The new Volvo EX30 electric SUV comes with a full-width soundbar and no buttons on the centre console.
After months of teasing with mysterious promotional stills, Volvo has finally pulled back the curtain on its newest creation: the Volvo EX30, a 5-seater electric SUV that boasts an ultra-minimalistic design with zero buttons. The new model reveal comes as part of the Swedish automaker’s wider effort to appeal to Gen Z drivers using small, environmentally-friendly electric vehicles suited to their lifestyle.
The new Volvo EX30 is about designing at an unthinkable level of simplicity, and this is done using a truly all-in-one 12-inch tablet in the middle. It replaces all the buttons you’d expect in a car, with Volvo’s reasoning being it makes the cabin feel “calm”. “Inside the EX30 we continue our strategy of contextual and focused interfaces,” explains the company’s head of UX Tom Stovicek. “On the single screen, key driving information such as speed and charge levels are positioned prominently at the top, with navigation, media and controls easily visible and accessible below. We also include a contextual bar that gives you the most relevant functions for your needs at any time.”
The EX30 is Volvo’s hope to win over a Gen-Z audience, and the buttonless layout is not the only thing that’s radically different about the SUV. It comes with much-needed updates that take into account the advancements of smartphone technology, environmental consciousness and Gen-Z lifestyle, such as using eco-friendly materials, wireless charging components in each of the front seats, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto (a first for the company), and a full-width soundbar for a top-quality music listening experience.
In its nearly 100 years of existence, Volvo has never approached this age group, but CEO Jim Rowan explains the focus is on retaining younger generations as they grow old. According to Rowan, the company want to have “a direct relationship with those customers at a really early age. And if we do our job properly, we’ll keep those customers and we’ll trade them up, because they get married and have a dog and have kids and want a second car…”
As an EV, the Volvo EX30 is very capable when looking at its mileage and performance stats. Slip roads will be left in the dust as 0-62mph takes a measly 3.6s, and the fast charging time from 10%-80% is estimated at 26½ minutes. In terms of range, the EX30 SUV can drive up to 298 miles, depending on climate conditions, driving style and battery condition.
Practicality has always been Volvo’s strong suit and there’s no little change in that here. Having an electric motor rather than a petrol engine means there’s even more storage space; 318 litres in the boot as well as 61 litres of hidden storage underneath and extra storage at the front. The SUV also boasts numerous drive-enhancing and safety features, such as a 360-degree camera and a door-opening alert that checks the blind spot behind you for oncoming traffic.
It will be interesting to see if Volvo connect with the Gen-Z demographic with the EX30, and it’s available for pre-order now. If you’ve got your eyes on a Volvo EX30 for your next car, then cars2buy is the UK’s number one destination for Volvo lease deals. Our transparent service removes the chore of comparing lease offers on many different websites. We’ve scoured the web for the very best UK Volvo lease deals from trusted partners and put them all in one place, meaning you can search, filter, sort and compare them all to find the perfect match. Browse our Volvo lease deals online today and you could be driving away in a brand-new Volvo before you know it.