Electric vehicles are less complex than internal combustion-engined vehicles. But when it comes to software, pretty much every vehicle on sale today is tremendously more complex than new cars, trucks, and crossovers from merely a decade ago.
Back in July 2023, software-related concerns have forced Volvo to push back deliveries of the EX90 flagship crossover. Fast forward to January 2024, and the Swedish manufacturer acknowledged yet another software-related concern affecting the EX30 subcompact crossover utility vehicle.
According to a correspondence forwarded to dealers worldwide, Volvo is working around the clock to fix the problem. The company hasn't provided any details in regard to said problem, but we do know that a software update is under development.
Automotive News Europe understands that said update will be made by dealers rather than over the air, which makes OTA functionality look useless. On the other hand, positive examples do exist. Austin-based Tesla comes to mind. Earlier in January, it recalled 200,000 vehicles over a software bug affecting the rearview camera feed. Rather than wasting owners' time at Tesla service centers, the problem was addressed with an OTA update.
ANE further understands that EX30 deliveries have been delayed by two weeks, which clearly isn't a big deal. On the other hand, every single day counts in this particular business. We also have to remember that Volvo's B-segment crossover may become its best-selling electric vehicle to date. This expectation is the very opposite of wishful thinking, for the EX30 carries a competitive MSRP.
Photo: Volvo
Excluding the $1,295 destination charge, Volvo's new crossover is $34,950 for the Single Motor Core specification. The Plus kicks off at $38,900, whereas the Ultra is a reasonable $40,600 in the United States market. All-wheel drive is available on the Plus or Ultra, with the Plus AWD costing $6,000 more than the two-wheel-drive version.
Scheduled to arrive at US dealers for the 2025 model year, the EX30 is produced in China. Basesd on the same Geely-designed platform as the smart #1, the EX30 will also be manufactured in Belgium starting 2025. Rear-wheel drive by default, the EX30 uses lithium-iron-phosphate battery cells for the standard-range battery and nickel-manganese-cobalt cells for the extended-range battery.
When it comes to driving range, WLTP estimates range from 344 kilometers to 480 kilometers. Over in the United States, the Swedish automaker expects up to 275 miles (443 kilometers) for the Single Motor Core with the standard 18-inch wheels. Limited to 110 miles per hour (180 kilometers per hour), the EX90's far more affordable brother packs up to 422 horsepower and 400 lb-ft (542 Nm).
Volvo says zero to 60 miles per hour (97 kilometers per hour) takes 3.4 seconds, putting the EX30 Twin Motor Performance in the same league as the larger and heavier Kia EV6 GT. The gold standard of electric crossovers, however, is the soon-to-be-updated Tesla Model Y. In addition to 310 miles (499 kilometers) of EPA-rated range for the Dual Motor Long Range, the Model Y can shoot to 60 in as little as 3.5 seconds for the Dual Motor Performance.
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
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