In other news, renting batteries to lower an EV's price is not on the agenda due to safety concerns.
When Volvo unveiled the EX90 last month, a much smaller electric crossover was teased right at the end of the livestreamed event. At that point, most journalists assumed it’s going to be called “EX30,” which the company’s CEO has now confirmed. Speaking with Automotive News Europe, Jim Rowan acknowledged the tiny EV will use this moniker once it’ll be launched at some point in 2023. He went on to mention it’s going to be manufactured in China.
The Geely-owned automaker projects the EX30 will play a “big part” in achieving an ambitious target of increasing sales by over 70 percent by 2025. Volvo wants to deliver 1.2 million cars annually by the middle of the decade, according to the former Dyson executive. He believes the Chengdu, Daqing, and Taizhou factories in China will be “pretty busy” assembling the entry-level electric crossover.
2024 Volvo EX30 speculative rendering based on the teaser image
Jim Rowan told ANE the typical customer will be 18 or 19 years old buying their first car at the “right price point plus the flexibility, the insurance and roadside assistance that Care by Volvo offers.” To make it more accessible, the EX30 will be offered with a subscription plan requiring a commitment of at least three months. The company’s top brass is confident people will keep their vehicles for much longer.
When asked whether the Swedes are interested in renting or swapping batteries to lower the asking price, the CEO ruled it out because of safety concerns. Since the battery pack plays a major role in case of a crash, Volvo doesn’t want to take any risks. He went on to say that frequently plugging batteries in and out could be hazardous considering how powerful they are.
At the other end of the lineup, the XC90 isn’t going anywhere. Even though the new fully electric EX90 assumes the role of a flagship, Jim Rowan said the combustion-engined SUV still makes sense in certain markets where the charging infrastructure is not ready yet. He specified that EV adoption in the inner regions of the United States and China is taking longer compared to the coastal areas. Consequently, “the XC90 will stay in the range for a while.”
Back in February, former Volvo CEO Hakan Samuelsson said the model will not only continue but even receive cosmetic revisions. For a luxury SUV that has been around in its second iteration since 2015, the XC90 has aged gracefully and we’d argue it doesn’t look outdated when compared to newer vehicles from the same segment.
Keyword: China-Made Volvo EX30 Confirmed For 2023, XC90 To Stick Around