New Volvo EX30 revealed – The cheapest electric SUV in South Africa

Volvo has finally unveiled the new EX30, and it’s coming to South Africa.

The electric vehicle (EV) has a local starting price of R775,900, making it R300,000 cheaper than the brand’s previous entry-level EV – the XC40 P6 Recharge.

Powertrains

The EX30 will be made available with two power configurations at launch – a single rear-mounted motor, or an all-wheel-drive, dual-motor setup.

The single-motor option produces 200kW and 343Nm, which combined with a 51kWh battery, allows the crossover to reach 100km/h in 5.7 seconds and drive for a maximum of 344km.

Alternatively, buyers can opt for an extended-range model with a larger 69kWh cell, which cuts down the acceleration time by 0.4 seconds and increases the driving range to 480km.

The more powerful twin motor arrangement then gives the Volvo access to 315kW and 543Nm, letting it sprint to 100km/h in an absurd 3.6 seconds.

The drawback of this setup is that the additional weight and power will reduce the range slightly to 460km.

Charging is then expected to take as little as 25 minutes to go from 10 to 80%, thanks to a charging capacity of 134kW on the base model, and up to 153kW on the twin motor.

Features

The EX30 will come in three trim levels – Core, Plus, and Ultra – though even the base grade will provide generous levels of standard equipment, said the company.

While Volvo has not yet revealed the full specification sheet for its new car, it did confirm that the dashboard features a 12.3-inch portrait infotainment system developed with tech partners like Google and Apple.

This system will be capable of receiving over-the-air software updates and it connects to a sound bar that stretches the length of the dashboard.

A significant portion of the SUV is also made from recycled materials, including 25% of its aluminium, 17% of its steel, and 17% of its plastic.