Why was the stylish Volvo EX30 shown in Thailand last weekend
First let’s look closely at how Volvo is giving buyers the freedom to choose the battery technology that best suits their needs, offering the EX30 with three powertrain options and two different battery types, which also allows them to offer an attractive entry price point for the EX30.
So, if you spend most of your time in the city or tend to travel shorter distances between charges, Volvo is offering a single-motor option with an LFP battery. The LFP standard-range battery, which uses lithium iron phosphate chemistry, is more cost-effective and less resource-intensive to produce, meaning it is the best option if you don’t need maximum range.
If you prefer to maximise range, the Single Motor Extended Range variant with an NMC extended-range battery is your EX30 of choice. The NMC battery features lithium, nickel, manganese and cobalt, and produces its energy more efficiently than the LFP variant. This single-motor, extended range option gives you a range of up to 480km between charges.
Finally, if performance is your priority, pick the Twin Motor Performance variant in which Volvo pair the NMC battery with an additional second e-motor. This all-wheel drive variant of the EX30 provides 315kW (428hp) and takes you from 0-100 km/h in 3.6 seconds, which is officially the fastest-accelerating Volvo ever!
Another thing the Volvo EX30 does fast is charging. The extended-range Twin Motor variant has a charging capacity of up to 153kW, while the standard-range car has a capacity of 134kW. That means you can charge your battery from 10 to 80 per cent in a little over 25 minutes. Through the car’s centre display and app, you can set the amperage, maximum charging level and when you want to start charging.
To support the best possible driving experience, the chassis of the EX30 has been tuned to make the most of the car’s compact dimensions. Its low centre of gravity, as well as its relatively low and evenly distributed weight are complemented by ease of driving and nimbleness in the city and beyond.
A smaller carbon footprint, yet a big safety impact
Volvo EX30 is designed to have the lowest carbon footprint of any Volvo car to date and represents an important step forward for the firm’s sustainability ambitions. By tackling emissions across the entire production and lifecycle, as well as a considerate use of materials inside and out, Volvo managed to reduce its total carbon footprint over 200,000 kms of driving to below 30 tonnes.
The EX30 is also designed to be as safe as you’d expect from a Volvo and aims to look after both you and others in hectic urban environments. For example, it includes as standard a special safety feature for bikes that helps to prevent so-called ‘dooring’ accidents, by alerting you when you are about to open your door in front of a cyclist, scooter or runner.
The protective safety technology further illustrates how Volvo have applied high safety standards to their new small SUV. It contains state-of-the-art restraint technology, as well as top-notch structural design that fulfills the ambitious in-house safety requirements – designed to prepare Volvo cars for various real-world scenarios.
The Volvo EX30 also aims to make your life more convenient, more relaxing and more enjoyable inside the car through cutting-edge tech and considerate Scandinavian interior design. You can choose from four distinct interior rooms, each with their own expression, while there are smart storage options throughout the cabin.
Together with a contextual single-screen UX, with Google built-in and running the latest version of the infotainment system, these features all reflect the hallmarks of true Volvo design.
Speaking of cutting-edge tech: the Volvo EX30 is the first car to include a new generation of Volvo’s popular Park Pilot Assist feature. It can handle all types of parking spaces, including parallel, curved, perpendicular and diagonal fishbone-style, making parking in tight spaces a breeze.
The new Park Pilot Assist will identify any available parking spots around you. Then, once you’ve tapped the one you want in the new 3D user interface, the feature will operate the throttle and brake as well as the steering. While you supervise the parking process, the screen shows the distance to objects such as cars, walls and bollards in metric or imperial figures.
As with any Volvo car, for the EX30 the company worked closely with tech partners such as Google, Apple and Qualcomm to deliver the best possible user experience. Volvo have also worked closely with ECARX through the jointly owned HaleyTek software joint venture to deliver the best possible infotainment platform for the customers.
So, we will wait patiently for Volvo Cars Malaysia to unveil this EX30 which will easily push Volvo sales in Malaysia to even greater numbers.
