The Volvo EX30 was revealed to the world more than a year ago, but it looks like we’ll finally get the small electric SUV soon. Reader Fong QL caught several units on a trailer in front of the Klang Selatan traffic police station, just a few kilometres from Port Klang.
Given its direction of travel, it’s likely the cars are headed there for export – possibly to Indonesia, where it was launched just last week at the Gaikindo Indonesia International Auto Show (GIIAS) – rather than having been imported. This is a solid indicator that the EX30 is now undergoing CKD local assembly at Volvo’s Shah Alam plant, meaning that a Malaysian launch should be imminent.
Last year, Volvo Car Malaysia managing director Charles Frump told us the EX30 will arrive here before the (much) larger EX90 – which has itself finally entered production after months of delays – hinting at a 2024 launch. This sighting is evidence that the car’s introduction is on track.
No details as yet, but the Indonesian model does give us some clues as to the local spec. There, the car is being offered in Plus single-motor standard and Ultra Extended Range models, priced at 890,000,000 rupiah (RM256,900) and 1,160,000,000 rupiah (RM334,900) respectively.
Both send 272 PS (200 kW) and 343 Nm of torque to the rear wheels, but the difference is in the battery sizes. The entry-level model gets a 51 kWh lithium iron phosphate (LFP) unit that delivers a WLTP-rated range of 344 km, while the Extended Range bumps it up to a 69 kWh nickel manganese cobalt (NMC) battery that allows the car to travel up to 479 km on a single charge.
In terms of charging, the standard EX30 can accept up to 150 kW of DC fast charging power, taking 26 minutes to charge from 10 to 80%; the Extended Range can go up to 175 kW, but with the larger battery, charging it takes slightly longer at 28 minutes.
Standard kit includes LED headlights with active high beam, 18-inch aero-design alloy wheels, keyless entry and start, dual-zone climate control, power-adjustable front seats, a 12.3-inch portrait infotainment touchscreen, Qi wireless charging, a nine-speaker Harman Kardon Premium Sound system, a powered tailgate and a reverse camera. Buyers who spend the extra on the Extended Range get 19-inch wheels, a panoramic glass roof and a 360-degree camera system.
Safety-wise, the Indonesian EX30 comes as standard with seven airbags (including a centre airbag), autonomous emergency braking with pedestrian and cyclist detection, a driver attention monitor, blind spot monitoring, a door opening warning and Pilot Assist Level 2 semi-autonomous driving, including adaptive cruise control with stop and go and lane centring assist. The Ultra Extended Range adds Park Pilot Assist.
Of course, Malaysian specs could vary, and given that VCM tends to offer the most powerful variant of each model, there’s every chance we could get the Dual-Motor Extended Range model instead. This gives the car a sum total of 428 PS (315 kW) and 543 Nm, getting it from zero to 100 km/h in 3.6 seconds. With the 69 kWh NMC battery, the range is slightly shorter at 460 km.
GALLERY: Volvo EX30 Ultra Extended Range at GIIAS 2024
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