Volvo’s smallest electric vehicle is coming to Australia in 2023
Volvo Car Australia has confirmed that the EX30, the brand’s smallest SUV to date, is coming to Australia later this year.
Not much is known about the EX30 just yet, although Volvo teased a picture of it late last year ahead of its global launch this year that revealed similar boxy styling and lighting cues to the flagship EX90.
The vehicle is expected to offer only fully electric powertrains and will be produced in China for local and export markets.
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Volvo has high hopes for the small electric crossover, saying it will play a “huge role” in reaching its ambitious sales target of 1.2 million cars a year by 2025.
While pricing won’t be announced until later this year, Volvo CEO Jim Rowan has previously said he expects the crossover to “reach a different price demographic”.
Smaller battery options, which Rowan says will allow shoppers “to choose the range that best suits their lifestyle and budget,” should help bring prices down.
In some markets, Volvo may offer a three-month minimum subscription service to encourage buyers too, although the company won’t be offering swappable batteries like some Chinese automakers are doing.
For security reasons, this should not happen, they say. The battery has been placed in a location that is an ‘integral’ part of the vehicle’s crashworthiness.
The EX30 is expected to be smaller than the C40 and XC40, both of which are over 4.4 meters long.
Right now, the cheapest all-electric Volvo in Australia is the XC40 Recharge Pure Electric, which starts at $73,990 before road costs.
Volvo plans to become a pure electric vehicle brand by 2030, with the Australian offering being fully electric by 2026.
The Swedish automaker, part of the Geely empire, is planning to become Australia’s first manufacturer to make the full transition to pure electric power.
Currently, Volvo only offers two electric vehicles, the XC40 Recharge Pure Electric and the C40 Recharge Pure Electric, with the large EX90 to be added locally in late 2024.
