Designed to Move You

EX60, Volvo’s newest fully electric vehicle, is an expression of the brand’s enduring appeal to Scandinavian design. Every detail has been thoughtfully considered to create an interior that balances innovation with timeless appeal. House & Home’s Gillian Atkins sat down with Rekha Meena (below right), Head of Colour, Material & Finish Strategy (CMF) and Cecilia Stark (below left), Senior Design Manager, CMF Strategy, to explore the philosophy behind Volvo’s distinctive design language and the colours, materials and finishes that bring it to life.

Q&A

HOUSE & HOME: If form follows function, how does designing for a new electric vehicle influence your approach?

Cecilia Stark: The increased interior space of an electric car brings new design considerations.

Rekha Meena: More room allows for a wider, less cluttered dashboard and a centre-mounted glove box, so the driver no longer needs to reach across. There’s also more storage in the centre console. All of these elements are considered early on.

HH: How does sustainability shape your selections?

CS: At Volvo, we’re committed to sustainability. In addition to leather, we offer materials such as Nordico, a premium leather alternative, and traceable and responsibly sourced natural wool upholstery.

RM: Material choices are also about wellness – materials that are good for skin, comfort and air quality.

HH: Where do you draw your inspiration for colours and materials?

CS: Our unique Scandinavian design heritage is our baseline, alongside architecture, fashion and in some projects, bolder textile references.

RM: Our inspiration starts with the Scandinavian landscape — not just light woods and neutrals, but the richer colours found in Nordic earth, trees and sky as they change through the seasons. The Cardamom interior “room” was inspired by ripening barley and spices; nearly all our colours trace back to nature.

HH: Can you explain what “rooms” are?

CS: Previously, customers could mix and match individual materials and colours — paint, wood, upholstery, carpet — which made design difficult to control and sometimes could result in mismatched combinations. Now we design each car as a room, curating coordinated material sets that give us creative freedom within a cohesive palette.

RM: The Cardamom interior, for example, is composed of a spice, bark, and herb palette — a modern take on brown: warm, earthy mid-tones that feel sporty yet calm, fashion-forward but not trendy. All together, it works like a timeless, well-designed room — just on wheels.

HH: What kind of driver are you designing for?

RM: There’s no one-size-fits-all Volvo driver. We design for individuals and for generations within families.

CS: Volvo intentionally positions itself as a small, different brand: we don’t want to follow the crowd and we do things differently on purpose. Our drivers appreciate that difference. They want technological innovation — the EX60 has the longest range to date — but they also embrace the authentic, calm, timeless aesthetic that has become synonymous with Volvo’s identity.

H&H: How else does the EX60 bring the Scandinavian landscape into the cabin experience?

RM: Interior illumination plays a key role in the overall experience of the car. When you open the door, the lighting creates a warm and welcoming atmosphere. Inside, LED lighting is designed to mimic natural sunlight, using less blue light to support a calm, comfortable experience cross different driving and light conditions.

CS: The EX60 also introduces a new level of ambient lighting designed to enhance both usability and emotional well-being. It features six ambient light themes inspired by Scandinavian nature — Northern Lights, Midsummer, Forest Bath, Archipelago, Autumn Sunset and Moonlight — creating an atmosphere that feels warm, intuitive and calming throughout the cabin.

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