Swedish carmaker Volvo is aiming to reduce carbon emissions and Total Cost of Ownership or TCO with the new EX30.
Despite being the smallest SUV in its lineup, the EX30 maintains safety standards while minimizing the use of materials and improving its recycling capabilities.
“This is a big deal for us,” Volvo CEO Jim Rowan said at the official launch event. According to him, Volvo successfully lowered the EX30’s carbon emissions to under 30 tonnes over a 200,000-kilometer distance.
He added that compared to the all-electric XC40, the EX30 achieves a significant 35 percent increase in reducing carbon emissions, further establishing its superiority in minimizing overall environmental impact.
EX30’s Sustainability Efforts
Speaking to Fleet Europe, the leader of the EX30 project Francesco Speciale drew attention to an in-house survey carried out in France and Germany, which revealed that the LFP model of the EX30 boasts the most favorable TCO among its competitors.
This advantage is primarily attributed to a combination of factors, including a low initial cost and the superior efficiency of the vehicle’s chemistry. Speciale also said Volvo would introduce a subscription model for the EX30, following in the footsteps of its sister brand, Lynk&Co.
The company claimed that EX30’s sustainability efforts are aligned with the principle of reducing material consumption. This is because the EX30’s smaller size inherently requires fewer materials than larger electric SUVs like the EX90.
Volvo also said EX30 has a “wide array of recycled and renewable materials for seats, dashboard and doors.” The automaker aspires to incorporate 20 percent recycled plastics in all its models by 2025, and the EX30 already achieves a recycling rate of 17 percent.
EX30’s design intentionally exposes the unpainted underparts of the front and rear bumpers, making recycling easier at the end of its lifespan. In addition, the EX30 utilizes significant proportions of recycled aluminum (25 percent) and recycled steel (17 percent), further contributing to its sustainable manufacturing practices.
To uphold the reputation of the Volvo brand, the company has taken additional measures to ensure that the EX30 maintains high safety standards.
The company said that one key advantage is that electric models like the EX30 generally exhibit superior performance in crash tests compared to internal combustion engine cars. And according to Volvo, the EX30 is equipped with a reinforced protection cage, significantly enhancing its capacity to safeguard occupants during a collision.
The production of the EX30 is scheduled to take place at the Zhangjiakou plant in China, which Geely, Volvo’s majority shareholder, manages. It is expected to commence in the latter part of 2023.