The Volvo EX30 promises to be a relatively affordable compact crossover EV with plenty of style and Scandinavian simplicity. However, its potential success is already hindered by a number of issues.
After being delayed in the United States until next year because of the increased tariffs on imported Chinese EVs–the car is currently built in China but assembly will also start in Belgium–Volvo’s cute entry-level electric crossover is facing some serious software issues that prompted some buyers in the United Kingdom to return their cars and ask for full refunds.
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The reality of software-centric cars
Software is a major part of making a modern car attractive to potential buyers. Tesla kickstarted this trend when it installed a huge infotainment screen in the first Model S and now everyone is trying to make things as simple as possible in the pursuit of higher profit margins. This includes removing most, if not all physical buttons from the interior and integrating them into a single touchscreen. The problem is that when the display forgets how to ... display, things can get pretty nasty.
According to Autocar, it's all down to software. The EX30 has almost no physical buttons inside and relies on the central touchscreen display for everything from turning on the headlights to resetting the trip computer.
However, it has been reported that the very screen which is essential for the driver's interaction with the car went black on several cars sold in the UK.
Moreover, there are reports of steering wheel buttons becoming unresponsive, failed charging attempts due to the car and not the charger, as well as emergency braking system randomly activating for no good reason, affected owners told Autocar.
In some cases, the center screen would work correctly but the information displayed would be inaccurate, such as the time and range estimates. Other issues, like driver profiles reverting back to factory settings and failing driver aids, have also been reported.
“We recognize that this is not what they expect from their Volvo car, and we are working to remedy this as swiftly as possible with the minimum of inconvenience to our customers,” a Volvo spokesperson said for Autocar.
“In a very small number of cases in the UK, customers have chosen to exercise their consumer rights to return their cars. Volvo Cars strives and continues to support its customers throughout the ownership journey, and overall we continue to be encouraged by the positive feedback we are receiving from owners,” the spokesperson added.
The Volvo EX30 is still on sale in the UK, although the car is currently not showing up on the carmaker's website because of an impending update related to the upcoming launch of the UK-market 2025 model year.
Globally, the EX30 has been a successful model, selling about 11,000 units in May, enough to make it Volvo's best-selling EV.
Software issues have been linked to the EX30 even before it went on sale, with the Swedish-based automaker reportedly delaying deliveries at the beginning of the year to fix some gremlins. After its market launch, the entry-level electric Volvo was recalled for a software glitch that would cause the speedometer to go into test mode when the car was started. The issue was fixed through an over-the-air software update.
