Volvo is discontinuing the EX30 electric subcompact SUV in the United States after the 2026 model year. The smallest Volvo only arrived two years ago, giving it a remarkably short commercial life in the American market.
The models destined for the US were currently built at the Ghent plant. “We will stop building the US models this summer,” says Barbara Blomme, spokesperson for the Ghent factory.
Volvo officially confirmed the withdrawal to the car magazine Car and Driver: “The EX30 will remain available in other markets globally, including Canada and Mexico.” No official explanation was provided for the decision, but the context makes the reasoning clear enough.
Double blow from Washington
The EX30’s troubled US journey is most likely a direct consequence of the current American trade climate. When Volvo originally brought the EX30 to the US market, the carmaker deliberately chose to source the vehicles from its Belgian factory as quickly as possible. Initially, deliveries came exclusively from the Chinese plant in Zhangjiakou.
But the shift to Belgium shielded the EX30 from the 100% tariff on Chinese-made electric vehicles in the US. That strategy, however, was overtaken by the subsequent inauguration of President Trump. His administration imposed a blanket 25% tariff on all imported vehicles, regardless of origin.
At the same time, the elimination of the federal EV tax credit last fall hit sales hard. The EX30 moved 542 units in September 2025, the final month the credit was available, before collapsing to just 184 in October.
It has not recovered since. Volvo shifted a total of 5,409 EX30s in the US throughout 2025 (its first full year on sale). Last deliveries will take place this summer.
‘Not the bulk of our production’
How big is the setback for the Belgian plant? Ghent built more than 4,500 units of the EX30 for the US last year, out of more than 70,000 electric cars, including the 40 series. “It’s an important market for the factory, and we were still ramping up production for those customers,” says Blomme.
“But in the bigger picture, it’s not the bulk of our production. Many people don’t realize how popular Volvo is in the UK, for instance, which is also one of our export markets.”
At the press launch of the EX60 in Stockholm last month, Håkan Samuelsson pointed to the EX30 as a key model for the factory. Blomme could not comment on whether new markets will be targeted for compensation. “We don’t decide markets at the factory level. We build the cars that are sold.”
Ironically, the car that was built in Ghent to survive one American trade barrier ended up falling victim to another, so it seems.
