When Volvo first announced it would build an electric crossover for Generation Z, a great number of people thought “Yeah, right.” After all, Volvos are luxury cars and Gen Z likely won’t be dropping luxury car money anytime soon. However, the 2025 Volvo EX30 doesn’t cost luxury car money. It’s a tiny, reasonably-priced EV that may soon be everywhere by virtue of affordability. Let’s dive in and see how Volvo did it.
At just 166.7 inches long, the Volvo EX30 is just over a foot shorter than a Honda Civic hatchback. However, it’s also surprisingly wide at 72.3 inches (80 inches including the mirrors), and reasonably tall at 61.1 inches. Although it shares a model prefix with the big EX90 electric crossover, think of the EX30 as more of a hatchback, especially since a ruggedized Cross Country version is on its way to take care of the crossover side of things.
Once you swap over to sunny, European hatchback-tinted lenses, the EX30 starts to make a bit more sense. Its color palette includes some unusually upbeat colors for Volvo such as the pastel Cloud Blue and the vibrant Moss Yellow, both of which are said to be inspired by Sweden’s coast. What’s more, this baby Volvo truly promises to be the baby of the range with an MSRP comparable to a similar gasoline-powered vehicle. More on that in a bit.
On the inside, Volvo appears to have saved costs by speccing a very simple interior. The EX90 gets a single 12.3-inch touchscreen in the center of the dashboard for infotainment and instrumentation, a column-mounted electronic shifter, a bank of window switches in the center console, and that’s it. Even the sound system array has been tucked up into the dashboard in a single soundbar, which carves out space in the door cards and reduces the number of wires in each door.
Unfortunately, the minimalist interior design comes with some drawbacks. There are no physical climate or audio controls, and Volvo’s gone down the same dumb road as VW by obfuscating rear window actuation behind a capacitive touch pad. Oh, and the glovebox door release is electronically-actuated through the touchscreen because of course it is. I guess electronic latches are cheap these days. At least Volvo had the common sense to retain physical wiper controls on the left steering column stalk, but still.
However, even though the EX30 is designed to be cheap, it doesn’t seem like a penalty box on first glance. Interesting materials pepper the cabin, from spotted trim to metal accents to blue textiles. It’s the same sort of philosophy that makes the Ford Maverick’s cabin cheap and cheerful, so I have high hopes for this baby Volvo. You can even get it in four interior colors, none of which are black. There’s a cool off-white called Breeze, a warm grey called Mist, a green called Pine, and a deep blue called Indigo. There’s no word yet on which exterior colors and interior colors go together, but yellow over blue would be a proper spec. Regardless of which upholstery color you choose, everything’s made with renewable and recycled materials, so there’s some feel-good in the fabric. Oh, and those four upholstery colors are paired with five user-selectable ambient lighting schemes including one inspired by the northern lights. Aurora Borealis? At this time of year, at this time of day, in this part of the country, localized entirely within an electric Volvo? Yes.
Interestingly, although many automakers are eyeing proprietary infotainment systems, Volvo is still taking a collaborative approach with a Google-based OS and Apple CarPlay available from day one, a great package that really seems to understand the needs of this car’s target market. Volvo cites mobile hardware giant Qualcomm as a key tech partner in the media release for the EX30, so it feels reasonable to expect a fast, fluid infotainment UX.
What about the bits that make it go? The base rear-wheel-drive model features a 69 kWh gross, 64 kWh net usable capacity Nickel Manganese Cobalt lithium-ion battery juicing a single electric motor to the tune of 268 horsepower and 253 lb.-ft. of torque. Volvo estimates EPA range of 275 miles, but this EV is about more than just range. Because it’s so small and uses so few resources, Volvo estimates the EX30 will have a well-to-wheel carbon footprint of fewer than 30 tons over 124,000 miles on the EU27 energy mix. For those in areas with greener grids, that number could be even less.
However, if you happen to be a speed merchant, take note of what Volvo calls the Twin Motor model, for it claims to be the quickest Volvo ever. It uses the same battery pack as the standard car but puts a second motor on the front axle for a combined output of 422 horsepower and 400 lb.-ft. of torque. Zero-to-60? A claimed 3.4 seconds, a tenth quicker than a Tesla Model Y Performance. All-wheel-drive models are also capable of DC fast charging at 153 kW, a solid figure, if not industry-leading. Regardless of which powertrain you choose, the EX30’s Google-based infotainment should make battery preconditioning easier. As soon as state of charge drops below 20 percent, the EX30 automatically pulls up a list of nearby charging stations on Google Maps. Once a charging station is selected, the car starts preconditioning its battery pack to better accept high-current charging. That’s smart. Plus, a built-in 5G modem means the EX30 should be connected to the internet for the life of most examples.
Oh, and we haven’t even reached the best bit of the EX30 yet — the price. This sensible Swedish EV starts at $36,145 including an $1,195 freight charge. That’s genuinely inexpensive by U.S.-market EV standards, however it likely won’t qualify for tax credits due to overseas production. Although pre-orders are open now, expect deliveries to start in Summer 2024, not surprising given the car’s 2025 model year. From what we’re seeing today, it seems like it could be worth the wait.
(Photo credits: Volvo)
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They couldn’t be arsed to spend 5 cents on some knobs for climate control, but they wasted a bunch of money on a completely superfluous ambient lighting system? I understand that compromises have to be made to hit a price point, but they chose the wrong ones with this car. I don’t care about cheap plastic in a cheap car, but touch-only controls are a dealbreaker for me.
Can the not-that-old-Bolt come back and finish the job?
I don’t get why this is such a huge deal when an affordable 240+ mile range EV costing under $28k (Bolt) was already produced. It comes is actual colors (red, blue, orange) and has glorious buttons for almost everything. Admittedly, the Volvo is better looking, but the proof of concept is already 6 years old.
Now if only they would make a El Camino version of the Bolt.
It’s a big deal because GM axed the Bolt, this is the best we’ve got now.
The Equinox EV will replace the Bolt, starts at $30k and gets the full tax credit so there will still be a cheaper option. I was just gonna go Equinox but this is awfully compelling since it’s a Volvo
I was onboard until I saw the “put everything on a goddamn tablet” dashboard.
and what a horrible looking tablet. I really cannot wait until they stop using those things. It’s not only cheap, its lazy design.
It’s not lazy design. If it’s required to be cheap (it is), the only way to accommodate that is to be lazy and slap it on a tablet.
use a small one from some other car, Geely has to have a cheaper, but better looking option. I’ll accept no screen as a better looking option, but then how would you control your interior?!.
I am tired of everything being a “smart device,” I want to rip out the “smart” bits and make it dumb. If an aftermarket parts company would design a replacement panel with buttons to replace the screen, it would sell like hotcakes.
That said, the tablet bothers me less than the electronic latch. WHY??? As if that’s not gonna break quickly and lock important things in your glovebox! If I bought one of these, my first modification would be to rip that crap out and install my own mechanical latch that won’t fail.
Maybe the latch is literally just a magnet and easier / cheaper to make than a handle operated mechanical latch.
Minimalist but still has a turn signal stalk.
Is there something we don’t know about the supply situation for rear window buttons? Are they made from unobtanium to be able to operate rear windows? Are they made by rear window button specialists in Ukraine? Or, god forbid, Russia?
Will they follow Ford’s footsteps? “Oops, we’re having trouble building the affordable version, here’s a trim for only 50% more”
I wonder how much Slack ink (“Slink?”) was spilled over which version of Steamed Hams to link. Probably best to play it safe, but woe, the befuddlement you could have wrought!
I understand why there are no physical buttons, but it would be nice to have some kind of indents molded into the bezel (or directly into the glass, can they do that?) that helped steady your hand and locate controls without taking your eyes off the road.
Also, these controls need dedicated space at the bottom or side of the screen and always be displayed, no matter what else is on the screen. I think that would go a long way of assuaging anxiety about this whole issue.
It looks like they give you a pretty good lip below the screen to rest your hand. I’m guessing they’ll put the controls at the bottom of the screen since the top is for speed etc
A lip is helpful but would it be too much to ask for some kind of tactility? Raised braille-like bumps, vertical notches denoting spacing between buttons, etc?
So how much of this whole “move everything to a touchscreen” movement is customer-driven and how much is just corporate greed/bad marketing intel?
It’s corporate greed. It’s cheaper to make software and a screen dynmaically display soft buttons using software (most likley) developed offshore, than it is to make software that meets the requirement and then producing all the hard buttons to interact with.
It’s %100 corporate greed/bean counter cost-cutting, every consumer I’ve ever talked to wants physical buttons back, even the tech nerds understand that this is a bad idea in cars.
Checks out. Not to mention that sweet, sweet planned obsolescence. Funny how the price always seems to go up regardless.
I came expecting a tiny, entry level Volvo to be a skimped out SUV full of compromise, but holy cow this is the first car I’ve been interested in in a long while. Those power specs, that size, and the idea to have a nice car that isn’t as pompous as other Volvo interiors.
I’m with everyone else that the window switches thing is annoying, but climate controls in the screen isn’t uncommon enough anymore to put me off of it. Hopefully they get trashed on that in JD power and backtrack to physical controls like VW will
The only thing that really disappointed me is that it’s not an electric C30, which would have been awesome with this power
Is VW backtracking? It seems like they’re doubling down. I remember seeing spy shots of an updated Golf that showed an interior that was still button less.
R&T and Jalopnik both think so. I also just noticed this Volvo has capacitive steering wheel buttons. That’s going to be a big no from me
https://www.roadandtrack.com/news/a42084776/volkswagen-capacitive-buttons-fix/
I think anything VW had in the pipeline without buttons is still going to go on sale with capacitative/touch-sensitive/whatever and then change it later, not changing it last minute before production. Ex. the 2024 Atlas switches to touch-sensitive and all but was unveiled a few months after the news that they were backtracking, so too late to change. Not so an easy fix since it was designed to not have much space for the buttons. Like when Ford added physical buttons to the MyFord Touch system, they at least had space for the functions on the center stack, they weren’t all buried in a screen.
Damn. I would put a deposit down on one if it didn’t have all the controls in a screen. That being said for the price I would have to give it an actual look before deciding to completely cross it off my list.
Yesterday I said a PHEV or hybrid Santa Cruz would be at the top of my list if they made it. Now it’s still that if it ever happens but the EX30 is definitely a player in future outofstep’s garage. Maybe I’ll put down a deposit anyways just in case I end up loving it.
I think it’ll be down to this or the Equinox EV for me
Agree with everybody. Simplicating is what Volvos need now. Yeah would rather more physical switches. It still looks like Mrs Slowerlouder’s next car.
IT HAS A COLUMN SHIFTER! REJOICE!
Also, 80 inches mirror to mirror is a worthless metric. Width from flare to flare, not including mirrors, is the standard and has been for many decades. How wide is it actually?
The internet says 72”
This is quite interesting, and the sort of thing that I would be looking for in I were in the market for an EV. I love quick little hatchbacks, and the base price is promising. However I do hate the lack of an instrument panel and physical controls for basic functions. I rented a Tesla 3 for a week a couple years ago because I was giving it serious consideration as a next car, but the “ergonomics” of the car were a dealer breaker. I am sure that living with it daily one would (as the Tesla fanbois are wont to point out) “get used to it”, however that doesn’t change the fact that the tablet based system for everything is a merely adequate solution to problems that have already been solved.
While I have similar usability gripes to everyone here when it comes to the touchscreen/haptic hell world interior, I still think this has the potential to be a game changer. A $36,000 luxury EV with over 250 miles of range and reasonable power even in the base trim is extremely appealing and draws blood right at the intersection of several markets.
This thing will compete with normal ICE midsized SUVs and crushes them when it comes to power and tech…as well as styling in my opinion, but I know that’s subjective. It also undercuts the base trims of all the Kia/Hyundai EVs and offers 100 more horsepower. That’s a serious advantage.
It also shits all over all the American manufacturers’ DURR WE CAN’T MAKE AFFORDABLE EVS SORRY nonsense…and as if that wasn’t enough, the performance variant will be faster than anything else under about $60,000. God damn.
I think we’re going to look back on this as a very influential vehicle in 10 years. I legitimately think it’s going to send shockwaves through the market on multiple fronts. It’s pretty much perfect on paper.
100% agree with this comment. This is the car I’ve been waiting for. Reasonable price! Good enough range! Fast/fun drive! Actual colors!
An eventual test drive will tell if the infotainment is a dealbreaker, but otherwise this is ticking all of my boxes.
Are American manufacturers really saying this any more or less than any other brand?
The Bolt’s discontinuation has been debated to death (old tech, retooling the plant, etc etc). The Kona Electric is $33.5k and then the Niro EV and most other electrics from those brands, Toyota, VW, etc. are more than that. Even if GM pulls a GM and the Equinox EV comes in 20% higher than the $30k they claimed, it’s the same price as this.
Adding performance to EVs is very cheap, relative to the cost of the rest of the car. This is how Volvo was able to do this.
If someone makes a slippery 200 mile range EV with a small battery pack and a profitable sale price of $20k that does 0-60 mph in 8 seconds, making a variant of that same EV that can do 0-60 mph in under 3 seconds could probably be done for under $25k. Albeit, the tiny battery will be drained much faster when you put your foot in it and range will suffer greatly. The difference in battery/motor/electronics materials costs between the two simply isn’t going to be more than $1,XXX.
Agreed on some points, this will be a lot of car for what seems like a reasonable price. It is however, not “luxury”, other than the brand name.
I think the Ioniq5 is quite a bit bigger in the real world, likely considerably so for interior space. I know many don’t need it but the Ioniq 5 (6 not so much due to a real height limit probably around 6’1 or 2″ for the rear seats) is perfect for me being a 6’4″ guy who needs to move other tall folks around. Volvos are like Mazdas, they are always seemingly just a little smaller than average which works fine for average people but just not me. I always thought Volvos would be able to accommodate taller drivers and passengers due to the claimed tall nature of the Nordic folks.
I honestly don’t need to rip to 60 in 3.4 seconds, already feel like I can get into a enough trouble in the low 5s range in my N Line. The dual motor, 320 hp in the Ioniq is a sweet spot for sure, giving good thrust and still returning decent mpg equivalent. I am sure the higher power version will get pretty close to the eventual price for an Ioniq 5 N, maybe undercutting it slightly.
For now, I am stalking the local Hyundai dealers, willing to go up to +20% of “good” for trade in value and some Ioniq 5 SEL AWD cars marked down to $44.5-$46k… Add in another $3,500 from Massachusetts, getting real close to a buying opportunity.
Auto Journalists:
The Ferrari Testarossa is 77.8″ wide, this makes it impossible to park.
Also auto journalists:
This new compact electric crossover is 80″ wide, it’s a little wide but ok.
I hope this is successful. I shouldn’t be in the car market for quite a while, but this is already top of my list for next time.
Built in China, no thanks.
I love the designs that Volvo has put out of late (I drool at the V60) but the China thing is tough to look past. As is the very limited dealer network around here.
So like everything else, buy made in China if you want the cheap stuff.
I do not like the combined instruments and infotainment. I do not like the lack of physical controls. I wanted to like the smaller, more reasonable Volvo EV, but I just can’t.
I have bee considering “crossovers” just “hatchbacks” for a LONG time. It just seems better that way.
I’m torn on this one. One one hand, I appreciate that someone is making a “cheap” EV that has usable range even without a tax credit. I also like the thought given to reducing wiring in the doors – that should improve repairability which is an area EVs struggle with. I like the way it looks too.
However, lack of physical climate controls is a dealbreaker for me as is the giant tablet slapped into the dash. Add in an iDrive/Mazda-style rotary knob and it would be somewhat bearable though. Right now having everything in the touchscreen that you have to reach for is super dangerous.
Edit: I don’t see a handle for the glovebox…don’t tell me you have to open it via the touchscreen…
Ohhhhh good question!
It’s sad that the glovebox handle is something I look for on new car releases. Here’s hoping you just press in a particular area and it snaps open
Even with room for a Cross Country version coming, it has a bit of an SUV look to it which should help it too. With the taillight design, it reminded me a bit of the Kia Niro in a way just for being “different” and I looked up the dimensions – this is shorter by 7-8″ in length, but about the same height as the Niro.
Does the base model get the full battery too? If so thats downright affordable
I like that it’s note huge and it doesn’t have a stupidly large battery pack.