Full disclosure: the first time I found myself in the Volvo EX30, over a couple of days last year, I decided it was the one electric vehicle (EV) I would not want to own. It is Volvo’s smallest EV, as well as it’s most cost-effective, starting at under R800,000.
For anyone stepping into the car for the first time, the technology gap is glaring: no instrument cluster in front of the driver. Instead, all information about the trip is delivered via the infotainment panel. That made it the first car I tested that combined driver instrumentation with infotainment, navigation and vehicle vitals all presented on the central console.
Gut reaction: it is too distracting for the driver to be kept informed only when looking away from the road. The traditional position of the instrument panel behind the steering wheel allows the driver to glance down momentarily while remaining focused on the road ahead.
A fellow motoring journalist suggested I just needed to spend more time with the EX30. Which is common sense, but not always practical. Fortunately, Volvo agreed, and it became my test car for a month.
Lo and behold, after little more than a week, I’d forgotten about my so-called – or “then-so-called” – technology gap.
Quite the opposite: it was a revelation.
The minimalist approach resulted in several moments of truth, in particular learnings about other cars.
- It dawned on me that much of the information provided in standard instrument clusters tends to be stats that are interesting before the start and after the end of the ride, such as mileage and average consumption of the trip, when it makes little difference for it to be displayed on the central console. There is a proviso: one tends to more concerned with fuel consumption in a fuel-driven car. On EVs there tends to be one key stat: remaining range. And that is not something one checks on every 5 minutes. Or, at least, not if the battery has decent range to start. Volvo promises up to 480km on a single charge for the top-of-the-range Twin Motor Performance edition, although we came in closer to 420km with a Single Motor version.
- I realised that, aside from monitoring speed, I rarely needed to look at the instrument cluster. However, when one gets a feel for a vehicle, one also gets a sense of what speed it is doing. I went through entire days of city driving without checking my speed, but also not exceeding the speed limit, according to my passengers.
- Most significantly, it proved to be the best possible inducement for focusing on the road, as I did not feel a need to consult the instruments except during complex navigation, when one tends to turn to the infotainment panel in any car fitted with one.
Now that I’m focused on the road, how is the ride itself? In two words: quietly potent.
Hit the start button, and the car comes alive quietly, with only the faintest hum to remind you it’s ready.
The EX30 boasts two powertrain options: a single-motor rear-wheel-drive setup and a dual-motor all-wheel-drive variant. While the latter delivers an impressive 0-100 km/h in just 3.6 seconds, the single motor’s 5.7 seconds was brisk enough for any pull-off. The acceleration is immediate, almost playful, and the car doesn’t just move – it pounces. That said, the sudden power delivery can feel jarring in stop-and-go traffic, where a softer touch would be more suitable.
A top speed of 180km does not sounds amazing, yet only speed demons would regard the car as underpowered.
A 200kW engine delivering 343 Nm of torque means that, on city streets, the EX30 feels nimble and easy to thread through tight spaces. The steering is well-weighted and Volvo has clearly tuned it for urban environments, delivering confident cornering and firm suspension. On less-than-perfect roads, though, one feels the bumps.
Out on the highway, it maintains its composure, with Volvo’s suite of driver-assistance features taking some of the stress out of long-distance driving. Adaptive cruise control works as expected, and lane-keeping assist is unobtrusive, if occasionally overzealous in tighter curves.
Charging is straightforward, with support for rapid charging that takes the battery from 10% to 80% in about 25 minutes. However, for slower home charging, serious patience or overnight charging is required.
Ultimately, it is a potent vehicle that brings the price point of EVs down to a sane level. While its range does not position it among the market leaders, it’s minimalist design turns out to be a superpower.
* Arthur Goldstuck is CEO of World Wide Worx and editor-in-chief of Gadget.co.za. Follow him on Bluesky on @art2gee.bsky.social.