Responding to strong demand for the car, Volvo Cars has decided that it will start building the new fully electric Volvo EX30 in its Ghent plant in Belgium from 2025, expanding production capacity for its celebrated small SUV.
The EX30 was revealed earlier this year to almost universal acclaim and has already won several major awards, including The Sun Car of the Year and the Small SUV/Crossover of the Year award from the Sunday Times.
Production of the EX30 started earlier this fall in Zhangjiakou, China and the first cars are scheduled to reach customers later this year. The decision to also build the EX30 in Ghent boosts production capacity for the expected EX30 demand in Europe as well as for global export, and reflects Volvo Cars’ ambition to build its cars where it sells them as much as possible.
The decision also adds production flexibility for what the company expects to be one of its best-selling models in coming years. This approach is a proven concept for Volvo Cars, which builds its top-selling XC60 and XC40 SUVs in both Europe and China.
“Our ambition is to sell the EX30 around the world at an attractive price point, easing the transition to driving an electric Volvo car for more people while also contributing to company margins,” said Jim Rowan, Volvo Cars’ chief executive. “Adding production in Ghent is a logical move as we aim to capture the strong demand for our exciting small electric SUV across the globe.”
Volvo Cars has one of the most ambitious electrification plans in the automotive industry and plans to sell only fully electric cars by 2030. Already by mid-decade, it aims for half of its global sales volume to consist of fully electric cars.
The EX30 plays a crucial role in those plans, as Volvo Cars expects it to contribute significantly to its growth and profitability objectives. This makes the EX30 a cornerstone of Volvo Cars’ ongoing strategic transformation.
Joining the XC40 and C40 models on the Ghent production line, the EX30 is the third fully electric Volvo model to be produced in Europe. This strengthens Volvo Cars’ electric car production capabilities in the region and underlines the important role of the Ghent plant in the company’s electrification strategy.
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Volvo Cars in 2022 For the full year 2022, Volvo Car Group recorded an operating profit of SEK 22.3 billion. Revenue in 2022 amounted to SEK 330.1 billion, while global sales reached 615,121 cars.
About Volvo Car Group Volvo Cars was founded in 1927. Today, it is one of the most well-known and respected car brands in the world with sales to customers in more than 100 countries. Volvo Cars is listed on the Nasdaq Stockholm exchange, where it is traded under the ticker “VOLCAR B”.
Volvo Cars aims to provide customers with the Freedom to Move in a personal, sustainable and safe way. This is reflected in its ambition to become a fully electric car maker by 2030 and in its commitment to an ongoing reduction of its carbon footprint, with the ambition to be a climate-neutral company by 2040.
As of December 2022, Volvo Cars employed approximately 43,200 full-time employees. Volvo Cars' head office, product development, marketing and administration functions are mainly located in Gothenburg, Sweden. Volvo Cars' production plants are located in Gothenburg, Ghent (Belgium), South Carolina (US), Chengdu, Daqing and Taizhou (China). The company also has R&D and design centres in Gothenburg and Shanghai (China).
The new Volvo EX30 has been honoured with its first major awards, even before the earliest cars have reached customers. In a perfect prelude to the fully electric small SUV’s arrival in some markets later this year, it has been crowned Car of the Year by The Sun and Small SUV/Crossover of the Year in the News UK Motor Awards.
Announced at a presentation ceremony in London today, the accolades highlight the qualities that make the EX30 the benchmark model in its class: a choice of pure electric powertrains, cutting-edge technology and Volvo quality, safety and design, all at an accessible price.
Rob Gill, The Sun Motors Editor, said: “The EX30 is everything you expect a modern Volvo to be – safe, Scandi cool and sustainable – at a price you’d never expect.”
“The EX30 is going to be a huge hit. We’re utterly convinced of it. Not only does it take home our Small SUV/Crossover of the Year crown, it is the stand-out winner as The Sun Car of the Year.”
The News UK Small SUV/Crossover award represents a consensus of support for the EX30 across a number of the organisation’s national media platforms, including The Sunday Times, whose Motoring Editor, Nick Rufford, commented: “Savvy buyers have been holding out for an electric SUV that’s smart looking, has vim and zest, and doesn’t break the bank. This mini-Volvo’s starting price undercuts not only its electric rivals, but plenty of petrol SUVs, too.”
Kristian Elvefors, Volvo Car UK Managing Director, said: “We could not hope for a better response to our newest model. These awards confirm our belief that the Volvo EX30 will help us reshape people’s perceptions of pure electric motoring with a car that suits their lifestyles, their driving needs and, importantly, their budgets.
“Its success will be pivotal to the growth of our brand, taking our leadership in electrified motoring to a higher level.”
The EX30 is the smallest SUV ever launched by Volvo Cars and is built on a purpose-designed electric vehicle platform. In addition to battery electric power that produces zero tailpipe emissions, it has been developed with a focus on keeping its carbon footprint to a minimum, across the complete vehicle lifecycle.
Consumers have a choice of three electric powertrains: a Single Motor version with 200kW (272hp) and a 51kWh battery; a Single Motor Extended Range with battery capacity increased to 69kWh; and a Twin Motor Performance model with 315kW (428hp) and a 69kWh battery. Its driving range is up to 476km and its battery can be recharged from 10 to 80 per cent capacity in a little over 25 minutes.
For more information on the Volvo EX30, and to use the online configurator, please go to www.volvocars.com
The Volvo EX30 is available for order now across Europe and other selected markets. In the United States, customers can place pre-orders, while orderbooks will open in other markets at a later stage that will be communicated in due course.
Charging times are dependent on factors such as outdoor temperature, current battery temperature, charging equipment, battery condition and car condition.
Range according to the realistic WLTP driving cycle under controlled conditions for a new car. Real-world range may vary.
Features and services may not be available in all markets and will not be standard in all markets or for all models.
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Volvo Cars in 2022 For the full year 2022, Volvo Car Group recorded an operating profit of SEK 22.3 billion. Revenue in 2022 amounted to SEK 330.1 billion, while global sales reached 615,121 cars.
About Volvo Car Group Volvo Cars was founded in 1927. Today, it is one of the most well-known and respected car brands in the world with sales to customers in more than 100 countries. Volvo Cars is listed on the Nasdaq Stockholm exchange, where it is traded under the ticker “VOLCAR B”.
Volvo Cars aims to provide customers with the Freedom to Move in a personal, sustainable and safe way. This is reflected in its ambition to become a fully electric car maker by 2030 and in its commitment to an ongoing reduction of its carbon footprint, with the ambition to be a climate-neutral company by 2040.
As of December 2022, Volvo Cars employed approximately 43,200 full-time employees. Volvo Cars' head office, product development, marketing and administration functions are mainly located in Gothenburg, Sweden. Volvo Cars' production plants are located in Gothenburg, Ghent (Belgium), South Carolina (US), Chengdu, Daqing and Taizhou (China). The company also has R&D and design centres in Gothenburg, Camarillo (US) and Shanghai (China).
As a small SUV that does big Volvo things, our new fully electric Volvo EX30 is designed to be as safe as you’d expect from us. It is designed to have the smallest CO2 footprint of any Volvo car to date, and to make people’s lives safer, more convenient and more enjoyable through cutting-edge technology and Scandinavian design.
Revealed to the world today in Milan, Italy and available to order now in selected markets*, the EX30 is our first small premium SUV and expands our constantly growing, all-electric offering to four models. As the market is rapidly moving towards full electrification, the EX30 will help us capture growing demand for fully electric cars in a fast-growing segment.
What’s more, the attractive pricing of the EX30 – which starts at around EUR 36,000 – means our customers get a premium all-electric SUV for a similar price as an internal combustion engine-powered equivalent . The EX30 will also be available with our Care by Volvo subscription package, with its set pricing and transparent ordering process, making ordering one a breeze.
“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 Jim Rowan, our chief executive. “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. Like any Volvo, it’s an outstanding product which is safe and designed around people and their needs.”
The EX30 embodies all of our design values in a smaller format. A long wheelbase, large wheels and equal overhangs bring balance and refinement to the exterior. It’s distinctly electric, with a confident face, closed shield and a digital rendition of the Thor’s Hammer headlights. Five vibrant exterior colours, from stylish Cloud Blue to bright and expressive Moss Yellow – the latter inspired by lichen growing on rocks along the Swedish west coast – give it character and personality.
So let’s talk about our battery technology. First of all, there’s no such thing as simply ‘a battery’ when we discuss powertrains. Instead, we’re giving you the freedom to choose the battery technology that best suits your needs, offering the EX30 with three powertrain options and two different battery types, which also allows us to offer an attractive entry price point for the EX30.
If you spend most of your time in the city or tend to travel shorter distances between charges, we’re offering a single-motor option with an LFP battery. The LFP standard-range battery, which uses lithium iron phosphate chemistry, is more cost-effective and less resource-intensive to produce, meaning it is the best option if you don’t need maximum range.
If you prefer to maximise range, the Single Motor Extended Range variant with an NMC extended-range battery is your EX30 of choice. The NMC battery features lithium, nickel, manganese and cobalt, and produces its energy more efficiently than the LFP variant. This single-motor, extended range option gives you a range of up to 480km between charges.
Finally, if performance is your priority, pick the Twin Motor Performance variant in which we pair the NMC battery with an additional second e-motor. This all-wheel drive variant of the EX30 provides 315kW (428hp) and takes you from 0-100 km/h in 3.6 seconds – it’s officially our fastest-accelerating car ever!
Another thing the EX30 does fast is charging. The extended-range Twin Motor variant has a charging capacity of up to 153kW, while the standard-range car has a capacity of 134kW. That means you can charge your battery from 10 to 80 per cent in a little over 25 minutes. Through the car’s centre display and app, you can set the amperage, maximum charging level and when you want to start charging.
To support the best possible driving experience, we’ve tuned the chassis of the EX30 to make the most of the car’s compact dimensions. Its low centre of gravity, as well as its relatively low and evenly distributed weight are complemented by ease of driving and nimbleness in the city and beyond.
A smaller carbon footprint, yet a big safety impact
As we wrote in earlier blogposts, the EX30 is designed to have the lowest carbon footprint of any Volvo car to date and represents an important step forward for our sustainability ambitions. By tackling emissions across the entire production and lifecycle, as well as a considerate use of materials inside and out, we managed to reduce its total carbon footprint over 200,000 kms of driving to below 30 tonnes*.
The EX30 is also designed to be as safe as you’d expect from a Volvo and aims to look after both you and others in hectic urban environments. For example, it includes as standard a special safety feature for bikes that helps to prevent so-called ‘dooring’ accidents, by alerting you when you are about to open your door in front of a cyclist, scooter or runner.
Our protective safety technology further illustrates how we’ve applied our high safety standards to our new small SUV. It contains state-of-the-art restraint technology, as well as top-notch structural design that fulfills our ambitious in-house safety requirements – designed to prepare our cars for various real-world scenarios.
The EX30 also aims to make your life more convenient, more relaxing and more enjoyable inside the car through cutting-edge tech and considerate Scandinavian interior design. You can choose from four distinct interior rooms, each with their own expression, while there are smart storage options throughout the cabin.
Together with a contextual single-screen UX, with Google built-in and running the latest version of our infotainment system, these features all reflect the hallmarks of true Volvo design.
Speaking of cutting-edge tech: the Volvo EX30 is our first car to include a new generation of our popular Park Pilot Assist feature. It can handle all types of parking spaces, including parallel, curved, perpendicular and diagonal fishbone-style, making parking in tight spaces a breeze.
The new Park Pilot Assist will identify any available parking spots around you. Then, once you’ve tapped the one you want in the new 3D user interface, the feature will operate the throttle and brake as well as the steering. While you supervise the parking process, the screen shows the distance to objects such as cars, walls and bollards in metric or imperial figures.
As with any Volvo car, for the EX30 we’ve worked closely with tech partners such as Google, Apple and Qualcomm to deliver the best possible user experience. We’ve also worked closely with ECARX through our jointly owned HaleyTek software joint venture to deliver the best possible infotainment platform for our customers.
A sense of calm
Of course, the EX30 will also come with a digital key functionality which is both convenient for you and makes it easy to share the car with others. Built on the advanced UWB and CCC industry standards, our technology will be compatible with a wide range of phone brands and models.
The car’s dedicated app contains all relevant services related to the car, from charging to finding your car on a busy parking lot, locking it and heating it on a cold winter day. The EX30 is also prepared to receive software updates over the air that will make it better over time.
As if that wasn’t enough, the Volvo EX30 also comes with a choice of five different ambient lighting themes. Each is inspired by a different Scandinavian landscape and subtly shifting in colour, adding a sense of calm to the interior.
Whether you prefer the 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 or the bright mood of an urban sunset, your EX30 will be filled with the colours of your choice. For extra immersion, you can pair each lighting theme with an ambient soundscape.
Finally, we’ve got a surprise for you. Starting next year, our EX30 will also become available as a Cross Country variant. Order books for this special version of our small electric SUV will open in 2024, with production expected to start later that year.
The Volvo EX30 Cross Country will build on our long Cross Country heritage, our celebrated line-up of models for customers who want a bit more adventure from their car. It’ll come with a range of bespoke features, such as more ground clearance, 19-inch black wheels and the option of 18-inch wheels with bespoke tyres.
When you take your EX30 Cross Country off the beaten path, it will be recognisable by its skidplates on the front, rear and side, special black panels on the front bumper and bootlid, and stylish Cross Country branding – the small, hood-mounted Swedish flag is the cherry on top.
The Volvo EX30 is available for order as of today across Europe and other selected markets. In the United States, customers can place pre-orders, while orderbooks will open in other markets at a later stage that will be communicated in due course.
The carbon footprint calculation of below 30 tonnes over 200,000 kms of driving is based on usage of charging electricity from the EU27 electricity mix. The lowest carbon footprint of any Volvo car to date statement relates to globally available products over 200,000 kms of driving.
Charging times are dependent on factors such as outdoor temperature, current battery temperature, charging equipment, battery condition and car condition.
Range according to the realistic WLTP driving cycle under controlled conditions for a new car. Real-world range may vary. Figures are based on preliminary target.
Digital key functionality subject to phone compatibility. UWB-based technology is scheduled to be rolled out next year via an over-the-air software update.
Features and services may not be available in all markets and will not be standard in all markets or for all models.
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Volvo Cars in 2022 For the full year 2022, Volvo Car Group recorded an operating profit of SEK 22.3 billion. Revenue in 2022 amounted to SEK 330.1 billion, while global sales reached 615,121 cars.
About Volvo Car Group Volvo Cars was founded in 1927. Today, it is one of the most well-known and respected car brands in the world with sales to customers in more than 100 countries. Volvo Cars is listed on the Nasdaq Stockholm exchange, where it is traded under the ticker “VOLCAR B”.
Volvo Cars aims to provide customers with the Freedom to Move in a personal, sustainable and safe way. This is reflected in its ambition to become a fully electric car maker by 2030 and in its commitment to an ongoing reduction of its carbon footprint, with the ambition to be a climate-neutral company by 2040.
As of December 2022, Volvo Cars employed approximately 43,200 full-time employees. Volvo Cars' head office, product development, marketing and administration functions are mainly located in Gothenburg, Sweden. Volvo Cars' production plants are located in Gothenburg, Ghent (Belgium), South Carolina (US), Chengdu, Daqing and Taizhou (China). The company also has R&D and design centres in Gothenburg, Camarillo (US) and Shanghai (China).
Sometimes, first impressions can be misleading. Yes, the new Volvo EX30 is our smallest SUV to date. And yes, it comes at an attractive price. But it can have an oversized impact, representing one of our biggest business opportunities in the coming years.
The Volvo EX30, available to order now in selected markets*, is a cornerstone of the strategic transformation we are on as a company. Already by mid-decade, we aim for half of our global sales volumes to consist of fully electric cars and to reach an operating profit margin of 8-10 per cent. By 2030, we plan to sell only fully electric models.
We expect the EX30 to be one of our best-selling models in coming years as we work towards those ambitions, and it will significantly contribute to our growth and profitability objectives.
With the Volvo EX30, we enter a new and fast-growing segment for our brand. There is a growing demand from consumers globally for small, fully electric premium SUVs. For example, many people living in the city are looking for a car that brings convenience and allows them to commute to work and get around, while doing so in a way that reflects who they are.
The EX30 is also designed to be as safe as you’d expect from a Volvo car and aims to look after both you and others in hectic urban environments. For example, it includes a special safety feature for bikes that helps to prevent so-called ‘dooring’ accidents, by alerting you when you are about to open your door in front of a cyclist, scooter or runner. State-of-the-art protective safety tech further illustrates how we’ve applied our high safety standards to the EX30.
The EX30 provides drivers with a true and capable SUV, born electric and packed with all the smart tech that they need. Combined with an attractive starting price of around EUR 36,000, this means customers get a premium fully electric SUV for a similar price to combustion engine-powered equivalents.
And as if that wasn’t enough, data from our initial analysis in two markets shows the total cost of ownership to be currently lower than any other fully electric Volvo car – and well ahead of much of the competition in the electric, small SUV segment*.
“We know that price and cost of ownership is still one of the biggest challenges when people consider switching to an electric car,” said Jim Rowan, our chief executive. “With the Volvo EX30, we aim to bring premium, fully electric mobility to a much broader audience, helping to advance and speed up the transition to full electrification that our industry and society needs.”
In the way you want it
With its convenient size, smart technology and different configurations to choose from, the Volvo EX30 is designed to appeal to a wide range of customers – each with their own preferences, needs and ways of life.
That same flexibility and convenience is reflected in the way we structured the commercial offer. It is designed around convenience and freedom of choice. You decide how you want to access a Volvo EX30: for example through outright ownership, leasing or subscription.
Our Care by Volvo subscription offer has been very successful in recent years, not in the least because it gives customers flexibility and price predictability. We’ll offer that same level of transparency on the EX30: you can see your monthly cost at a glance, without hidden fees or costs, allowing you to enjoy life with your EX30 even more.
“With subscriptions for the EX30 starting at EUR 599 per month, we strongly believe this car will be an attractive choice for many customers – not just for our existing customers but also to those who are new to the Volvo brand,” said Björn Annwall, our chief commercial officer and deputy CEO. “That will allow us to create new customer relationships and boost customer retention over time.”
A seamless customer experience
The Care by Volvo subscription packages are part of our ever-growing online offer. We’ve focused on developing a simple, intuitive and smooth buying process via our online flagship store volvocars.com. Transparent online pricing without hidden fees, as well as an easy-to-understand offer, makes ordering a new Volvo EX30 a breeze.
That online sales process reflects our ambition of creating the best possible customer experience, seamlessly merging online and offline channels. Regardless of whether you visit one of our retailers, walk into one of our urban studios, head to our website or use the Volvo Cars app, everyone should get the same outstanding and meaningful experience.
In addition to the United Kingdom, which will be our first market to switch to a fully integrated online/physical, direct-to-consumer model this year, the Volvo EX30 will also be available online in other selected markets.
The small print
The Volvo EX30 is available for order as of today across Europe and other selected markets. In the United States, customers can place pre-orders, while orderbooks will open in other markets at a later stage that will be communicated in due course.
Total cost of ownership calculations from third-party data, based on 36 months and 60,000kms of driving an EX30 Single Motor Core in the German and French markets. We expect similar results in other markets.
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Volvo Cars in 2022 For the full year 2022, Volvo Car Group recorded an operating profit of SEK 22.3 billion. Revenue in 2022 amounted to SEK 330.1 billion, while global sales reached 615,121 cars.
About Volvo Car Group Volvo Cars was founded in 1927. Today, it is one of the most well-known and respected car brands in the world with sales to customers in more than 100 countries. Volvo Cars is listed on the Nasdaq Stockholm exchange, where it is traded under the ticker “VOLCAR B”.
Volvo Cars aims to provide customers with the Freedom to Move in a personal, sustainable and safe way. This is reflected in its ambition to become a fully electric car maker by 2030 and in its commitment to an ongoing reduction of its carbon footprint, with the ambition to be a climate-neutral company by 2040.
As of December 2022, Volvo Cars employed approximately 43,200 full-time employees. Volvo Cars' head office, product development, marketing and administration functions are mainly located in Gothenburg, Sweden. Volvo Cars' production plants are located in Gothenburg, Ghent (Belgium), South Carolina (US), Chengdu, Daqing and Taizhou (China). The company also has R&D and design centres in Gothenburg, Camarillo (US) and Shanghai (China).
