e-SUV Brawl Coming in 2026
Hello dear Readers,
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Something beautiful is happening in the electrification space, we are entering a post-ICE age in a first segment in Europe. An age where the powers of competition are making the products, and thus the lives of consumers, better at a blistering space. The fight got even hotter since last week when Volvo released the specs of the XC60 lineup. Forget about diesel, petrol or PHEV, if you are in the market for a premium SUV you will get the best car by going for a fully electric one. More power, more standard equipment and more space than equivalent combustion vehicles, even compared to the segment higher.
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That this is happening in the SUV space is logical. Contrary to Elon Musk, European car executives do know their market well enough to launch the SUVs that consumers want before the equivalent saloons. Over half of what was put on the road in the last few years can be slotted into the category of SUV.
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It seems like yesterday that I was raving about the specs of the Audi Q6 E-tron and Porsche Macan with their 800 volt technology. It's flabbergasting that they seem outdated compared to the Mercedes GLC EQ, BMW iX3 and Volvo XC60. That last one will have a top P12 version that sits perfectly in the same price range as the others with a 117! kwh battery and a top charging speed of 370 kw. While this is not quite as high as the BMW that tops out at 400 kw, the fact that Volvo claims a 10-80% charging time of under 20 minutes does indicate an incredibly high and flat charging curve. Think Volvo's are Lame? Watch out if you are next to one at the light as it will also sport a cool 680! hp in power.
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While we all know that the claimed range of 800 km will never materialize in the reality of everyday life, 112 kwh net battery capacity and almost 400 kw of charging will practically guarantee that you can make a fully loaded 1.000 km trip with less than half an hour of resting time, maybe an hour in the middle of winter with a skibox on the roof and two kids and the dog in the back.
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That these vehicles are beginning to fulfill exactly what drivers are expecting from an electric car is also being proven by the numbers. Both BMW and Mercedes are working hard to ramp up production with extra shifts and weekend work as demand outpaces the forecasts. All the crazier as all those orders are done without being able to go on a test drive.
Grtz
Pieter
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