Volvo is letting its all-electric plans fly after the release of the full-size EX90 and now the EX30. Think everything that Volvo excels at but wrapped in a smaller body shell, meaning luxury at an affordable price. With a starting price of AUD$59,990 plus on-road costs when it arrives in Australia later this year, it’s sure to ruffle a few feathers from the likes of Tesla and Kia.
However, we’d argue that the pricing isn’t the only highlight. Volvo has injected a lot of sustainability into this 4.2 metre-long vehicle (similarly sized to a VW T-Roc), making it compact but in possession of a smoother design than its upright XC40 sibling. The front end gets a digital interpretation of the staple ‘Thor’s Hammer’ LED headlamps while the wheels are pushed to the edges along curvier lines. From some angles, it looks more like a raised hatchback but it’s an undeniably good-looking car.
RELATED: Volvo’s EX90 Electric SUV Isn’t a Car. It’s a Computer-on-Wheels.
Volvo has used recycled materials in its construction including steel and aluminium plus the interior comes with sustainable upholstery elements.
On the inside, it instantly reminds us of Polestar. You can spec carpets made from recycled plastic bottles while there are also recycled denim and wool-infused material choices. The interior design is minimalistic but not stark with a large touchscreen swallowing up most of the button-related functionalities. To de-clutter and create more storage space, the EX30 uses a full-width soundbar instead of putting speakers everywhere. Infotainment-wise, the 12.3-inch touchscreen takes advantage of a Google-based system just like the Polestar.
Alongside being the smallest in size, the EX30 is designed to have the smallest CO2 footprint of any Volvo car to date with the carmaker even using Blockchain technology to check critical raw materials being used for the batteries, just like Polestar. You can see these partner brands are sharing some serious DNA here.
Regarding powertrains, there are three choices and two battery sizes to choose from. The base spec uses a single-motor option with an LFP battery while the model pencilled for the Australian market uses the larger 69kWh battery which gives a better range of around 480km per charge. There’s also a more powerful dual motor version with an NMC battery which develops 428bhp and races to 100 km/h in just 3.6 seconds, making it the fastest Volvo ever!
It is also fast charging compliant with the extended-range Twin Motor variant having a charging capacity of up to 153kW, while the standard-range car has a capacity of 134kW. That means you can juice up the battery from 10 to 80 per cent in around 25 minutes.
If you fancy your electric Volvo with more ground clearance then there is also the off-road-ready EX30 Cross Country with a jacked-up ride height, cladding, an optional roof rack and chunky tyres.
Overall, the EX30 is a desirable compact electric SUV that augurs well with the carmaker’s plans of going all-electric in the Australian market by 2026.
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