Volvo’s mystery SUV, which was teased in November at the unveiling of the 2024 EX90 mid-size electric SUV, has been confirmed as a small electric car, dubbed the EX30.
The identity of the vehicle was confirmed by Volvo CEO Jim Rowan in an interview with Automotive News (subscription required) published Monday.
According to Rowan, the EX30 will be built in China from 2023 and will be a key pillar for Volvo to meet its sales target of 1.2 million vehicles annually by 2025 – half of which will be electric vehicles. Volvo sold 698,693 vehicles in 2021 and is on track to sell slightly less this year due to production disruptions in China.
Rowan also said the EX30 will be offered through the Care by Volvo subscription plan, which he says will help attract younger buyers as the subscriptions only require a minimum of three months.
“It’s that Generation Z person who’s 18, 19 years old, coming into the car market for the first time and looking for the right price and the flexibility, insurance and roadside assistance that Care by Volvo offers,” Rowan told Automotive News when asked about the entry-level buyer.
Volvo briefly showed a shadowy image of the EX30 during the EX90 unveiling. The teaser hints at a vehicle with a similar design to the EX90 but on a smaller scale.
The EX30 will be based on Geely’s SEA modular EV platform. The platform debuted last year in the 001 Hot Hatch from other Geely brand Zeekr and features an 800-volt electric system for high-speed charging. Production of the EX30 will be handled at one of Volvo’s Chinese plants, as opposed to one of Geely’s plants set up to produce SEA-based vehicles.