Volvo has delivered – at the last moment in December 2023 – as promised, the first Chinese-built EX30 EVs to customers in Belgium, the Netherlands, Spain, and Portugal. The EX3 is Volvo’s smallest fully electric SUV to date, built on the same SEA platform as its siblings within the Geely Group, the Zeekr X and the Smart #1, which came first.

Who the first EX30 customers are and why, specifically in these four European markets first, wasn’t specified by Volvo Cars, which waited until January to break the news but emphasizes that by doing this, it fulfilled its promises to deliver before the end of 2023. The bulk of deliveries will be in 2024 and 2025, though. In 2025, Volvo Car Gent will build this model, too.

Starting at €38 990 in Belgium

The EX30 was revealed to almost universal acclaim earlier this year and has already won several major awards. Volvo says it based the price on analysis in two unnamed markets, resulting in a lower total cost of ownership than any other fully electric Volvo car and, more importantly, ahead of much of the competition in the electric, small SUV segment.

In Belgium, the entry-level Core variant starts at €38 990 with a 51 kWh LFP battery and offers a range of 475 km. The same single motor RWD version with the bigger 69 kWh NMC battery for an extended range of 660 km comes in at €44 240. The Twin Motor Performance AWD starts at €50 490 in the Plus trim level. A top-of-the-line Ultra variant costs €53 640.

Cheaper entry-level Smart #1

To compare, the Chinese-owned electric Smart, co-developed by Geely with Mercedes-Benz, was announced in October 2023 to target a new (private) potential buyer public by introducing a new basic variant called Pro. The penalty you’ll pay for this is 110 km fewer range: 310 km instead of 420 (WLTP).

The reason is it has a 49 kWh battery for €5 000 lower than the Pro + with a 66 kWh battery (€41 495). It’s now available in Belgium at €36 495 (VAT incl.), which makes it also eligible for the Flemish EV premium of €5 000. The Zeekr X isn’t available yet in Belgium, but it retails from €45 990 in the Netherlands.

Production in China

Production of the Volvo EX30 started in the fall of 2023 in Zhangjiakou, China, and the first cars were scheduled to reach customers in 2023 – that goal Volvo ultimately achieved by the skin of its teeth.

The decision to build the EX30 in Ghent also boosts production capacity for the expected EX30 demand in Europe and global exports. “It reflects Volvo Cars’ ambition to build its cars where it sells them as much as possible,” said the press release.

Production flexibility

The decision also adds production flexibility for what the company expects to be one of its best-selling models in coming years. This approach is a proven concept for Volvo Cars, which builds its top-selling XC60 and XC40 SUVs in Europe and China.

“Our ambition is to sell the EX30 around the world at an attractive price point, easing the transition to driving an electric Volvo car for more people while also contributing to company margins,” said Jim Rowan, Volvo Cars’ CEO. “Adding production in Ghent is logical as we aim to capture the strong demand for our exciting small electric SUV globally.”

Crucial role for EX30

Volvo Cars has an ambitious electrification plan to sell only fully electric cars by 2030. By mid-decade, it aims for half of its global sales volume to consist of fully electric vehicles.

The EX30 plays a crucial role in those plans, as Volvo Cars expects it to contribute significantly to its growth and profitability objectives. This makes the EX30 a cornerstone of Volvo Cars’ ongoing strategic transformation.