Tag Archives: volvo

Volvo has officially released the pricing for next year’s entry-level electric crossover SUV – the 2025 EX30. The MSRP will be set at $34,950. After adding in the destination fee of $1,295, consumers are looking at $36,245 for the new Volvo EV.

The Swedish manufacturer is offering their latest electric crossover in two variants: a single motor and a twin motor. Each of these breaks down further with the single motor offering Core, Plus, and Ultra trims while the twin just has the Plus and Ultra. The 275-mile single-motor extended range will be the most affordable to the widest range of drivers, but if you’re looking for the twin-motor’s AWD, you’ll have to shell out nearly another $10k.

Below is the full pricing breakdown:

Single Motor Extended Range

• Core – $36,245
• Plus – $40,195
• Ultra – $41,895

Twin Motor Performance

• Plus – $46,195
• Ultra – $47,895

While the twin motor performance variant is quite a jump up in price above the single motor, the MSRP of all trims is below the current average transaction price for a new vehicle in the United States. However, bear in mind that Volvo’s assembled-in-China models will not qualify for the EV federal tax credit.

Earlier this month, we were somehow entrusted with media credentials for Electrify Expo at Nassau Coliseum in Long Island, just East of New York City (not too far from where we hold NYCars & Coffee each week). This little EV-focused festival was less New York International Auto Show and more CES, minus all the boring stuff from CES that doesn’t sit on four wheels. Unlike a traditional media expo full of idle concept cars designed to drum up headlines, Electrify Expo gave us the chance to drive cars that are already out, but without the anxiety-inducing pressures that come with test-driving at a dealer.

Although we didn’t have time to take every car on display out for a spin, we at least had the opportunity to get up close and personal with a few notable models from top carmakers like Lexus, Ford, Volvo, and Tesla. Without getting too in the weeds, I do have Some Opinions on the cars we saw. No, that doesn’t include the Ford Lightning. I did drive it, but I’ll save those thoughts for another day. Maybe when I’ve moved on mentally from the Fisker Alaska.

1. Mustang Mach-E GT

I unabashedly love the GT version of the Mach-E. The base Mach-E is whatever, but Electrify Expo flawlessly demonstrated why the Mach-E GT deserves a second look. For one, they hired a professional drifter to burn those tires bald, and that was a feat to behold. My car can do 0-60 in about 3.5 seconds, but 3.8 hits different when you’ve got instant torque. That it can handle like this while looking like that is a testament to the potential for fun driving in EVs and crossover SUVs alike when a carmaker cares about delivering an engaging experience for the driver rather than another cookie-cutter commuter car.

Whenever Ford is inevitably forced to turn off the lights on the Dark Horse, the Mach-E GT has established a solid enough baseline for what we can expect from the next generation of Mustang sports coupes.

Mustang Mach-E GT: see local prices near you

2. Lexus RZ

The Lexus RZ has stirred up controversy recently, not only for its steer-by-wire system but Toyota’s also taken a page out of Tesla’s book and decided normal people need F1-style steering yokes. While I sadly didn’t get the chance to drive the yoke-equipped model, I did drive an RZ with a regular steering wheel and it was just as unremarkable as I anticipated given its shared DNA with the underwhelming Toyota bZ4X. Just get a Prius, and if that’s not lavish enough, meet the Toyota Crown.

Lexus RZ: see local prices near you

3. BMW i5

I said it in the newsletter, and it’s even truer now that I’ve seen it showcased next to the repulsive BMW iX: the new 5 Series looks fire, and the BMW i5 M60 is the best of the bunch. I’ve gone on record saying the BMW i4 M50 is the best EV I’ve driven, and that still holds true today.

At least as far as design goes, the electric 5 Series M takes all the positive qualities of the i4 M50 – 500+ horsepower with a sub-4 second 0-60 speed on a rear-biased AWD platform – and pairs them with a front end I hate a little less. It also helps that on its other side was the BMW i7, which I lamented as my worst driving experience in recent memory.

BMW i5: see local prices near you

4. Volvo EX30

Mark my words: No matter how this little crossover SUV turns out, the Volvo EX30 will print money. I came this close (imagine my thumb and pointer finger very close together) to reserving one before my wife told me not to because she wanted the Alfa Romeo Tonale.

She made the right call, however, since 1) We needed a car and the EX30 doesn’t come out until next summer and 2) I don’t fully trust Geely with a Chinese-made Volvo. Not necessarily because it’s made in China – hell, the MacBook Pro I’m typing on was, too – but because most other Volvo models are still manufactured in Sweden. This was clearly a move to cut costs. Whether that means cutting corners remains to be seen.

Volvo EX30: see our full preview

5. Ford Eluminator concept truck

Did you know you can buy a Mach-E motor from Ford’s website and swap it into any vehicle it fits? I didn’t either until I saw the Ford Eluminator concept truck, which is less of a truck and more of an overarching concept. For a little over four grand, Ford is saying you can put an electric motor with 480-horsepower and 634 pound-feet of torque in a 1978 F-Series pickup, sure. But you can also do your best RDJ impression and get a little more creative. For instance, if you’re mad about the Mach-E because it’s an SUV and not a proper Mustang, why not build your own electric muscle car? Show Ford how it’s done.

Browse local new and used inventory at CarGurus

Honorable mention: Tesla Model X

“It’s not a recession,” they say. Stop blowing your paychecks on avocado toast and someday you, too, can afford to live in a Tesla Model X.

Tesla Model X: see local inventory near you

Volvo, like most of its cohorts, has accepted that the future of passenger vehicles is fully electric. By now, we all know California and New York have both set a 2035 deadline to phase out the sale of new gas-powered vehicles. What’s unclear is how, in a country that hasn’t seen a minimum wage increase since 2009, the average youth is supposed to afford the hefty price tags holding back EVs from widespread adoption. Could the Volvo EX30 be the solution?

The Chinese-owned Swedish carmaker believes its subcompact crossover SUV is sized and priced just right for the gen Z and millennial buyers its competitors have overlooked. Neither Tesla’s Model 3 nor the Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Ioniq 6 have managed to dip below 40 grand before tax credits. The 2025 Volvo EX30, on the other hand, starts at just under $35K. The smallest SUV in Volvo’s current lineup, the EX30 claims a surprisingly reasonable electric range, absurdly capable performance, and a price tag that makes it the EV to beat for those on a budget.

2025 Volvo EX30 price, release date, interior, and specs

When it launches next summer, the 2025 Volvo EX30 will offer two drivetrain options at launch, with the rear-wheel drive (RWD) model starting at $34,950. While Volvo is accepting reservations as we speak, more specific details regarding trim levels, packages, and a la carte options will be revealed this fall, presumably during the Geneva International Motor Show, which takes place in October.

Volvo 2024 EX30: reserve now

Though small, it has a long wheelbase and short overhangs, giving it a spacious interior and stable handling. The single-motor base model gets RWD, producing 268 horsepower and 253 pound-feet of torque. Volvo will offer a dual-motor upgrade with all-wheel drive, a combined 422 horsepower, and 400 pound-feet of torque. Acceleration to 60 mph takes 5.1 seconds with the base setup and just 3.4 seconds with the dual-motor system. We’ll even see the iconic Cross Country or XC branding returning for the EV as Volvo plans to release a more rugged version later on.

Volvo’s range estimates reach 275 miles for the base single-motor variant and 265 for the dual-motor. Both models get a usable battery capacity of 64 kWh and a 10-80 percent charge time of 26.5 minutes on a DC fast charger. That said, the EX30’s maximum charge rate is just 153 kW, making it slower to charge than Hyundai and Kia’s latest EVs. 

We don’t have a full list of interior features, but the EX30 appears to carry a similar display to the portrait-oriented screen in the larger EX90. Volvo moved to a Google-based infotainment system, which brings Google Assistant, Google Maps, and third-party apps from the Play Store like Waze to replace Google Maps—and more. The EX30 also gets a robust suite of advanced safety features, including some new tech. For example, the Park Pilot Assist system lets drivers select a parking space in a 3D interface and can handle steering and braking through the whole process. 

Volvo electrified: EX30 vs. XC40 Recharge and C40 Recharge 

Volvo repurposed the XC40’s underpinnings for use in the XC40 Recharge and C40 Recharge. Both are considerably more expensive than the EX30, and their reliance on a gas vehicle platform means that Volvo made some compromises on interior space and other packaging to accommodate the battery. They also lack the EX30’s range, as the XC40’s estimates land down at 223 miles. 

The trio of EVs all get similar tech features, and Google runs the show in each, but the EX30’s screen is larger and more prominently mounted in its interior. Volvo also removed most physical controls in favor of on-screen buttons, but the XC40 and C40 Recharge were already mostly bereft of buttons. 

Besides price and some equipment differences, the EX30 is not a wild departure from Volvo’s existing EVs. The brand clearly defined its intent with electrification and has so far followed it closely. That results in sustainable materials throughout the EX30 and older models, and Volvo noted that it was able to reduce the EX30’s carbon footprint over 124,724 miles of driving to less than 30 tons. 

What else is going on with Volvo?

Volvo has focused on technology improvements and vehicle development in recent times and has two brand-new EVs to show for it. At the same time, the brand has seen an uptick in sales over the first two quarters of 2023 and has picked up accolades for new models such as the S60 and XC60, which earned high accolades from reviewers.

The automaker plans to build the upcoming EX90 at its factory in South Carolina, but no such plans have been announced for the EX30. Because of their foreign manufacturing locations, none of Volvo’s current EVs are eligible for federal tax credits in the U.S. However, the EX90’s domestic assembly location may qualify it for at least half of the $7,500 credit.