Why The 2025 EX30 Compact Electric SUV Is A Big Deal For Volvo

The 2025 Volvo EX30 is small, but it's a vehicle that's big in ideas and forward-thinking innovations.

Volvo, like seemingly every other automaker out there, has committed to an all-electric future. In its case, Volvo aims to have a lineup of just luxury electric vehicles (EVs) by 2030. While the XC40 Recharge and C40 Recharge EVs are good, their platforms that were designed around the internal combustion engine (ICE) hold back their full potential. The EX90 is the first Volvo that was built from the ground up to be an EV, but that's a flagship three-row SUV. What if you want something smaller and more importantly, more affordable? Say hello to the 2024 Volvo EX30, which at first glance may seem to be yet another electric small SUV, but it's actually a very innovative one at that.

Related: 10 Reasons Why Volvo EVs Will Be A Force To Reckon With

But just how small is the Volvo EX30? Well, the XC40 measures 174.8 inches, but the EX30 is even smaller at 166.7 inches. This is why it got a smaller number in its alphanumeric nomenclature. It's also a great-looking small SUV at that. Dare I say it, Volvo doesn't seem to have an ugly car right now. Probably apart from the hunchback look of the C40 Recharge, but, everything else in Volvo's model range looks gorgeous--even the ICE models that are already more than half a decade old at this point.

Whereas the German electric SUV fray is going for a sporty look with their AMG Line or M Sport flourishes, the EX30 is refreshingly minimalist and elegant. In fact, the whole point of the EX30 is to look friendly but sleek rather than aggressive and imposing. The usual LED lighting elements are there, including an evolution of the brand's "Thor's Hammer" daytime running lights. There's also a black contrasting roof that's in vogue with a lot of trendy small cars these days, but what makes this car innovative in the places you probably don't realize lies directly in the sheet metal.

Related: 10 Reasons Why We Can't Wait For The Volvo EX90

That's because 17- percent of the steel and 25- percent of the aluminum used around the car is recycled. Likewise, the innovation also extends into the end life of the vehicle because the EX30's materials have a high degree of recyclability. Volvo has been known to make cars safe in the event of a crash, but now, it's making an effort for its cars to be as safe for the environment as possible, too. As you can expect, that recyclability has been extended inside as well, where you'll see Volvo's Scandinavian minimalism dialed to 11. The main reason for this move was to reduce the number of parts in the interior, thus reducing the raw materials extracted from the environment. Therefore, the dash contains mostly big solid parts and just a central infotainment screen. This move probably won't bode well for us who love physical controls, but the environmental argument here is pretty strong.

Speaking of the infotainment, this is running on the latest software from Google's Android Automotive (different from the Android Auto smartphone mirroring feature) along with wireless Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and the expected Google services built into the software as a result. With a lack of physical controls, having an excellent voice command system like Google Assistant will surely take the bane out of controlling everything through a 12.3-inch touchscreen. For the parts that obviously can't be eliminated or simplified, such as the actual dash itself and the door panels, 17 percent of these parts are made out of recycled plastics. Continuing with the theme of material reduction, the doors don't contain any speakers. Instead, there's a standard 1,040-watt Harman Kardon sound bar near the windshield area. By eliminating at least six speakers needed to provide a theater-like experience, the soundbar only needs shorter wiring and fewer parts to assemble.

Unsurprisingly, the recycled theme continues with the upholstery through a choice of flax, wool, and denim which is composed of 70 percent recycled materials. The denim option is particularly forward-thinking because Volvo chose tiny scraps that are too small to be reused to make pants, thus finding their way into the seats of your EX30. All of these recycling efforts make the EX30 the Volvo with the smallest carbon footprint from production to the end of life. Volvo says that it managed to reduce its total carbon footprint over 124,274 miles of driving to below 30 tons, which is 25 percent less than the XC40 and C40 Recharge EVs.

Related: Pros And Cons Of Owning The Volvo XC40 Recharge

Volvo also gave us a peak of a Cross Country version of the 2025 Volvo EX30. Volvo did not reveal the fully details yet, but based on its own press photos, the EX30 Cross Country will feature 18- or 19-inch wheels, with the smaller one being wrapped in "bespoke" tires (probably all-terrain ones), along with skid plates, black panels on the front fascia, a raised ground clearance, a heavy-duty roof rack, and Cross Country branding with the Swedish flag on the hood.

The 2025 Volvo EX30 is a vehicle of superlatives because there's really no middle ground for this tiny SUV that's packed with big forward-thinking ideas. Yes, this is the smallest Volvo SUV to date, but the range-topping Twin Motor Performance uses a dual-motor all-wheel drive (AWD) setup that has a total output of 422 horsepower and 400 pound-feet of torque. With a 0-60 mph time of 3.4 seconds, this is the fastest Volvo to date. Its range is estimated by Volvo (not yet by the EPA) to do 265 miles.

If you want to prioritize range, then you'll be able to do that with the Single Motor Extended Range model. The rear-wheel drive (RWD) layout produces 268 horsepower and 253 pound-feet of torque. While its power is reduced to nearly half, its 0-60 mph time of 5.4 seconds is still faster than most modern hot hatches today. It also has a 275-mile range, thanks to this model being more efficient, but regardless of which of the two versions you choose, it comes with a 64 kWh lithium nickel manganese cobalt (NMC) battery pack.

Why mention the elements use? That's because there's another model that won't be sold in the United States but will be sold in Europe and a few other regions. An entry-level Single Motor variant features the same 268-horsepower motor as the Single Motor Extended Range, but it now uses a smaller and more affordable 54 kWh lithium-ion phosphate (LFP) battery that will help the EX30 reach price parity with ICE cars. This is also going to be the shortest-range model with just 200 miles as per Volvo's estimates. As for charging, the 64 kWh NMC battery can accept up to 153 kW DC that charges it from 10-80 percent in 26.5 minutes, while the 54 kWh LFP battery can accept up to 134 kW DC and charge from 10-80 percent in 28 minutes.

Battery Size

Battery Type

Range

Charging Speed

Charging Times

Horsepower

Torque

0-60 MPH

Single Motor

54 kWh

LFP

200 miles

Up to 134 kW DC

10-80% in 28 minutes

268 hp

253 lb-ft

5.4 sec.

Single Motor Extended Range

64 kWh

NMC

275 miles

Up to 153 kW DC

10-80% in 26.5 minutes

268 hp

253 lb-ft

5.4 sec.

Twin Motor Performance

64 kWh

NMC

265 miles

Up to 153 kW DC

10-80% in 26.5 minutes

422 hp

400 lb-ft

3.4 sec.

Related: Why The Volvo EX90 Excellence Needs To Come Stateside ASAP!

Now, we come to the price, because this is where things get pretty interesting. In the United States, the 2025 Volvo EX30 will start at an impressive $34,950 for the base Single Motor Extended Range. That's a little less than even the gas-fed XC40, so imagine how much it would cost if Volvo offered the LFP battery in the United States, too. In Europe, the LFP version costs €36,000 or £33,795 in the UK, which likewise makes it more affordable than a Volkswagen ID.3, which isn't even a premium car.

How Volvo was able to achieve such a price tag for the United States is unbelievable, especially at a time when the average transaction price for a new car is reaching $50,000 soon. If you live in a state like Colorado, the EX30 will be even more affordable thanks to their $5,000 state tax incentive, because assuming the EX30 won't be made in the United States, it won't qualify for the $7,500 federal tax credit of the Inflation Reduction Act. European customers will be able to order an EX30 starting today, while those living in the United States can only pre-order right now, with deliveries beginning in early 2024. Pricing and full specifications of each variant will be revealed at a later date.

Isaac Atienza is a Filipino motoring journalist who joined TopSpeed.com in 2021. He also owns a Filpino motoring website called Go Flat Out PH and is also a contributor to a local newspaper called The Manila Times. Isaac Atienza is a car enthusiast who especially thinks that wagons are the best type of vehicle, though sports cars and anything with three pedals also tickles his fancy.