SUV is being presented as more than a model launch. Volvo says it is the first fully electric vehicle (EV) the company has designed, developed and manufactured in Sweden, signalling a long-term commitment to keeping premium EV know-how and industrial capacity in its home market.
The move comes as early European demand has reportedly outstripped expectations. Volvo has already said it will lift planned EX60 production volumes for 2026 after retail orders across nearly all major European markets came in well above internal forecasts, with Sweden and Germany among the strongest performers. With order books for the United States and parts of Asia set to open later this spring, the company expects interest to broaden further.
To help meet demand, Volvo aims to keep the Torslanda plant operating for an extra week over the summer, which it says would be the first time in the site’s history. The company’s chief executive, Håkan Samuelsson, has described the production start as an important milestone for both Volvo and Sweden, adding that the focus is now on ramping up output steadily while maintaining quality and ensuring the EX60 becomes a profitable driver of growth.
Volvo is positioning the EX60 as a stand-out in an increasingly crowded electric SUV market. It claims a range of up to 810 km on the WLTP cycle and says the battery can be charged from 10 to 80 per cent in about 16 minutes under optimal rapid-charging conditions. Pricing is expected to sit broadly in line with the firm’s best-selling XC60 plug-in hybrid, a deliberate attempt to make the step to fully electric feel familiar for existing Volvo buyers.
Torslanda’s role has been reinforced by significant investment. Volvo says it has spent around SEK 10 billion modernising the site for the EX60 and future electric models, including mega casting capability, a new battery assembly facility, plus upgraded paint and final assembly operations. For Gothenburg and the wider region, the company expects the EX60 to support jobs, attract further investment and become one of Sweden’s more valuable exports by value.
ZF Aftermarket has named Maic Dressen as Managing Director of ZF Services South Africa (Pty) Ltd and Sub-regional Head for Sub-Saharan Africa and the DomTom regions. He will lead the company’s South African operations and support its growth across the continent.
Volkswagen has marked 75 years of vehicle production and sales in South Africa with a gala event in Kariega attended by President Cyril Ramaphosa, while also revealing the new Volkswagen Tengo, the third model to be built at the local plant. The Tengo will be produced for the South African and wider markets.
BAIC South Africa used the Festival of Motoring 2026 at Kyalami Grand Prix Circuit to highlight both its established range and new energy vehicle ambitions. The event marked the first public appearance of ARCFOX in South Africa, alongside the unveiling of BAIC’s X55 Plug‑in Hybrid Electric Vehicle.
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Have you ever noticed that anybody driving slower than you is an idiot, and anyone going faster than you is a maniac?
George Carlin
BAIC South Africa used the Festival of Motoring 2026 at Kyalami Grand Prix Circuit to highlight both its established range and new energy vehicle ambitions. The event marked the first public appearance of ARCFOX in South Africa, alongside the unveiling of BAIC’s X55 Plug‑in Hybrid Electric Vehicle.
When Volvo introduced the XC40 Recharge Pure Electric to South Africa in late 2021, the timing raised eyebrows. The country was enduring a severe power crisis, with loadshedding recorded on 200 days that year.
Three months after launching its off-grid, solar-powered electric vehicle (EV) charging network on the N3 corridor, Zero Carbon Charge (CHARGE) has confirmed plans to double charging capacity at both Charge hubs.
