2024 VOLVO EX30: WHAT TO EXPECT FROM THE SMALLEST SCANDI EV

Volvo will reveal the all-new EX30 electric crossover next week. It will be the smallest EV from the Scandinavian brand, slotting under the XC40 Recharge in its line-up. Volvo has been dropping a bunch of teasers ahead of the official debut on June 7th. They don't disclose much, but these teasers give clear hints on what we can expect from the brand's smallest SUV. It will have a minimalist cabin that's made from recycled materials. And just like every other Volvo, it'll be loaded with all manner of advanced safety tech.

Power and range figures are still under wraps. But a recent set of leaked patent images shared by Cochespias forum give us a sneak peek into the exterior styling of the new EX30. Though the release date is set for this month, the EX30 will either go on sale late this year or early next year as a 2024 model.

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The 2024 EX30 Looks Like a Mini EX90 With Crossover Styling

The patent images don't reveal the crisp details, but they still tell us a lot about what the new EX30 will look like. There are a lot of similarities between the exterior styling of this upcoming crossover and the bigger EX90 SUV. Their fronts have identical designs, and they also have matching headlight shapes. The EX30 has a panel that runs across its front end, which could be a part of an LED lightbar. The side profile of the two vehicles is completely different from one another.

The smaller EV gets thicker wheel arches compared to its bigger sibling. While the EX90 gets a traditional shape for the roof, the EX30 comes with a rakish design and a thick C-pillar. It will miss out on the flush-type door handles seen on the larger SUV but still gets frame-less rearview mirrors. The rear end has more hints of the classic Scandinavian design with connecting taillights and a bulky boot lid. Overall, the new EX30 has the shape of a crossover rather than an SUV. It's likely to go up against rivals such as the Hyundai Ioniq 5 and the Volkswagen ID. 4.

EX30 Interior Will Have A 12.3-In Screen With CarPlay And Clever Storage

Like the exterior, the interior of the EX30 will also draw some inspiration from the EX90. Volvo has taken a leaf out of Tesla's book for designing the cabin of their smallest EV. The teaser images show a clean dashboard layout with vertical air vents and a giant 12.3-inch vertical central screen. The tablet-like unit is similar to what you get on the EX90 too. It is unclear if this electric crossover will get a mini instrument cluster like the bigger SUV or have the central screen as the only display in the cabin. Either way, the latest OTA update from Volvo has now allowed for Apple CarPlay integration as well. And we expect the EX30 to offer the same.

But the big display will not be the only highlight of Volvo's newest EV. Instead of placing the speakers in the doors, the carmaker has put a soundbar on top of the dashboard, right beneath the windshield. Volvo says that going for this setup has freed up space in the doors, which can now be used to provide more storage. For the same reason, the window switches will also sit in the center console. Volvo has also changed the location of the glove box and placed it underneath the central screen!

The center console of the EX30 will provide lots of innovative storage options. It has slideout drawers and a few intelligent cubbyholes, which makes it quite versatile. The same could be said about the central screen too. It will display all the vehicle-related information in one place and running Google OS natively. The screen also comes with a 'Calm' mode. It provides a clutter-free layout by only displaying the most essential information. The brand says it could come in handy at night and reduce eye strain on long drives.

Aside from offering a tech-loaded cabin that scores high on practicality, Volvo has used a variety of recycled materials inside the new EX30 too. Recycled denim, flax, and wool-blend (containing 70 percent recycled Polyester) are used in making the seats, dashboard, and doors. The EX30 will have the lowest Carbon footprint of any Volvo yet.

Related: Here's Why The Volvo C30 Was Known As The Swedish Volkswagen Golf

The 2024 EX30 Will Offer High Levels Of Safety

Being a Volvo, the new EX30 will get a top-of-the-line safety kit. Volvo has improved the strength of the body shell by using stronger materials and also added a far-side airbag inside the driver's seat to reduce injuries during a side impact. Besides adding new hardware, Volvo will also give its new baby SUV a bunch of advanced safety tech. To minimize crashes with cyclists when opening doors into the street, the 2024 EX30 will get a door-opening alert. This system will warn the occupants through visual and audio alerts if they are about to open the vehicle's door in front of a passing cyclist.

This new Volvo will also get a pretty intuitive driver alert system which will be able to sense if the person behind the wheel is exhausted or otherwise not paying attention. There will also be a new 'intersection auto-brake feature' designed to avoid accidents in case another vehicle suddenly crosses your path at an intersection by bringing the EX30 to a stop. These features will be added in addition to the standard safety package that every Volvo gets.

The Volvo EX30 Will Offer 300 Miles Of Range

There is no official word on what electric powertrain the new EX30 will have. Base models could get a single-motor rear-wheel drive setup, with the dual-motor all-wheel drive reserved for higher grades. It could get the 79.0 kWh battery pack from the XC40 Recharge. And since the EX30 will be smaller, the single-motor version could have close to 300 miles of range or more. This would mean it will be evenly matched to rivals such as the ID.4 and Ioniq 5. Volvo would have to eke out more range to put it head-to-head with the Model Y, which can go 330 miles on a single charge.

The XC40 Recharge puts out 402 horsepower in its most aggressive dual-motor configuration. The power output of the smaller EX30 is expected to be within the ballpark of 300 horsepower in a similar setup. Base models with the single motor setup could get a slightly low horsepower figure.

Related: 10 Reliable Volvo Cars That Will Outlast Any Challenge

Here's How Much The New EX30 Will Cost

Volvo's newest entry into the electric vehicle space will not replace the XC40 Recharge but sit below it in the brand's line-up. As a result, it is estimated to have a slightly lower price tag. The electric XC40 retails between $54,645 for the entry-level single-motor version and $60,595 for the top-spec Twin Ultimate. Prices for the EX30 are likely to fall below that, starting from $40,000 for the base trim and going up to $50,000 for the range-topping model. That brings it perfectly inline with the Model 3, a best-selling car that Tesla is now struggling to clear its inventory.

The 2023 Volkswagen ID.4 costs $40,290 for the base Standard trim and $52,740 for the highest Pro S Plus. The Hyundai Ioniq 5 prices start from $42,785 for the entry-level SE and go up to $53,935 for the Ioniq 5 Limited.

Source: Volvo / Cochespias

2023-06-03T16:08:35Z dg43tfdfdgfd