Volvo is preparing to refresh its electric vehicle lineup with the introduction of the EX50. This is according to sources “in the know”, who report that the compact crossover will become the brand’s entry-level battery-electric model in the U.S. Arriving in late 2027, the EX50 is slated to replace the outgoing EX40 (and its EC40 sibling).
In Canada, we continue to have the smaller EX30, and it’s expected the two models will sit side by side in Canadian showrooms.
New platform
The EX50 will introduce Volvo's new SPA3 platform to the compact crossover segment. Replacing the aging CMA architecture, this dedicated software-defined vehicle architecture features an 800-volt electrical system to deliver faster charging speeds, improved software capabilities and increased energy efficiency.
Volvo has acknowledged that hard lessons learned from the earlier EX90 launch helped shape SPA3's development, with a new emphasis on seamless software integration and reduced production costs.
Larger, longer, and taller than the EX40, the EX50 offers improved interior packaging to better meet customer expectations for family space.
Under the hood, the crossover is expected to share mechanical configurations with the upcoming EX60, potentially offering a single-motor rear-wheel-drive variant with roughly 369 HP and a dual-motor all-wheel-drive version producing up to 670 hp.
Maximum range is expected to land between the EX40’s 476 km and the EX60’s 531 km.
Aggressive pricing
Despite its larger dimensions and advanced tech, the EX50 is expected to arrive with lower pricing than its predecessor. While no pricing has been confirmed, it’s expected the ball will start rolling in in the high $40,000 USD range, or the equivalent of around $67,000 CAD. For context, the current EX40 retails for just over $56,000 south of the border and around $63,000 north of it.
The competitive positioning will actually put Volvo’s new EV in range of high-volume non-luxury electric crossovers like the Hyundai Ioniq 5, Ford Mustang Mach-E and Tesla Model Y, while still taking aim at luxury models like the Cadillac Optiq, Audi Q4 e-tron and BMW iX3.
Production of the EX50 is set to begin in spring 2027 at Volvo’s new manufacturing facility in Kosice, Slovakia. The plant boasts an annual capacity of up to 250,000 units and will also assemble the future Polestar 7.