Volvo's smallest electric vehicle coming to Australia in 2023

Volvo Car Australia has confirmed the EX30, the brand’s smallest SUV yet, is coming to Australia later this year.

Not much is known about the EX30 yet, though Volvo teased an image of it late last year ahead of its global launch this year revealing similar boxy styling and lighting elements to the flagship EX90.

The vehicle is expected to offer only all-electric powertrains and be produced in China for local and export markets.

Volvo has high hopes for the small electric crossover saying it will play a “big part” in achieving its ambitious sales target of 1.2 million cars per year by 2025.

While pricing won’t be revealed until later this year, Volvo CEO Jim Rowan has previously said he expects the crossover to “reach a different price demographic”.

Smaller battery options which Mr Rowan says will allow buyers to “choose the range that best fits their lifestyle and their budget” are expected to help bring pricing down.

In some markets Volvo may offer a subscription service for a minimum three-month term to also encourage buyers, though the company won’t offer swappable batteries as some Chinese automakers are doing.

It says it won’t do this due to safety reasons. The battery has been placed in a location which is in an ‘integral’ part of the car’s crashworthiness.

The EX30 is expected to be smaller than the C40 and XC40, which are both over 4.4 metres long.

At the moment the cheapest all-electric Volvo in Australia is the XC40 Recharge Pure Electric, which starts at $73,990 before on-road costs.

Volvo plans to become an EV-only brand by 2030, with its Australian line-up going all-electric by 2026.

The Swedish carmaker, part of the Geely empire, says it plans to be Australia’s first manufacturer to fully transition to pure-electric power.

Currently Volvo offers only two EVs, the XC40 Recharge Pure Electric and the C40 Recharge Pure Electric, with the large EX90 to join them locally late in 2024.