A winter drive through Norway gave the Volvo EX60 a chance to demonstrate its fast-charging capabilities, with the electric SUV's battery climbing from 15% to 71% in just over 12 minutes.
Here's what to know
For the test, William Jarbeaux from the YouTube channel @Out of Spec Roaming drove the P10 all-wheel-drive Ultra variant from Oslo toward Stavanger, evaluating comfort alongside energy use and charging performance.
The test took place in near-freezing weather, with the SUV riding on 21-inch Nokian Hakkapeliitta R5 studless winter tires.
Jarbeaux used the EX60's navigation system to select a stop and monitored its estimated arrival charge along the route. After traveling about 355 kilometers (221 miles), he arrived at an Ionity charging station in Mandal.
Over four hours and five minutes of driving, energy consumption averaged 20.4 kilowatt-hours per 100 kilometers (32.8 kilowatt-hours per 100 miles).
The battery reached 45% within six minutes as the SUV drew the full output of the station's 300-kilowatt charger. "The Volvo seems to charge amazingly well and it doesn't dip up and down … It's just [charging] flat at 299 kilowatts," Jarbeaux said.
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Jarbeaux started charging at 15% and ended at 71% after just 12 minutes and 39 seconds.
More background
Volvo's SPA3 architecture underpins the midsize electric EX60, according to Jarbeaux. The trip tested its long-distance capabilities in everyday winter conditions, including highway traffic, darkness, and winding Norwegian roads.
Jarbeaux skipped the chargers at a Circle K stop about 174 kilometers (108 miles) into the drive because the battery still held 56%, so charging wasn't necessary.
An Audi Q6 E-Tron owner commented, "When it comes time to move on [from my current vehicle], the EX60 is currently the one I would get."
Another commenter wrote, "By far the best new premium electric SUV in the class against BMW iX3 and Mercedes Benz GLC electric."
"Charging only 16 minutes between Oslo and Stavanger — that's awesome," someone else commented.
For anyone considering making their next car an EV, charging convenience sits alongside potential fuel savings and reduced routine maintenance as a consumer benefit.
Charging an EV at home often costs half as much as using public chargers, but basic Level 1 charging tends to be slow. Qmerit provides free, instant installation estimates for faster Level 2 home charger installations.
Where can I learn more?
The EX60's short charging stop kept its winter road trip moving — other EVs have been trialed in cold-weather regions and for charging efficacy:
• Norway's highway testing put BMW's iX3 ahead of Volvo's EX60 and Mercedes' GLC Electric.
• Two EVs retained sharply different ranges in freezing conditions, highlighting the heat pump's importance.
• Porsche's Cayenne Electric faced a real-world charging test at Toronto's lone 400-kilowatt charger.
• In New Jersey, a Mach-E owner got just 35 kilowatts from a 250-kilowatt charger.
• A Polestar 2 driver logged five hours of charging on a 1,000-mile road trip.
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