Volvo South Africa has confirmed that it is bringing in 500 units of the new EX30 in 2024 – a figure that is almost as high as the number of all of the battery-electric vehicles (BEVs) sold in the country in the entirety of 2022.
The crossover made its international debut in June, when the company revealed that it would be brought to South Africa at a starting price of R775,900, making it the most affordable electric SUV in the country by a significant margin.
Changing tide
The BEV market has been growing at an exponential rate in South Africa, going from 502 sales in the whole of 2022 to 501 sales in just the first half of 2023, indicating a strong demand for new energy vehicles from local automakers.
Because of this, Volvo South Africa is committing to its largest BEV allocation yet, and is prepared to take up a request for more production slots if need be, the company told MyBroadband.
“The intention is to be a lot more aggressive with a lot more cars being available from launch, and we do have the production capacity for that ambitious rollout,” said Volvo managing director Greg Maruszewski.
The automaker is already the second-largest electric vehicle (EV) player in the country thanks to one model – the XC40 Recharge – which at 98 sales, accounts for roughly one-in-five of all the EVs purchased so far this year.
Volvo XC40 Recharge
While BMW sold a greater 252 units, it currently has five EVs on offer in the form of the iX, iX1, iX3, i4, and i7, meaning the XC40 is likely to be the single best-selling battery-powered car in the country, said MyBroadband.
This demand for electric Volvos is further supported by pre-order figures, as South Africa ranks in the top 10 for EX30 orders alongside other countries in Europe, Africa, and the Middle East, according to the manufacturer.
Maruszewski said that the company tried to price the EX30 to be as close to a comparable petrol or diesel as possible, but that is it hoping the government will introduce a subsidy in the form of rebates, duty reductions, or tax credits, to help stimulate EV sales.
The carmaker also plans to introduce the flagship EX90 to South Africa in the second half of 2024.
What to expect
The EX30 will be available with two power configurations at launch – a single rear-mounted motor, or an all-wheel-drive, dual-motor setup.
The cheaper single-motor option has 200kW and 343Nm to work with, which lets it sprint to 100km/h in 5.7 seconds.
By default, it has a 51kWh battery with a driving range of 344km, but this can be substituted for a range-extender 69kWh cell, which raises the maximum distance to 480km.
Opting for the twin-motor configuration ups the power to 315kW and 543Nm, which shaves the acceleration time down to a blistering 3.6 seconds.
This arrangement also uses the 69kWh battery, though the heavier and more powerful drivetrain means its range has been slightly reduced to 460km.
The crossover will also be able to charge from 10 to 80% in as little as 25 minutes, thanks to a charger that can support a capacity of up to 153kW.
The Volvo EX30 will go on sale in the first quarter of 2024 in five specifications, with prices ranging from R775,900 to R995,900.
Keyword: South Africa a top 10 market for electric Volvos – Massive order book for 2024 revealed