The first fully electric Volvo, the XC40 Recharge, was an average EV with an above-average price point, in my opinion. Since its initial release, the XC40 Recharge has had a couple of revisions and a price point reduction. However, now Volvo has decided to offer a new EV at a lower price point, the EX30. The Volvo EX30 is getting a lot of positive press attention, and we’ll discuss why.
Table of Contents
Key Volvo EX30 Specs
- Official Towing Capacity – 1,000 kg (Single Motor), 1,400 kg (Single Motor ER), 1,600 kg (Twin Motor Performance)
- Max Nose Weight – Unknown
- Availability – Now
- Price – Starting £33,795 (Single Motor) > £40,995 (Twin Motor Performance)
- Range (EV Database) – 175 miles (Single Motor) > 230 miles (Single Motor ER)
- Estimated Towing Range (50%) – 88 miles (Single Motor) > 115 miles (Single Motor ER)
- Efficiency – 278 wh/mi (Single Motor ER) > 284 wh/mi (Twin Motor Performance)
- Maximum DC Charge Rate – 134 kW > 154 kW
- Rapid Charge 10% to 80% – 28 min
- Check Used Volvo EX30 Specs
Volvo EX30 HP & Torque
- Single Motor: RWD, 268 HP, and 253 lb-ft of torque
- Single Motor ER: RWD, 268 HP, and 253 lb-ft of torque
- Twin Motor Performance: AWD, 422 HP, and 402 lb-ft of torque
Volvo EX30 Towing Capabilties
The Volvo EX30 shares its platform (batteries/motors etc) with the Smart #1. However, this EX30 does not only look a lot better than the Smart #1, in my opinion, but its also cheaper.
Right, first, let’s discuss these towing capabilities. The entry-level EX30, with a smaller 49 kWh battery, can only tow 1,000 kg and has a single rear-wheel-drive motor.
There is then an ER (Extended Range) version of the Single Motor model. It has the same power output but is fitted with a larger 64 kWh battery, and it gets a bump in towing capacity up to 1,400 kg.
Then we have the version of the Volvo EX30 that is grabbing all the headlines, the Twin Motor Performance. Its got the same 64 kWh battery as the Single Motor ER but more power, a lot more.
The EX30 Twin Motor Performance has 422 HP and can do 0-60 in 3.6 seconds with a price point of just under £41,000. In other words, no other car ICE or BEV car can match that performance for that price.
The EX30 Twin Motor Performance also gets a bump in towing capacity to 1,600 kg. So with all that power and a practical towing capacity, is the Volvo EX30 the default electric tow car for around £40K?
Volvo EX30 vs KIA EV6 vs Tesla Model Y
Here we have three electric cars which can all tow 1,600 kg. However, when it comes to tow cars, storage space is also important, and when it comes to electric tow cars, range is obviously important.
So let’s look at how the Volvo EX30 Twin Motor Performance competes against the KIA EV6 and Tesla Model Y.
| Volvo EX30 | KIA EV6 | Telsa Model Y | |
| Version | Twin Motor Performance | Long Range 2WD | RWD |
| Price | £40,995 | £45,245 | £44,990 |
| Battery | 64 kWh | 74 kWh | 57.5 kWh |
| Range | 225 miles | 255 miles | 215 miles |
| Drive | AWD | RWD | RWD |
| Power | 422 HP | 225 HP | 295 HP |
| Towing | 1,600 kg | 1,600 kg | 1,600 kg |
| Cargo Volume | 234 L | 480 L | 854 L |
So as you can see from the table above, the Volvo EX30 compares very favorably to two of the best options to date when it comes to EVs with a towing capacity of 1,600 kg at around a £40K price point.
The Volvo EX30 has by far the most power, and its the only model of the three which is AWD. The KIA EV6 gets the longer range, but its also several thousand pounds more expensive.
Where the Volvo EX30 does not compare favorably to the KIA EV6, and the Tesla Model Y is in cargo volume. The Tesla can accommodate more than three times the cargo.
This emphasizes just how small the Volvo EX30 is. However, if you don’t need the cargo volume, there really is no better electric tow car at the same price point as the Volvo EX30.
With any Tesla, you always have to factor in access to the Tesla Supercharger network. However, as I’m writing this, more and more of the Tesla network is being made available to other EVs.
First Look At The Volvo EX30
A quick look around the Volvo EX30 by the team at Top Gear, where you can see just how tiny but mighty the EX30 really is.
My Thoughts On The Volvo EX30…
To date, I’ve not actually been that impressed by Volvo’s electric car efforts. The XC40 Recharge had very average range/efficiency figures when it was first released but with a very high price tag.
The EX90 is a very capable electric tow car with a towing capacity of over 2 tons. However, I also think it has poor efficiency, and with a price tag well over £100K, its not exactly going to be an easily recommendable electric tow car.
However, the EX30 is looking to be a much better package from Volvo that is offering one the best value electric cars on the market for its performance to price point ratio.
It also has a decent towing capacity at 1,600 kg in Twin Motor Performance spec. However, the range towing of around 100 miles is still going to be a challenge for many people.
Then again, as shown by the table above, you cannot really do any better with any other brand at the moment. Therefore, I applaud Volvo for their efforts with the EX30.