Sneak peek: all-electric Volvo EX30 SUV set to debut June 7

09 May 2023

Volvo’s marketing machine just kicked into a higher gear with the looming debut of the smallest electric SUV from the Swedish kings of safety. The long-rumored EX30 is fast approaching and Volvo confirmed the official debut date will be June 7. The company dropped a short video teaser with a snappy tagline attached to it - something small is coming…

Small in size it may well be, but the EX30 is going to be huge for the company. The current XC40 has been recently refreshed from the ground up and now it uses the SEA EV platform from Geely, Volvo’s parent company. The EX30 will slot beneath the XC40 and will become the smallest, and the most affordable Volvo on the market.

While the XC40 is a technical sibling of Smart #3, the smaller EX30 will be a Swedish equivalent of Smart #1. The two vehicles share underpinnings with the same battery and the same electric motors, even the wheelbase will be most likely identical. The external dimensions will differ a bit but not enough to make the little Volvo that much different. The EX30 will be a city dweller but it will pack plenty of punch and decent range.

How much is plenty? We can expect the base model to offer the same 238hp RWD setup we already know from Volvo XC40. The Smart #1 is slightly more powerful with 268hp, but the two brands aim at different customers and Volvo will focus more on safety and a little bit less on performance - at least for the entry-level model.

For those hoping for a performance Volvo - you’re in luck. The AWD dual-motor setup should make its appearance with either 408hp output - just like in the XC40 - or with the 434hp powertrain that we already know from the Smart #1 Brabus. There is a possibility though that Volvo will want to create a bit more of a gap between the EX30 and XC40 and will detune the smaller SUV a bit. It still will be a quick electric SUV though.

Despite its tiny dimensions - no more than 4.3 meters in length - the EX30 will be a hefty EV. Smart #1 weighs 1,820 kg, but a huge bulk of that weight is contributed to the 66kWh battery pack. The EX30 will use the same battery and, with similar dimensions as the Smart #1, we can expect the weight to be very similar as well.

Thanks to Volvo’s design patent filing, we get a detailed look at the upcoming small SUV. The design is a nice mixture of the EX90 and the XC40, the car looks deceptively large and features the new Volvo light signature both front and back. There isn’t much time left before the car goes public next month and the company already confirmed that customers will be able to place orders straight away.

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