Volvo takes a giant step forward in a small package with the outstanding 2025 EX30.
Earlier this year, Pursuitist was invited to the historic city of Milan, Italy, where Volvo unveiled the 2025 EX30, which slots in before the C40 and XC40 Recharge at the beginning of the Volvo SUV/CUV lineup; and we recently drove the EX30.
What’s it all about?
A Segment of its Own
The Volvo EX30 is the latest salvo from the iconic Swedish brand’s rapid march towards a much greener future. Volvo is on course to meet its goal of having half of global sales to consist of fully electric cars and by 2030, Volvo plans to sell only fully electric models.
With the launch of the EX30, Volvo Cars satiates a growing demand from U.S. consumers for small, full-electric premium SUVs. Following the success of the Volvo XC40, the EX30 will allow customers to do more with less.
“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 Volvo CEO Jim Rowan. “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 that is safe and designed around people and their needs.”
EX30 Drive Event
Beautiful Barcelona, Spain served as the perfect test destination for the full-electric EX30. Barcelona is an iconic city of 1.6 million, and the Volvo EX30 is the latest in a long history of iconic models from the legendary Swedish brand, now owned by Chinese company Geely. And while Geely owns the company, they’ve wisely allowed Volvo to do what Volvo does best: Build some of the safest, most ecologically friendly vehicles on planet Earth.
Here are some key takeaways for this impressive new model:
- It’s the smallest Volvo SUV ever built
- In twin-motor trim, it’s the fastest Volvo ever, with a supercar 0-60 mph time in a blistering 3.4 seconds
- Both trims (single and dual-motor) offer very good estimated range (265-275 miles)
- Luxury is available to the masses with a starting MSRP of just $34,950
With such a low starting price point, expect EX30 to be a best seller in the U.S. market.
With the EX30, Volvo is targeting city dwellers 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. It’s also a pretty safe bet that parents of young drivers will view the EX30 as an affordable, super-safe first vehicle.
A New Shade of “Green”
Many manufacturers tout “Green,” or ecologically friendly processes in the production of their new models. Well, Volvo turns “Green Talk” into “Green Facts” with the new EX30.
Consider the following:
Inside, Volvo has created several of what Volvo calls “Rooms” to delineate available interiors that all feature a very high percentage of recycled and repurposed materials. For example, the “Indigo” room is a gorgeous blue interior, with recycled denim fibers from discarded blue jeans comprising 50% of the materials used. Other cool Green Rooms include “Breeze,” made from ground plastic waste; “Mist,” made from a 30% wool blend; and “Pine,” made from woven flax, a natural, renewable material from the linseed plant.
Additionally:
- The EX30’s “pixel knit” upholstery for the upper part of the seats is produced in a 3D knitting process which knits only the required area to eliminate material waste
- Its textile floor mats are made from recycled material made from fish nets, while the base carpet is made from 100% recycled plastic (PET) bottles
- The unique dashboard covering is made from ground plastic waste from discarded PVC shutters and window frames
Green (and health-enhancing) climate control features include constant air quality measurement through a sophisticated air quality system with a cabin air filter.
In the new EX30, it’s all about “green” luxury, Scandinavian style.
Exterior Design
The 2025 EX30 continues Volvo’s exciting full-electric vehicle design ethos. Essentially, it looks like the little brother of the range-topping EX90, which is certainly a compliment to its stunning design. We especially like the front-end and rear-end treatments. Up front, vaunted “Thor’s Hammer” LED Daytime Running Lamps (DRLs) are bold and expressive.
They are supported by a styling feature Volvo calls an “Air Curtain,” which feeds air around the front to improve aerodynamic efficiency. Also up front is a “U-shaped” configuration that also houses sensors that support several of EX30’s myriad safety features. The front hood is aggressively styled, with a pair of deep aero channels that also contribute to the vehicle’s wind-cheating profile.
At the rear, stylish LED tail and brake lamps finish off a very complete design. Overhead, a Piano Black roof houses an expansive glass sunroof.
Throughout our Barcelona drive, heads turned as the new Volvo was met with stares, smiles and a few “thumbs up.” Those reactions cemented the fact that Volvo cars are respected worldwide.
High Technology
Inside, high tech abounds, housed in a single touch and voice-activated 12.3” vertical display on the center dashboard.
Lining the interior base of the windshield lies a multi-speaker harman-kardon soundbar, the only speaker in the vehicle, and the bar’s immersive sound quality is impressive.
In such a tech-laden vehicle, computer system monitoring can help ensure a reliable ownership experience. With that, the EX30 offers Software Over The Air (SOTA) updates. By opting in to SOTA updates, Volvo engineers can monitor any issues that may arise in your EX30, and “flash” onboard computers with system updates to resolve those issues.
Additional interior tech and comfort goodies include (depending on trim level): Digital key (your phone serves as your key), Apple CarPlay, 360-degree camera with 3D view, park assist (self parking) and pilot assist (semi-autonomous driving), welcome light sequence and much more. A fixed, full panoramic glass roof lends to an airy interior.
At a rest stop during our scenic drive across areas surrounding Barcelona, we stopped at a miniature village to grab a cup of superb Spanish coffee. When I pulled up with my drive partner, Sophia Durr from Volvo’s U.S. communications team implored me to test the park assist feature.
After engaging the feature with a touch of a button, I followed instructions from the EX30 to pull ahead slowly so the vehicle could identify a suitable parking space in the crowded parking lot. Once the space was identified, the EX30 took over and deftly backed the EX30 into a tight spot. Yes, I’ve used self-parking systems from various auto manufacturers over the years, but this system is super accurate and very impressive.
Powertrains and Range
The EX30’s performance chops are impeccable. A Rear-Wheel Drive single motor, extended range platform underpins the base trim level. Power is 268 horsepower with 253 pound-feet of torque. Zero-60 mph comes up in a respectable 5.1 seconds. A so-called NMC (Lithium-Nickel-Manganese-Cobalt Oxide ) 69 kWh battery pack powers both platforms.
With the 422-hp/400 pound-feet of torque Twin Motor, All-Wheel Drive variant the 3.4 second 0-60 time is Tesla-like. One thing that’s not Tesla like is the build quality, which is excellent from stem to stern. The twin-motor model returns a respectable estimated 265 miles of range, 275 miles in the less powerful single-motor variant.
DC fast charging yields a 10-80% charge time in just 26 minutes.
Safety
The EX30 features Volvo’s “Safe Space Technology” which includes: Collision Mitigation (front & rear) BLIS with Steer Assist; Door Open Alert and Driver Awareness – a standard safety feature helps warn of bicycles to avoid so-called “dooring” accidents by alerting you when you are about to open your door in front of a cyclist, scooter, or runner.
As you would expect in any Volvo vehicle, loads of additional active and passive safety tech is standard or available on the new EX30.
Easy Ownership Options
With its convenient size, smart technology, and different configurations to choose from, the Volvo EX30 is designed to appeal to the preferences, needs, and ways of life of a wide range of customers.
That same flexibility and convenience is reflected in the way you can access the digital keys to your new EX30 through outright ownership, leasing, or subscriptions.
The Volvo EX30 Single Motor Extended Range comes in Core, Plus and Ultra trims with pricing as follows: Core – $34,950, Plus – $38,900, and Ultra $40,600.
Volvo EX30 Twin Motor Performance trim comes in Plus – $44,900, and Ultra – $46,600.
A $1,295 Destination charge applies to all trim levels.
There are only two significant options for the well-appointed EX30 – Climate Package (heated front seats, heated steering wheel) – $500, and 20” 5-Spoke Aero (available on Plus and Ultra) – $800.
For those who wish to lease their EX30, the “Care by Volvo” subscription packages are expected to be a popular choice for consumers. Volvo has created an intuitive buying process without hidden fees via the volvocars.com Web site.
About Barcelona
Overlooking the Mediterranean Sea, and famous for Gaudí and other Art Nouveau architecture, Barcelona is one of Europe’s trendiest cities. It’s a hub of culture, fashion and cuisine, and combines the creativity of its artists and designers with respect and care for local traditions. The charm and slower pace of the Old Town, the avant-garde vibe of more modern neighborhoods, coexist in Barcelona.
Barcelona draws visitors to its famous sights, like the Sagrada Familia, Parc Güell, Casa Batlló and La Pedrera. A walk along the seafront, evenings on a rooftop terrace with views over the city skyline, spacious parks such as Parc de Montjüic or Ciutadella, the marina, Olympic village, and everything to do with the FC Barcelona Football Club.
Culinary options are world renowned with haute cuisine restaurants, traditional Catalan dishes, food markets, and establishments that take you around the world with their flavors.
The city’s cultural agenda also includes major art centers like the Picasso Museum, the National Art Museum of Catalonia, and CaixaForum; a wide range of festivals and one of Spain’s leading opera houses, the Gran Teatre del Liceu.
During our time in Barcelona, Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) was celebrated. Think of it as Spanish Halloween. While at the mini-village exposition, many attendees were dressed in their best ghoulish costumes!
Barcelona’s climate is mostly temperate from May to June, when balmy temperatures in the low to mid-70s mesh with a flurry of festivals that trumpet the advent of summer. Summer months are sticky with humidity, and locals often leave the city to catch a breeze elsewhere. Given the heat and humidity, summer is the cheapest time to visit Barlecona.
