[ UPDATE 25/9/2024 12:00 ] The Volvo EX30 has officially launched in Malaysia. Available in 3 variants priced from RM188,888.
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Volvo has finally unveiled the EX30, its smallest fully electric SUV which sits below the current XC40 and C40. Despite being the smallest, this “little” EV is a huge deal for Volvo as it is also the quickest and greenest Volvo vehicle ever produced.
Cheapest Volvo EV yet
Being an “entry-level” SUV, this is the cheapest fully electric SUV from Volvo with a starting price of around EUR 36,000 (about RM177,000). That’s about EUR 10,000 (about RM49,000) cheaper than the base spec XC40 EV with a single motor. According to Volvo, the pricing for the EX30 allows customers to own a premium fully electric SUV for a similar price to a combustion engine-powered equivalent.
Quickest Volvo ever produced, 0-100km/h in 3.6 seconds
The Volvo EX30 comes in either single or twin-motor variants. The range-topping twin-motor EX30 produces 428hp and 543Nm of torque. It can do 0-100km/h in just 3.6 seconds, making it Volvo’s fastest-accelerating car ever. As a comparison, the C40 Twin-Motor EV produces 402hp and it does 0-100km/h in 4.7 seconds.
Meanwhile, the single-motor version produces 272hp and 343Nm of torque. However, it is still respectably quick with a 0-100km/h time of 5.7 seconds. With the single-motor Extended Range version, it has a slightly quicker 0-100 time of 5.3 seconds. As usual, all Volvo EX30s are speed-limited with a top speed of 180km/h.
LFP and NMC battery options
If you just need an EV for city driving, the single-motor standard-range model features a Lithium Iron Phosphate (LFP) battery which is said to be more cost-effective and less resource-intensive to produce. The 51kWh battery capacity has a rated range of up to 344km.
Meanwhile, the extended-range models use a 69kWh NMC battery (with Lithium, Nickel, Manganese and Cobalt) which has a rated range of up to 480km on a single charge for the single-motor version.
In terms of charging, the standard-range model can support up to 134kW DC fast charging while the extended-range can go up to 153kW. According to Volvo, you can charge the EX30 from 10-80% in slightly over 25 minutes.
Most sustainable Volvo ever
Being a compact SUV, the EX30 uses 30% less steel and aluminium combined compared to their largest SUV. To minimise its impact to the environment, about 25% of all aluminium, 17% of all steel and plastic used on the EX30’s exterior are recycled. In addition, about 30% of its decor parts for the interior are using recycled plastic.
To take its sustainability efforts a step further, Volvo says it has managed to reduce the EX30’s total carbon footprint of over 200,000 km of driving to under 30 tonnes which includes the entire production and lifecycle of the EV. This is said to be the lowest carbon footprint of any Volvo car to date and it is a 25% reduction compared to its fully electric C40 and XC40.
Simpler Tesla-inspired interior
Stepping inside the EX30, it has a minimalist interior which looks inspired by Tesla. There’s no instrument cluster behind the steering wheel and the drive selector has been replaced with a stalk on the steering column. The only display is the central 12.3″ portrait touchscreen which is also used to display the speed and current drive you’re in. Similar to the current Volvo EVs, it runs on Android Automotive OS with support for Google Services. It also supports wireless Apple Car Play and 5G connectivity. There are a total of four USB-C ports and a wireless charging pad.
Another simplification or cost-cutting measure is the lack of power window buttons and speakers for the front doors. Instead, the EX30 gets a single-piece soundbar on the dashboard, while the power window controls are placed right in the middle of the armrest which also houses a retractable cupholder tray.
One major gripe is that Volvo uses VW’s style of sharing the same power window switches for both front and rear doors. If you want to wind down the windows for the rear doors, you’ll need to tap on a “REAR” button before adjusting the left or rear toggles. Meanwhile, rear occupants can also adjust their windows right behind the centre console.
Another interesting quirk is that the glove box is moved to the centre, right below the touchscreen display. Like a Tesla, you can only open it by pressing a button on the touchscreen.
The EX30 is about the size of the Hyundai Kona Electric
The Volvo EX30 with a wheelbase of 2650mm, is 4233mm long, 1836mm wide and 1549mm tall. Overall, it is slightly bigger than the current Hyundai Kona Electric (Length: 4205mm, Width: 1800mm, Height: 1570mm) but smaller than the upcoming all-new Kona Electric (Length: 4355mm, Width: 1825mm, Height: 1575mm) which has a longer wheelbase of 2660mm.
Since the EX30 is built from the ground up as an electric vehicle, it comes with a totally flat floor which is great for the rear passenger in the middle. Meanwhile, the boot has 318 litres of capacity and it gets an additional 61 litres of space under the load floor. Upfront, the EX30 comes with a frunk to store smaller items such as a repair kit or charging cable.
Big on safety tech
As you would expect from a fully electric Volvo, the EX30 is packed with advanced driver assist systems such as pilot assist, collision avoidance, driver alert and even door opening alert. According to Volvo, the EX30 is their first car to feature its next-generation Park Pilot Assist feature which can help you park in a wider range of parking spaces such as parallel, curved, perpendicular and diagonal fishbone-style spots. The new system will help identify available parking spots as you drive along and the car will park itself by tapping the spot you want from the 3D user interface.
The Volvo EX30 also supports digital key which uses UWB technology. Besides unlocking your car from your smartphone, the feature also makes it easier to share your car with others. You can also monitor and manage the EX30 features remotely from the dedicated app. Similar to current Volvos, the EX30 can also receive new features through over-the-air software updates.
Available in Cross Country Edition
If you want a more rugged SUV, the EX30 is also available in Cross Country variant. Available later in 2024, the EX30 Cross Country comes with more ground clearance and the option for 19″ black wheels or 18″ wheels with bespoke tyres.
To make it stand out, the Cross Country variant also gets extra skid plates for the front, rear and sides. Meanwhile, the front and boot lid also get additional black panels with Cross Country branding.
The Volvo EX30 is now available in Europe, while pre-orders are available in the US. So far there’s no word yet about its availability in Malaysia. Since Volvo Malaysia is currently assembling EVs such as the XC40 and C40 at Shah Alam, it would be interesting to see how much the EX30 would cost in its CKD form. If it’s priced around RM200,000, the EX30 would be an interesting electric option that competes with the likes of the Hyundai Kona electric and the Smart #1.
