Volvo’s newest EV is the EX30. It debuted in the fall of 2023. It has already launched with great fanfare in Europe and won prestigious awards such as World Urban Car of the Year and a Red Dot Design award. But the EX30 has become a bit of an enigma for Americans.
The Biden Administration is moving forward with a 100 percent tariff on Chiesea-built EVs. This led to Volvo moving production of America-bound EX30s from China to Ghent, Belgium. As a result, the EX30 has yet to arrive stateside, and it may never do so for the jaw-dropping sub-$ 35,000 price tag Volvo announced.
Gallery: 2025 Volvo EX30 First Drive
What does the Volvo EX30 look like?
The Volvo EX30 is tiny. Even calling it pint-sized may be pushing it. But per Volvo, “small is mighty.” The EX30 is classified as a subcompact electric crossover. It’s the smallest Volvo; its 8.1 inches shorter than the XC40 and about 20 inches shorter than a Tesla Model Y. The EX30 offers 31.9 cubic feet of total cargo storage, less than a Mini Cooper.
The EX30 sticks with the Scandinavian modernist look present in the rest of Volvo’s lineup. It looks like someone shrunk Volvo’s three-row EX90 down to subcompact size. Volvo plans to launch a Cross Country version of the EX30 after the initial launch with enhanced ground clearance, off-road tires, the option for 18-inch wheels and skid plates.
Volvo says the EX30 is its most eco-friendly car to date. Because it is smaller, the EX30 requires fewer materials and moves most interior functions to the center touchscreen. About 25% of the aluminum, 17% of the steel and 17% of the plastics used in the EX30 are recycled. Interior trims also use recycled materials like denim, flax and wool.
What will power the Volvo EX30?
The Volvo EX30 comes in two versions: a Single Motor Extended Range model and a Twin Motor Performance model. The Single Motor Extended Range EX30 is rear-wheel drive with 268 horsepower and 253 lb-ft of torque. Volvo estimates a range of 275 miles. The Twin Motor Performance is all-wheel-drive with 422 hp and 400 lb-ft of torque. Volvo says it can accelerate from 0-60 mph in 3.4 seconds, making it Volvo’s quickest-ever production car.
Both Volvo EX30 models use a 69 kWh battery pack. With 153 kW fast charging, the EX30 can fully charge from 10-80% in 26.5 minutes.
How much will the Volvo EX30 cost?
That’s a good question. Volvo revealed the pricing for the EX30 when it debuted in 2023. The EX30 was due to start at just $34,950, making it the cheapest Volvo on sale (more than $5,000 less expensive than the XC40) and more than $18,000 cheaper than the C40 Recharge. The Twin Motor Performance EX30 was due to start at $44,900. Both models were due to have a $1,295 destination charge.
Those numbers, however, were predicated on Volvo building the EX30 for a lower cost in China. American EX30s will now be built in Europe, where production should cost more. Volvo has yet to announce whether and by how much pricing will change.
When will the Volvo EX30 arrive?
That’s another good question. Volvo initially said EX30 deliveries would start in the first half of 2024. However, with the production move, deliveries have now been moved to a “to be announced” delivery date sometime in 2025.
