Electri-city ride: A compact electric crossover for both city and intercity drives!

Volvo cars in India have suddenly been rejuvenated and are launching a slew of models. After the revamped XC90 and recently the new XC60, comes the EX30. A purpose designed electric car, it comes with a strong suite of features, though it has a few disadvantages too. But coming from a manufacturer which invented the 3-point seatbelt and puts orthopedically designed seats in its vehicles, there can be no doubt that the EX30 is definitely a great commuter car, though as we mentioned earlier that its 69 kWh battery gives it a claimed 480 kilometres range, so you could have fun on the highways as well.

A closer look at Volvo EX30

Fun is a key word here, because the company claims that with 272 horses and 343 Nm of torque at its command, the EX30 can hit the ton in 5.3 seconds from a standstill and top out at 180 km/h. There is a 11 kW charger built in and the EX30 can do a full charge in a shade over 7 hours. The battery is guaranteed for 8 years. Externally, the Thor hammer lights have now been rechristened as Star Wars helmet lights, with individual elements.

ADAS level 2 features are bountiful and include automatic light dimming and cross-traffic alert on the frameless side mirrors. Naturally, features like a 360-degree camera and a host of radars and sensors are present all over, including the door, which warns you if you are about to open the door with traffic behind you. There is a huge fixed glass panoramic sunroof, that could lead to hot interiors in peak summer, but Volvo is selling an internal cover as an accessory. The main key is an innovative smart card, which you tap on the window to lock/unlock and place it in a designated place in the wireless phone charge area to power on the car. Try explaining that to a valet at a star hotel!

Inside, the EX30 may not appear to be too plush, but it is made up of a lot of recycled materials. The dashboard is made out of recycled iron and aluminium and there is a version made out of recycled jeans. You get a full electric power adjustable driver seat, whilst the passenger has to make do with fixed lumbar support. Naturally, whiplash protection is a standard feature here. Ventilation and massage features are conspicuously absent. In the rear, you have non-reclining seats, though you do get two USB-C type ports in the rear. There is a 9 speaker Harmon-Kardon soundbar in the front with three speakers at the back. Sound quality is excellent, but Volvo has gotten us so used to the Bowers &Wilkins  systems in their other offerings that this one comes up somewhat short. But make no mistake; it is still one of the best out there.

The main feature of the car is its central touchscreen, quite akin to a Tesla. At 12.3-inches, it is the largest in any Volvo and controls everything – from the HVAC to the lights to the stereo to the navigation…almost anything you can think of is controlled by this screen. Thankfully, it is quite intuitive and snappy to operate thanks to its Snapdragon processor with a host of Google suites and applications built-in, including Google Maps. A 5G esim on board takes care of many features and you do get wireless Apple CarPlay as well. Storage spaces abound as do charging options and the EX30 has a lot of useful cubbyholes and pockets. Interestingly, there is a centre glovebox which can be locked with a unique code to keep things safe inside, should you hand over the car for valet parking or other purposes.

The EX30 is a nifty little machine, which seeks to address a young, successful Gen Z. How much it will succeed we cannot predict but it does have all the essentials going for it, including a power-operated 318-litre boot at the rear and a 7-litre frunk.

Expected to be priced at around INR 40 lakhs, ex-showroom.

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