The EX30 is shaping up to be the consummate all-rounder, thanks to a desirable blend of performance, style, luxury, safety, and value for money.
The all-new Volvo EX30 has been revealed in Milan as the brand's smallest SUV ever and a new member of the electric Volvo lineup. Volvo promises the newcomer will have an "oversized impact" in a number of weighs, including reduced emissions, high levels of practicality, and impressive performance.
The subcompact electric SUV will be offered in two flavors: Single Motor Extended Range and a performance-oriented Twin Motor Performance derivative. Both modes use a 69 kWh ( 64 kWh usable) nickel-manganese cobalt (NMC) battery, providing up to 275 miles of estimated range in the single-motor variant and 265 miles in the dual-motor model. The former drives the rear axle with 268 hp and 253 lb-ft of torque, running from 0-60 mph n 5.1 seconds.
The Twin Motor model delivers 422 hp and 400 lb-ft thanks to a front-mounted motor (154 hp/147 lb-ft) giving it e-AWD, enabling 0-60 mph in 3.4 seconds, making it the quickest Volvo ever.
DC charging rate of 153 kW means the battery can be charged from 10-80% in just over 26.5 minutes.
While still instantly recognizable as a Volvo with strong EX90 influences, the little electric crossover has plenty of attitude. Pixelated Thor's Hammer headlights, a sculpted hood, and a grille-less fascia give it an identifiable front end. A black roof is par for the course these days, but the most unique elements occur at the back, where split taillight clusters see upper lighting elements flank the rear window while the lower light clusters are integrated with a rectangular design element spanning the width of the tailgate.
20-inch wheels have been showcased on the EX30 in reveal guise, but whether these will be standard remains to be seen.
In addition to standard variants, the EX30 will be available as a Cross Country model - previously the reserve of hatches, wagons, and sedans rather than crossover models - from late 2024.
This variant is characterized by extra ground clearance, 18- and 19-inch wheel options with all-terrain tires, black body cladding and bumper appliques, and skid plates. It will feature model-specific badging and a hood-mounted Swedish flag.
Five exterior colors will be available for the EX30, including Cloud Blue and Moss Yellow, the latter inspired by lichen growing on rocks along Sweden's west coast.
Despite a long wheelbase of 104.3 inches (two inches shy of the XC40's wheelbase), the EX30 is just 166.7 inches long (six inches shorter than the XC40).
By moving the window switches and other ancillaries to the center console, Volvo has freed up space on the doors to enhance the EX30's spaciousness. The center console also boasts unique storage options like slide-out drawers. It's a minimalistic interior thanks to the lack of a traditional instrument cluster and only a single screen on the center dash. Even the speakers have been removed from the doors, replaced by a soundbar spanning the width of the dash.
Four interior design themes are available, and you can select one of five ambient lighting themes mimicking various Scandinavian landscapes, all complemented by matching ambient soundscapes. The themes include "Swedish west coast," "The Northern Lights," and "Urban Sunset."
Seating five, the rear seats offer 38.3 inches of headroom and 32.3 inches of legroom - legroom that's five inches shy of the rear seats of a Honda Civic Hatchback - and a maximum cargo capacity of 31.9 cubic feet is available.
The EX30 can alert the driver when they're about to open their door in front of a cyclist, biker, or pedestrian. It's also the first Volvo to use the new generation of the Park Pilot Assist function, which can handle all types of parking spaces, including parallel, perpendicular, and more.
A strengthened safety cell, battery protection, and a new far-side airbag on the inboard side of the driver's seat are just some of the new safety features Volvo has implemented.
Infotaiment-wise, the EX30 relies on Google built-in and utilizes Qualcomm's Snapdragon Cockpit Platform, also availing wireless Apple CarPlay for enhanced connectivity. Over-the-air update functionality, phone-as-key, and a dedicated vehicle app that can lock/unlock the car, find the car in a parking lot, check the state of charge, and more, are all equipped to the EX30.
The EX30 has the lowest carbon footprint of any Volvo ever, and its competitive range and charging should reduce running costs. But it's also extremely affordable to purchase. In base form, the EX30 has an MSRP of $34,950. There are no direct competitors to the EX30, but it's within a few hundred dollars of the Mazda MX-30 and has more than double the range.
While Volvo's American production plant will produce the electric EX90, the EX30's production will take place in China, at least to start, negating its eligibility for any federal tax rebates.
"The fully electric EX30 might be our smallest ever SUV, but it's a big deal for our customers and a big deal for us as a company," said chief executive Jim Rowan. "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."
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