Patent image for Volvo next EX30 has been published online, giving us our best look yet at the entry-level electric SUV.
The EX30 will arrive in Australia before the end of 2023.
Patent image, shared by Coche Spiasdepicts a vehicle with a clear family resemblance to the upcoming EX90 flagship, with similar headlight and taillight designs.
In terms of its silhouette, it’s more upright than the larger C40 but a bit more lively than the XC40.
We already got a brief glimpse of the EX30 last year, with Volvo releasing a shadowy teaser showing EX90-like taillights.
While there are no patent images of the interior, the Spanish website also shared three spy images from China, one of which depicts the cabin.
There’s a large portrait-oriented touchscreen that appears to be flanked by vertically oriented air vents, while the gear shifter is placed on the steering column.
There are protruding ledges along the dashboard, while the front deck appears to be flat with the center console disconnected from the dashboard.
The EX30 is expected to offer only an electric powertrain and be manufactured in China for the local and export markets.
It is also expected to be smaller than the C40 and XC40, which are both over 4.4 meters long, and will reportedly use the Sustainable Experience Architecture that underpins other vehicles under the Geely umbrella such as the Smart #1 and #2.
Although pricing won’t be revealed until later this year, Volvo CEO Jim Rowan previously said he expected the crossover to “reach a different price demographic”.
A smaller battery option, which Mr Rowan says will allow buyers to “choose the range that best suits their lifestyle and budget”, is expected to help keep prices down.
Volvo has high hopes for the small electric crossover, saying it will play a “huge role” in reaching its ambitious sales target of 1.2 million cars a year by 2025.
In some markets Volvo may offer a subscription service for a minimum period of three months to also encourage buyers, although the company will not offer replaceable batteries as some Chinese automakers do.
It says it won’t do this for security reasons. The battery was placed in a location that was an ‘integral’ part of the car’s crashworthiness.
Volvo plans to be an EV-only brand by 2030, with its Australian lineup going all-electric by 2026.
The company already offers the electric C40 Recharge and XC40 Recharge Pure Electric in Australia, with the EX90 due out in 2024.
