Volvo Cars yesterday revealed its latest EV (electric vehicle) and the brand’s first small premium SUV, expanding its all-electric offering to four models. The EX30 is aimed at the fast-growing segment with attractive pricing starting at around €36,000 in Europe and $34,950 in the U.S.—similar prices to internal-combustion-engine-powered equivalents, says the company.

“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 Volvo Cars’ Chief Executive Jim Rowan. “We like to say the EX30 is small yet mighty because it delivers on everything you’d want from a Volvo but in a smaller package.”

Rowan “unboxed” the new EV at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UBsPUpqSPFs. More detail on the car is at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fg0g78LJCzg&t=248s.

The EX30 features a long 2650-mm (104.3-in) wheelbase, large wheels, and equal overhangs to “bring balance” to the exterior, with a closed shield (grille) and a digital rendition of the Thor’s Hammer headlights. The five-seater is 166.7 in (4233 mm) long, 72.3 in (1836 mm) wide, and 61 in (1549 mm) tall, with a maximum cargo capacity of 31.9 ft³ (903 L). Mass ranges from 1830 to 2338 kg (4034 to 5154 lb), and maximum towing is 2000 lb (907 kg).

Being a Volvo, safety is a significant focus for the EX30. A standard feature aims to prevent “dooring” accidents, alerting occupants about to open a door in front of a cyclist, scooter, or runner. Also used are state-of-the-art restraint technology and top-notch structural design to fulfill ambitious in-house safety requirements.

The EX30 is the first Volvo to include a new generation of the Park Pilot Assist feature that can handle all types of parking spaces including parallel, curved, perpendicular, and diagonal fishbone-style. The feature identifies available parking spots, then a user taps the one wanted in the new 3D user interface and the system operates the throttle, braking, and steering under user supervision. During the parking process, the screen shows the distance to objects.

 

Fast and sustainable

There are three powertrain options and two different battery types.

For city use and shorter distances is a 203-kW/343-N·m (253 lb·ft) single-motor option with a 51-kW·h LFP (lithium iron phosphate) battery. The standard-range battery is more cost-effective and less resource-intensive to produce, meaning it is the best option for customers that don’t need maximum range, which is up to 214 mi (344 km) by WLTP measures.

For customers needing more range, the single-motor extended range variant has the same power but a 69-kW·h NMC (nickel manganese cobalt) for a WLTP range of up to 480 km (298 mi), with a power consumption of up to 4.0 mi/kW·h. The U.S. maximum range is quoted at up to 275 mi (443 km).

The performance variant pairs the NMC battery with another e-motor in front. This all-wheel-drive EX30 produces 319 kW/543 N·m (400 lb·ft) for acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h (0 to 62 mph) in 3.6 s and 0 to 60 mph in 3.4 s, making it Volvo’s fastest-accelerating car ever.

The charging capacity is 134 kW for the standard-range model and 153 kW for the extended-range twin-motor variant. For the latter, that means charging from 10% to 80% in a little over 26.5 min in ideal conditions for the 69-kW·h pack. Through the car’s center display and app, users can set the amperage, maximum charging level, and when to start charging.

The EX30 is designed to have the lowest carbon footprint of any Volvo car to date and represents an important step forward for the brand’s sustainability ambitions. By tackling emissions across the entire production and lifecycle, as well as careful use of materials inside and out, the company managed to reduce the EV’s total carbon footprint of over 200,000 km (124,000 mi) of driving to below 30 t (33 ton) based on the use of EU27 electricity mix charging.

“Our new EX30 is a big step in the right direction for our sustainability ambitions,” said Anders Kärrberg, our Global Head of Sustainability. “By 2025, we aim to reduce our overall CO2 emissions per car by 40% from 2018 levels through a 50% reduction in overall tailpipe emissions, and a 25% reduction in emissions from our operations, raw material sourcing, and supply chain—all on the way towards our ambition of being a climate-neutral company by 2040.”

 

Interior themes

The EX30’s interior offers a “contextual user experience,” which is aimed at removing complexity for more focused and enjoyable driving, on a single screen. On top of that, features such as a soundbar covering the entire width of the dashboard—the first of its kind in a car, according to Volvo—and an array of smart storage ideas combine to deliver a big-car experience from less.

“The Volvo EX30 combines all the best elements of Scandinavian design,” said Lisa Reeves, Volvo’s Head of Interior Design. “New materials add creative textures, color, and personality to the cabin, while smart functionality and a great user experience are the hallmarks of every true Volvo creation. Together, these elements distill the essence of a Volvo into a small package.”

Volvo aims to make EX30 users’ life more convenient, relaxing, and enjoyable inside with cutting-edge tech and Scandinavian interior design with a choice of four interior themes or “rooms” that take a more sustainable approach to materials.

For example, one room incorporates waste products from the denim-recycling process. Another material is recycled plastic made from old-window-frame and roller-shutter waste. Flax, a renewable fiber derived from linseed plants, is supplied through a Volvo Cars Tech Fund investment in Bcomp. A responsibly sourced wool blend includes 70% recycled polyester. Another upholstery choice called Nordico is created from textiles made from recyclables such as PET bottles and bio-attributed material from forests in Sweden and Finland.

In addition, there are five different ambient lighting themes inspired by the Scandinavian landscape with subtly shifting colors to add a sense of calm to the interior. They range from warm sunlight falling through the leaves of a Scandinavian forest, a sunset on the Swedish west coast, the world-famous northern lights, the golden summer skies of Swedish midsummer, to the bright mood of an urban sunset. For extra immersion, a user can pair each lighting theme with an ambient soundscape.

The EX30’s soundbar, the first of its kind, is inspired by home audio design. It brings several speakers together into one unit on top of the IP at the base of the windshield and still fills the entire cabin with sound and can be combined with the Harman Kardon high-end system.

Volvo says that the soundbar is a great instance of smart design by clustering speakers within one component and reducing the amount of wiring and material. With no need for speakers in the door, there can be a lot more storage space. In the same vein, Volvo designers moved the window switches to the center console, easy to reach for both driver and passenger.

These and other examples represent a broader principle of centralization inside the vehicle. The glove compartment is relocated beneath the center screen, using extra space provided by the flat floor, so the driver and passenger can access it easily.

The versatile center console uses a sliding system that allows users to reconfigure the space. The top of the cupholder can be slid out to hold a drink or moved back for more storage. The lower portion has a protective storage area for small items such as sunglasses or ear pods. A bag can be placed in the large open space above. A storage box can slide out from beneath for rear passengers.

 

Contextual user interface

Putting everything into the single 12.3-in screen in the center of the IP helps create a feeling of space around the driver as well as saves on materials.

“Inside the EX30 we continue our strategy of contextual and focused interfaces,” said Tom Stovicek, Volvo’s Head of User Experience. “On the single screen, key driving information such as speed and charge levels are positioned prominently at the top, with navigation, media, and controls easily visible and accessible below. We also include a contextual bar that gives you the most relevant functions for your needs at any time.”

The center screen also offers a “calm” view, which strips away everything apart from the most vital information for extra focus. This feature is helpful at night when it can reduce the strain on user’s eyes during long drives.

For the EX30, Volvo worked closely with tech partners such as Google, Apple, and Qualcomm Technologies to deliver the best possible user experience.

Infotainment is handled by a contextual single-screen UX with Google built-in, which means hands-free help from Google Assistant, Google Maps navigation, and apps from the Google Play store. The EX30 is the first Volvo car that comes with wireless Apple CarPlay functionality. The infotainment system comes with 5G where available. The premium in-vehicle experience is said to be ultra-responsive thanks to its Snapdragon Cockpit platform from Qualcomm.

Volvo also worked with ECARX—co-founded in 2017 by Chairman and CEO Ziyu Shen and Eric Li (Li Shufu), who is also the founder and chairman of Zhejiang Geely Holding Group—through the jointly owned HaleyTek software joint venture to deliver the best possible infotainment platform globally.

The EV’s digital key functionality, scheduled to be rolled out next year via an over-the-air software update, is built on UWB and CCC industry standards for compatibility with various mobile phone brands and models. The car’s app offers services from charging to finding a car in a parking lot, locking it, and heating it on a cold winter day.

 

Smoother, more flexible buying experience

Reflecting the vehicle’s flexibility and convenience, the way Volvo structured the commercial offer designed around freedom of choice—for example through outright ownership, leasing, or subscription. The most unique option, a Care by Volvo subscription, involves a set monthly cost at a glance, without hidden fees or costs.

“With subscriptions for the EX30 starting at €599 per month, we strongly believe this car will be an attractive choice for many customers—not just for our existing customers but also for those who are new to the Volvo brand,” said Björn Annwall, Volvo’s Chief Commercial Officer and Deputy CEO. “That will allow us to create new customer relationships and boost customer retention over time.”

Volvo wants customers to get the same buying experience regardless of whether they visit a retailer, urban studio, website, or the Volvo Cars app. It developed a simpler and smoother buying process via its online flagship store at volvocars.com, with transparent online pricing and without hidden fees. In addition, the UK will be Volvo’s first market to switch to a fully integrated online/physical, direct-to-consumer model this year.

The EX30 is available for ordering now across Europe and other selected markets, with deliveries beginning later this year. In the U.S., customers can place pre-orders, while order books will open in other markets at a later stage.

Next year, the EX30 will get a Cross Country variant “for customers who want a bit more adventure from their car.” It will come with a range of special features such as more ground clearance, 19-in black wheels, and the option of 18-in wheels with taller tires. It will be recognizable by its front and rear lower skid plates and black panels above, Cross Country branding, and hood-mounted Swedish flag.

Order books for this version will open in 2024, with production expected to start later that year.