Volvo Introduces The EX30: A Compact Electric SUV For The Masses

Jun 10, 2023

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Volvo continues to charge towards its goal of selling only fully electric vehicles by 2030 with the introduction of the new EX30 at a launch event today in Milan, Italy. The fully electric five-seater compact SUV is a revolution for the brand, delivering a well-appointed vehicle that's sure to find solid footing in Europe and around the world at the jaw dropping price of $34,950 in the US and around €36,000 in Europe.

"We know that price and cost of ownership is still one of the biggest challenges when people consider switching to an electric car," said Jim Rowan, CEO of Volvo. "With the Volvo EX30, we aim to bring premium, fully electric mobility to a much broader audience, helping to advance and speed up the transition to full electrification that our industry and society needs."

The Volvo EX30 comes in a range of different build options, with the base single motor configuration boasting a range of 214 miles on a combined cycle, or up to 295 miles of range in the city. It's great to see them distinguishing between the two, as the range that EVs can earn in the city is typically far higher than what you’ll see on the highway.

Moving on up the line, the single motor extended range build of the EX30 boasts 298 miles of range on the combined cycle and an impressive 411 miles of range in the city. For those looking for the premium all-wheel-drive experience or those who are looking for a more thrilling ride, the twin motor performance build pulls out all the stops. Its electric range on the combined cycle is 286 miles or 395 miles in the city.

This higher trimmed model really shines when it comes to power and torque. It boasts a 0 to 100 km/hr time of just 3.6 seconds, thanks in large part due to its 543 Nm of torque as well as its 428 hp. Power and torque figures drop down as you move down through the tiers, but even the Single Motor Standard Range EX30 is sporting a very respectable 343 Nm of torque and 272 hp.

Volvo built its brand on safety and if anything, this focus is only accelerated in the digital age. The EX30 boasts a range of required preventive safety systems as well as new or more innovative solutions. The EX30 boasts Intersection Auto Brake, Oncoming Lane Mitigation, Rear Collision Warning, Rear Cross-Traffic Alert with Auto Braking, and much much more.

Underpinning the Volvo EX30 is a foundation of sustainable design and materials. About 25% of all of the aluminum in the EX30 is recycled, and 17% of all steel and plastics used in the EX30 are recycled. This is noteworthy, as it's not enough to simply put all of our recyclable materials into the bin, but they also need to find homes replacing virgin materials in new products.

The new Volvo EX30 is a compact SUV, but has been designed to maximize the utility of its footprint. It has 318 liters of storage capacity behind the rear seats, which includes 61 liters of hidden storage underneath the load-bearing floor panel. This is something most combustion vehicle owners aren't used to, as this area typically houses emission control equipment. Offering hidden storage is an excellent way to increase the security of anything in the back, taking it out of sight and out of mind for would-be thieves.

At the same time, this sub-trunk storage is a great place to store all the knick-knacks that live in your car with you full-time. This can be anything from reusable shopping bags to a spare umbrella or jacket. It shows Volvo is not just looking to repackage the vehicles and ideas it has sold around the world for decades, but rather the company has re-thought and redesigned a completely new generation of vehicles that carry its design ethos forward into the electric era.

The Volvo EX30 also boasts a frunk, though its diminutive capacity will have it relegated to carrying much smaller items. By default, it is home to a warning triangle and repair kit, and also boasts a removable load floor that separates the permanently installed items and the passenger accessible storage area.

The exterior of the EX30 feels like Volvo has pulled a few designs out of the brand's playbook from the future. The smoothed-over grill is accented on either side by Volvo's new next generation LED headlights. As an SUV, you’d expect the EX30 to be blocky, but seeing it in motion, the EX30 looks wide and sleek, like a perfect hybrid of a sports car and an SUV. This sentiment is further communicated with its long hood and swooped back windscreen.

The interior of the EX30 is minimalist and clean with a slightly squared-off circular steering wheel boasting buttons integrated into the stalks. Volvo's signature center-mounted portrait display frames up the dash and is the home to most of the interactions with the vehicle. Very few, if any, other buttons live on the dash or are even visible.

The center display is powered by Google, ensuring a familiar look and feel to anyone who has used a smartphone or tablet in the last 10 years. It also means that new functionality can be added over time, including native apps, over-the-air software updates, etc.

As a special bonus, the EX30 is also going to have a Cross Country variant kitted out and ready to get dirty straight from the factory. The Volvo EX30 Cross Country brings Volvo's heritage of providing cars with a bit more capability for those looking to get out into the wilderness moving forward into the electric era.

It’ll have more ground clearance than the stock EX30 and will have a range of new wheel and tire options with more meat on them to absorb all the bumps and scrapes the trail can throw at it. The EX30 Cross Country looks slick and has a special livery that gives it a distinctly different look than its more buttoned-up sibling, and even has skid plates on the front rear and side. A small hood-mounted Swedish flag serves as almost a smirk, hinting at all sorts of mischief to come when its tires hit the dirt.

We’re thrilled to see Volvo carrying the Cross Country build forward into the electric era, and can't wait to see the EX30 Cross Country roaming the trails, exploring nature in completely silence. Order books for this less buttoned-up EX30 will open in 2024, with production of the new configuration starting later in 2024.

The fully electric Volvo EX30 will be available for purchase or as a monthly subscription, which gives buyers new options and flexibility to both utilize the EX30 for shorter trips or even to take it on a multi-week test drive. The subscriptions enable Volvo to make more solid relationships directly with customers as compared to the dealership model, which forces it to rely on its dealers as the face of the company in a typical vehicle purchase or lease arrangement.

"With subscriptions for the EX30 starting at EUR 599 per month, we strongly believe this car will be an attractive choice for many customers – not just for our existing customers but also to those who are new to the Volvo brand," said Björn Annwall, our chief commercial officer and deputy CEO. "That will allow us to create new customer relationships and boost customer retention over time."

The new Volvo EX30 is available for order starting today in Europe and select markets. In the United States, interested customers can submit an interest form and they will be contacted as the vehicle comes to market. To learn more about the Volvo EX30, head over to its official website or check out the full spec sheet.

All images courtesy: Volvo

I'm a tech geek passionately in search of actionable ways to reduce the negative impact my life has on the planet, save money and reduce stress. Live intentionally, make conscious decisions, love more, act responsibly, play. The more you know, the less you need. As an activist investor, Kyle owns long term holdings in Tesla, Lightning eMotors, Arcimoto, and SolarEdge.

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