Motoring

First shipment of Volvo EX30s soon on South African shores

Volvo EX30 first batch en-route to South Africa

With pre-orders having opened in September, Volvo Car South Africa has announced that the first batch of its entry-level all-electric SUV, the EX30, are en-route in readiness for the commencing of sales in the first quarter of next year.

EX30 range

Unveiled in June as the electric alternative, and more than likely eventual replacement, for the now hybrid-only XC40, the EX30 joins the range-topping EX90 as the second model Volvo, so far, to ride on the new Scalable Production Architecture 2 (SPA2).

A platform designed from the start to solely accommodate an electric powertrain as per Volvo becoming an EV-only brand by 2030, the EX30 will comprise a line-up of five models powered by two battery packs.

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Second behind the GWM Ora 03 on the list of South Africa’s most accessible electric vehicles, the range kicks-off with the Core that produces 134 kW thanks to a 51-kWh lithium-ion phosphate battery. The claimed range is 344 km.

Up next, the mid-spec Plus and flagship Ultra variants utilise a 69-kWh battery capable of delivering 200 kW while returning a range of 480 km on a single charge.

*_{Line-up will span five models and three powertrain options. Image: Volvo}*

At the range’s summit, the Twin Motor Performance, as its name indicates, adds a second electric motor to the Plus and Ultra, but with the same sized battery.

Effectively an all-wheel-drive model with the inclusion of the second motor, output increases to 315 kW, though range drops to 460 km.

As with the pair of single-motor models, the Twin Motor’s top speed is limited to 180 km/h.

First to get it

*_{Interior mirrors that of the EX90, but with a number of additions bespoke to it. Image: Volvo}*

Confirming South Africa as one of the first countries to receive the EX30, Volvo Car South Africa Managing Director, Greg Maruszewski, said pre-orders of “more than 150 units” has played a significant role in the local market not being left behind in unit allocation.

Last year, the Chinese-owned Swedish brand revealed its initial batch of EV models, the XC40 P8 Recharge and P6 Recharge, sold-out in four days and 24 hours respectively, while orders for the C40 Recharge are nearly also full after its local market launch earlier this year.

*_{Claimed boot space is 380-litres in single motor models, with the rear seats up. Image: Volvo}*

“Typically, South Africa is not in the first wave of a new model’s global launch. But that’s changed with the EX30, as our initial allocation is already inbound.

“This means we’ll see the first examples on local roads at the same time as they arrive in major markets in Europe, North America and Asia,” Maruszewski said in a statement.

Joining the pair of XC40s and C40 takes Volvo’s electric vehicle count to four, with the EX90 more only expected in 2025 as a result of production only kicking-off at the end of 2024.