The performance version of the Volvo EX30 tested offers the equivalent of more than 400 hp. That made overtaking cars on country roads or the highway easy.
MUNICH — The Volvo EX30 was a sporty, cozy, tech-friendly choice with enough range to keep recharging stops to a reasonable number during a recent 1,200-km test drive.
The EX30 is quick. The performance version tested offers the equivalent of more than 400 hp. That results in a 0 to 100 kph (62 mph) time of 3.6 seconds. That kind of power makes overtaking cars on country roads or the highway easy.
There are plenty of smart storage spaces inside, such as in the front doors because a sound bar near the bottom edge of the windshield replaces the speakers there.
The heavy reliance on low-cost materials and fabrics, however, immediately signals that the EX30 is a step or two down when it comes to providing what Volvo offers on models such as the EX40 electric compact SUV.
Volvo has said that to get the EX30’s starting price in Europe below €40,000 it had to make some hard choices. The EX40 starts at roughly €50,000 in Germany.
Responsive, helpful Google system
The EX30 has a responsive, helpful Google-based infotainment and navigation system. It was very comforting to know what the battery power would be for a roundtrip. That eliminated a lot of guess work. Also, what the Google system predicted was always accurate within a percentage point or two.
Nagging safety alerts for non-issues
A big issue with the small SUV was its overzealous safety system which demanded hands be on the steering wheel even when hands were on the wheel.
Also, every time the system noticed a yawn the “pull over and get a coffee” alert sounded.
Volvo prides itself on safety, so it will err on the side of being overprotective. However, systems like these will get turned off by most people for being so intrusive.
Another frustrating situation arose when asking the Google Assistant to get Spotify to play a song. Five times it was asked for one band and five times it provided the wrong artist.
How did the WLTP figures compare with real-world driving?
The base version has a 51-kilowatt-hour battery pack with a promised range of 475 km (295 miles) and combined energy consumption of 17 kWh per 100 km, according to WLTP tests. The performance version tested has a 69-kWh battery and a promised 450 km range and a combined energy consumption of 17.5 kWh per 100 km.
The real-world performance was 20 kWh/100 km during late October travel at seasonable temperatures.
The route featured mostly highway driving and less than one-third on country and city roads.
During a previous test the aim was to keep highway speeds around 110 kph, well below the 130 kph top speed allowed in Austria and Italy. This time the driving speed was closer to the limit.
The first trip of 529 km from near Munich to near Venice was covered with two recharging stops of less than 40 minutes each. The return trip was closer to 550 km because of a detour. Charging was equally fast and painless.
There was no time during the trip on the highways in Austria or Germany when there was a concern about running out of power or not being able to find a charger.
In Italy, that was not the case. (see below).
Was the Volvo EX30 difficult to recharge?
Topping up the battery in Germany and Austria was a breeze. Pull in, swipe a credit card, charge, pay and go.
In Italy it was a nightmare.
Apps didn’t work. Credit cards didn’t work.
Three attempts, three failures at charging in Italy. All of these charging stations in Italy were working, but none was designed to simply accept a credit card, which is common in Germany and Austria.
The only thing that was reliable was an extra cord included in the car by Volvo, at my request, that allowed charging from a household outlet. It was slow (36 hours to get from 20 to 80 percent), but it worked.
Near Salzburg, Austria, a charge from 55 percent to 90 percent took 33 minutes at speeds of 65 to 78 kilowatts. The cost was to get 28.182 kWh was €22.26, which is €0.79 per kWh, which is pretty expensive.
At a second charging site in Spittal, Austria, 30.93 kWh cost €29.22. The kWh price was €0.88 and I got hit with a €2 blocking fee for having the EX30 on the charger for 35 minutes, which is a rip-off. Home charging with the household cord at 9 amp resulted in roughly €40 to €50 for each refill. The upside is that using a plug (or a wallbox one day) is like having a fuel station under your roof. The downside is that your energy bill rises, especially when one compares the range of an EV to that of a diesel powertrain.
So, in summary:
What’s good about the Volvo EX30?
Enough range for long trips. Google system provides a full picture of when and where to recharge, removing a key pain point. Comfortable cabin. Plenty of tech features. German and Austrian charging network is fast and convenient. Having a cable to charge from a household plug was a life saver. A wallbox remains on the wish list, but overcoming infrastructure challenges from living in a nearly 100-year-old home persist.
What needs improvement on the Volvo EX30?
Several tech features worked inconsistently. It doesn’t have enough range to make charging an afterthought.
How much does the Volvo EX30 cost?
The car tested was Twin Motor Performance Ultra version, which starts at €55,290 in Germany. The entry-price for the small SUV is €39,790 in Germany.
What are the Volvo EX30’s rivals?
The small SUV competes in the small premium segment where there are few rivals at its size and price point. One of them is the Smart #1, which uses the same platform as the EX30 but starts at €48,990 in Germany. Smart is 50 percent controlled by Geely Holding, which owns Volvo. The EX30 was the No. 2 car in its segment with 77,899 sales last year, according to preliminary figures from DataForce. The Mini Cooper was the segment leader with 82,504 sales.
Are you ready to go full EV?
Almost. The infrastructure if no longer an issue in the parts of Germany and Austria that I’m most likely to visit. With the purchase of a cord to use at household outlets, most of my travels in Italy would not be a problem. Also, I met a guy at one of the chargers with a card from Mercedes-Benz that lets him charge just about anywhere, he said. That would be a “must” to complete the transition. The biggest hurdle now is a mindset change. During current 1,200-km trips in an SUV with a 2.0-liter diesel, if it’s full then two refueling stops of 10 minutes or less are enough. Not only that, the second refill leaves three-quarters in the tank for future travel. Replacing that with at least four stops of at least 20 minutes is not appealing. However, for regular trips in the 200-300 km range, or less, the EX30 would be a natural choice.
