Volvo’s EX30 prototype has been spotted testing on public roads ahead of its official launch in November. The vehicle is set to be the most sustainable Volvo to date, with a carbon footprint 25% lower than that of the existing C40 Recharge and XC40 Recharge. The car will be available with two battery sizes and single- and dual-motor powertrains. The Swedish automaker has claimed a maximum range of 298 miles for the EX30, which will sit below the existing XC40 in the firm’s growing line-up of electric SUVs. The model will also champion the subscription ownership model to make it more affordable to Generation Z.
The EX30 will be offered with two battery variants, a smaller 51kWh LFP battery and a 69kWh NMC or NCM variant. The driveline impacts the efficiency of the car, so there’s a rear-wheel version and an all-wheel-drive version. The rear-wheel-drive, NCM-battery car is kind of the long-range version. The car has been designed to be recyclable to a high degree at the end of its life, with recycled materials comprising 17% of the car’s steel and plastics, and 25% of its aluminium. The firm will also use blockchain technology to verify the provenance of the lithium, cobalt, nickel, manganese and graphite used for production.
The EX30 will feature bolder styling elements to help win over a younger audience. It will take the form of a higher-riding crossover but with sleeker bodywork to maximise aerodynamic efficiency. The SEA architecture is currently used by the Smart #1 and a number of electric models from Geely’s China-only Zeekr brand. It is offered in various forms for vehicles of different lengths and can accept rear-drive single-motor and all-wheel-drive twin-motor powertrains. At launch, the Smart #1 offers 268bhp in standard form and 422bhp for a twin-motor range-topper. The SEA platform has a high level of connectivity built into it and offers over-the-air software updates.
Volvo CEO Jim Rowan said that subscriptions allow the brand to “talk to new customers”, having previously said that Volvo “has never really spoken to that young demographic”. The new model will use a modified version of parent Geely’s SEA architecture. At the launch, Rowan hinted that the compact model will be aimed at “city driving for first-time buyers”. With the EX30 sitting firmly in one of the fastest-growing segments, it will be key to Volvo achieving its target of selling 1.2 million cars annually by the middle of the decade, with half of those fully electric models.
Speaking at February’s EX90 launch, Volvo design chief Robin Page said the firm will “start evolving” its design language with the EX30 and future models. He said: “You’ll still recognise it as a Volvo and there are elements of the EX90 we’ll bring into future products. But with a smaller car, you can play around more with different things. You’ve got a bit more of a spectrum to play with colour, materials and the general expression.”
