EX30 first drive: Volvo releases its smallest, quickest and most coveted EV

Volvo has launched its smallest electric SUV to date in the form of the EX30, and we got a chance to test drive it in South Australia this week. With the EX30 being Volvo’s first ground-up electric car in the market, does it have the right ingredients to be a winner?

The first thing to observe is that this is not just the smallest Volvo electric, it is also its quickest, with the dual-motor variant delivering an impressive sprint to 100kmh in just 3.6 seconds. That makes it also one of the quickest electric SUVs on the market.

It’s already proved popular with customers, and orders have so far surpassed even Volvo’s expectations with more than 1,500 received so far. That means it’s certainly poised to be the best-seller for the brand in the coming year, and that’s important given Volvo aims to sell electric cars only in Australia by 2026.

As for price, the new electric SUV is available in three variants. The first two variants are offered with a single motor and come in at $59,990 for the Extended Plus variant and $66,290 for the Extended Ultra variant before on-roads. There is also a dual-motor Performance Ultra variant which starts at $71,290.

All variants come with a 69 kWh battery pack delivering 480 km of range in the single motor variant, while the dual motor variant drops it slightly to 460 km because of the extra performance.

The Ultra models add a panoramic sunroof, more safety features, a birdseye view camera, heated front seats, a heated steering wheel and various other features.

From the outside, it’s easy to tell that the new EX30 means electric business, thanks to the covered front end and the Thor hammer daytime running lights.

There are also subtle reminders around the exterior of the car which highlight the model such as the badge found on the rear exterior side panels.

In the front, there is a small frunk available which has enough space for charging cables, and not much else.

There is more space in the boot with a false floor and, given the size of the car, the boot offers enough space for a few smaller suitcases with the seats up.

On the inside, there’s a good use of recycled materials and the steering wheel feels premium, making it quite nice to hold and use when on longer drives too.

As for what else you see when in the steering wheel is quite a minimal interior with most vehicle controls and interactions happening on the new 12.3-inch vertical tablet screen.

This screen has Google built-in apps and is quite easy to use. During the short and longer drives I did on the day, it felt very easy to use and I didn’t feel the need to connect my phone.

Google Maps are quite easy to use and the use of voice commands to change temperature and other car controls worked seamlessly.

Apple Carplay is also on offer for those with an iPhone, making it easy to bring many of the apps from your phone to mirror on the screen.

Staying on the minimal theme, there is a single soundbar at the front of the car which is integrated into the dash. This incorporates a tweeter, mid-range speakers and a woofer. This is quite clever as it helps to save space in the cabin, freeing it up for storage instead of where the speakers and woofer may normally be in a car.

Speaking of the space, the driver and passenger seats provided a good amount of space with more storage space found where the transmission tunnel would normally be. It feels a lot bigger than what the pictures may show and is one of those cars that needs to be test-driven to get a good feel of it.

Moving onto the drive, the EX30 has simple controls without start/stop buttons found in some other EVs. Shifting the car into the drive is done with a stalk found behind the steering wheel. The same stalk is used to shift the car into reverse, park and engage cruise control.

Once the car was shifted into drive, both models I got behind the wheel of were very responsive. The accelerator pedal provided good feedback, especially with the EX30’s one-pedal drive on and the regenerative braking doing its thing. 

Driving on curvy mountain roads, the car felt nice and the steering response was a good compromise of smooth with reasonable feedback. 

Volvo has done a good job in finding this balance, with the smooth response of the steering adding to the comfort this model offers while on the road. On most roads, the EX30 felt composed with little body roll even when the car was pushed around curves.

On the freeway, it was easy to switch it into cruise control and unlike some other cars, the system didn’t feel jittery. The visualisations on the screen reminded me a bit of Tesla’s autopilot visualisations with a Volvo touch to them. This gives drivers more confidence when using the system. 

Overall, the EX30 is a good all-rounder for city driving or when taking road trips. It’s certainly impressed us in the time we had with the car on the day and look forward to spending a bit more time with it to really see what it’s like to live with.

Specs of vehicles driven

Volvo EX30 Single motor extended range ultra

Power output 200kW

Max torque 343Nm

0-100km/h 5.3 seconds

Top speed (limited) 180 km/h

Electric consumption 175 Wh/km

Battery capacity 69kWh

CO₂ emissions 0 g/km

Maximum range Up to 462km (WLTP)

Weight  1810 kg

Towing capacity 1400 kg

Transmission  Single speed

Engine / drive Single Electric Motor / Rear wheel drive

Brakes/wheels Front and rear ventilated disc brakes; 19″ 5 Spoke Aero Alloy Wheels

Chassis MacPherson Strut front and multi-link rear suspension

Safety & Support                  

Preventive Safety: Pedestrian, Vehicle, Large Animals and Cyclist Detection, Intersection Collision and Oncoming Mitigation with Brake Support; Low speed autobrake, rear; Post Impact Braking; Steering Support; Driver Alert System; Lane Keeping Aid; Adjustable Speed Limiter function; Oncoming Mitigation by braking; Blind Spot Information (BLIS) with Cross Traffic Alert (CTA), Front and Rear Collision Warning with mitigation support; Run-off road Mitigation by steering and braking; Hill start assist; Hill Descent Control; Intelligent Speed Assist (ISA); Door Opening Alert

Drivers Support: Traffic jam assist; Adaptive Cruise Control; Park Pilot Assist; Park assist Front and Rear; One Pedal Drive; Rain Sensor; LED headlights with active high beam; Drive mode with personal power steering settings; Emergency Brake Assist (EBA); Emergency Brake Light (EBL)

Protective Safety: Driver Airbag; Dual-stage airbag, passenger, Side Impact Protection System (SIPS) with airbags in front seats, Inflatable Curtains; Driver’s knee airbag; Whiplash injury protection system; Belt Reminder all seats; ISO-FIX outer position rear seat; Park assist camera, rear; 360° Camera with 3D view; Tyre Pressure Monitoring System; Volvo On Call

Audio/communication 12.3” touch screen centre display; Inductive charging for smartphone; Google Services (Assistant, Maps and Play); Smart phone integration (iPhone and Android); 5G capability; Four USB-C ports; Harman Kardon Premium Sound (9 speakers, 9 channels, 1040 W output, includes 1 subwoofer); Digital Audio Broadcasting (DAB); Bluetooth® (inc. audio streaming); In-car web apps; Audio controls in steering wheel; Satellite Navigation with Road Sign Information; OTA (Over The Air updates); Carplay (wireless); Digital key

Interior Flax décor; Transparent vent décor; Tailored wool blend seat upholstery; Power adjustable driver seat with memory; Power adjustable passenger seat; Vanity mirrors in sun visor (driver and passenger); Tailored Sport design steering wheel; Automatically dimmed inner and exterior mirrors; Central multi storage; Removable rear storage box; Rear telephone storage;  2-Zone Electronic Climate Control; Airborne Particulate Matter Sensor; Cabin Pollen Filter; Tinted windows rear side doors; Five illumination and sound ambience themes; 12V power outlet, luggage area

Exterior Panoramic Sunroof; Rear spoiler – Matt Black; LED headlights with Active High Beam; Rain Sensing Wipers; Hammer of Thor Headlights; Automatically dimmed frameless retractable exterior mirrors; Dynamic approach light

Security NFC smart card key; Digital key plus; Hands-free tailgate opening and closing; Child lock, rear side doors; Alarm with inclination sensor; Door opening alert; Central lock switch operation in centre front arm rest

Manufacturer’s List Price      $ 66,290*

Volvo EX30 Twin motor performance

Power output 315kW (Front 115kW + Rear 200kW)

Max torque 543Nm (Front 200Nm + Rear 343Nm)

0-100km/h 3.6 seconds

Top speed (limited) 180 km/h

Electric consumption 180 Wh/km

Battery capacity 69kWh

CO₂ emissions  0 g/km

Maximum range Up to 445km (WLTP)

Weight 1920 kg

Towing capacity 1600 kg

Transmission  Single speed

Engine / drive  Single Electric Motor / All-wheel drive

Brakes/wheels  Front and rear ventilated disc brakes; 20″ 5 Spoke Aero Alloy Wheels

Chassis  MacPherson Strut front and multi-link rear suspension

Safety & Support                  

Preventive Safety: Pedestrian, Vehicle, Large Animals and Cyclist Detection, Intersection Collision and Oncoming Mitigation with Brake Support; Low speed autobrake, rear; Post Impact Braking; Steering Support; Driver Alert System; Lane Keeping Aid; Adjustable Speed Limiter function; Oncoming Mitigation by braking; Blind Spot Information (BLIS) with Cross Traffic Alert (CTA), Front and Rear Collision Warning with mitigation support; Run-off road Mitigation by steering and braking; Hill start assist; Hill Descent Control; Intelligent Speed Assist (ISA); Door Opening Alert

Drivers Support: Traffic jam assist; Adaptive Cruise Control; Park Pilot Assist; Park assist Front and Rear; One Pedal Drive; Rain Sensor; LED headlights with active high beam; Drive mode with personal power steering settings; Emergency Brake Assist (EBA); Emergency Brake Light (EBL)

Protective Safety: Driver Airbag; Dual-stage airbag, passenger, Side Impact Protection System (SIPS) with airbags in front seats, Inflatable Curtains; Driver’s knee airbag; Whiplash injury protection system; Belt Reminder all seats; ISO-FIX outer position rear seat; Park assist camera, rear; 360° Camera with 3D view; Tyre Pressure Monitoring System; Volvo On Call

Audio/communication 12.3” touch screen centre display; Inductive charging for smartphone; Google Services (Assistant, Maps and Play); Smart phone integration (iPhone and Android); 5G capability; Four USB-C ports; Harman Kardon Premium Sound (9 speakers, 9 channels, 1040 W output, includes 1 subwoofer); Digital Audio Broadcasting (DAB); Bluetooth® (inc. audio streaming); In-car web apps; Audio controls in steering wheel; Satellite Navigation with Road Sign Information; OTA (Over The Air updates); Carplay (wireless); Digital key

Interior Flax décor; Transparent vent décor; Tailored wool blend seat upholstery; Power adjustable driver seat with memory; Power adjustable passenger seat; Vanity mirrors in sun visor (driver and passenger); Tailored Sport design steering wheel; Automatically dimmed inner and exterior mirrors; Central multi storage; Removable rear storage box; Rear telephone storage;  2-Zone Electronic Climate Control; Airborne Particulate Matter Sensor; Cabin Pollen Filter; Tinted windows rear side doors; Five illumination and sound ambience  themes; 12V power outlet, luggage area

Exterior Panoramic Sunroof; Rear spoiler – Matt Black; LED headlights with Active High Beam; Rain Sensing Wipers; Hammer of Thor Headlights; Automatically dimmed frameless retractable exterior mirrors; Dynamic approach light

Security NFC smart card key; Digital key plus; Hands-free tailgate opening and closing; Child lock, rear side doors; Door mirrors with ground lighting; Alarm with inclination sensor; Central lock switch operation in centre front arm rest

Manufacturer’s List Price      $ 71,290*