- The latest model from Volvo, the EX30 compact electric crossover, has faced a delay until 2025
- Volvo mentioned tariffs enforced by the United States on electric vehicles manufactured in China, where the EX30 was originally planned to be made
- Volvo expedited the transition of production away from China to its plant in Ghent, Belgium
The Volvo EX30 compact electric crossover will not be available in the U.S. market this summer, as initially intended. Volvo Car USA informed dealers on Wednesday that deliveries have been postponed until 2025.
Volvo stated that it will provide customers with preorders various alternatives to drive different new Volvos until the most cost-effective vehicle in Volvo’s range is released.
Initially, the base EX30 Core with a single motor and rear-wheel drive was priced at $36,245, including destination. This positioned it as one of the most inexpensive EVs apart from the Nissan Leaf. In evaluations conducted in March this year, the compact hatchback seemed like an exceptionally good deal. The dual-motor AWD Ultra stood at the top of the range at $47,895.
Volvo spokesperson Russell Datz mentioned factors outside Volvo’s influence for the delay.
“Multiple changes have occurred in the global automotive sector since the announcement was made (late in 2023),” Datz informed Green Car Reports during a phone conversation. “Tariffs did have an impact on that judgment.”
Earlier, Volvo intended to relocate production of the inexpensive EV from China to Ghent, Belgium, commencing in 2025. This was before the Biden administration unveiled in May 2024 an increase in EV tariffs from 25% to 100%. The tariff on lithium-ion batteries and other crucial components in the battery supply chain rose from 7.5% to 25%.
In a move aimed at combatting the influx of low-cost electric vehicles from China into the global market, the European Union suggested a 38% tariff on imports of EVs from China last week.
At present, there is no electric vehicle produced domestically with a starting price as competitive as the one planned for the EX30.
As Volvo quickens its production pace in Ghent, the anticipated delivery date for the EX30 in the U.S. is sometime in 2025. There are no intentions for local production, such as at the Swedish brand’s facility in Charleston, South Carolina, which initiated the production of the 2025 Volvo EX90 electric three-row crossover SUV in June.
Volvo couldn’t confirm whether the EX30 would still be designated a 2025 model upon its eventual arrival.
