Volvo may be a brand with a modest reputation, but when it comes to launching new models, the Swedes go all in. Just look at their teaser campaign for the upcoming EX30, where they’ve managed to grab our attention for several weeks now with vague tease images and snippets of information. If you glue all those snippets together and add a handful of gossip, then we already get a fairly good picture of the compact, electric crossover.
Volvo thinks it’s small
Because compact, Volvo apparently thinks it is. For example, they sent one photo after another into the world in which the EX30 was depicted as a miniature car, but that is not the only tip. Its size is of course best deduced from the name, which breathes new life into Volvo’s ’30’ series for the first time since the demise of the C30. For example, we know that the electric crossover will be a bit smaller than, say, the C40 and XC40, even though its design is more similar to the hefty EX90. So count on sleek T-shaped LED headlights with a pattern of dotted lines, while the Volvo-typical upright lighting at the back consists of two parts.
Minimalism at its best
Inside, Volvo continues the minimalist line further than ever before. For example, we got to see the dashboard extensively in the latest set of teaser photos, and it was immediately noticeable that the EX30 does not even get a counter party behind the wheel. Instead, all information is grouped Tesla-wise on the central 12.3-inch screen, and the rest of the board shelf keeps it nice and tight. We also already know that the glove box will actually be centrally located, which is possible because the center console will be separate from the dashboard. The first also contains the buttons for the window controls to free up storage space in the doors, and for the same reason the audio speakers are also grouped in one large soundbar on top of the dashboard.
More environmentally conscious than ever
The design and ease of use are not the only aspects in which the interior wants to excel. In addition, this cabin also aims to be more environmentally conscious than ever before, with some of the seat covers containing recycled jeans, while the dashboard consists of continuous panels as much as possible to reduce waste. Furthermore, a quarter of the aluminum used by Volvo in the production of the EX30 is recycled, as is 17% of the steel and plastic. The result is an estimated total emission of 30 tonnes of CO2 over a life cycle of 200,000 kilometers, which is 25% less than what a Volvo XC40 can achieve.
Volvo-worthy safety
One of Volvo’s most important pillars is of course safety, and there is no room for compromise even on their smallest model. For example, the Swedes not only promise reinforced A, B and C-pillars and a host of side airbags in the seats, but there is a sensor behind the steering wheel that scans your eyes 13 times per second to see if you are paying attention. are. In the front there is a radar that not only monitors vehicles in front, but can also activate the emergency braking system when a side collision is imminent at an intersection. Furthermore, the blind spot sensor activates a notification when you want to open a door while a cyclist is approaching; in other words: the EX30 becomes a real Volvo.
Secretly a Smart
That Volvo will only be available with electric motors, and we actually already know more or less what to expect from it. The EX30 shares its platform with the Zeekr X and — perhaps more famous — the Smart #1, of which we already know the specifications. They are available in two flavors: with one electric motor and 272 hp, or with two electric motors and 428 hp. The battery is 66 kWh, with which they both have to reach just under 450 theoretical kilometers. So count on comparable figures for the Volvo EX30, although nothing concrete has yet been confirmed. We’ll know for sure at the unveiling on June 7.
