It’s going to be a long time before electric cars are affordable and popular in South Africa, for a number of reasons.
However, things seem to be moving in the right direction, with a number of sub R1 million offerings entering our market this year, including the BYD Atto 3, GWM Ora and Volvo’s upcoming EX30.
Volvo Cars South Africa says early demand for its new compact electric model has been strong, with our market ranking in the top ten for pre-orders in the broader Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) region.
The Volvo EX30 will be available in early 2024, with pricing starting at R775 900, something the Swedish importer has achieved in spite of the higher import duties - amounting to 25% versus the 18% paid for internal combustion vehicles.
Since its global reveal in early June, South Africans have placed 150 pre-orders, while many more registering expressions of interest on Volvo’s website.
So far, the EX30 Twin Motor Performance Ultra has been the most popular derivative with South Africans, accounting for nearly half of all local pre-orders. Next comes the Single Motor Plus Extended Range at around 25% of pre-orders, followed by the entry-level Single Motor Core variant, the flagship Twin Motor Performance Plus and the Single Motor Ultra Extended Range.
“Since the EX30 was revealed, we have seen a steady flow of new orders weekly. Although we have already secured a high allocation of units for 2024, there’s an increasingly strong chance we will need to boost that figure,” said Greg Maruszewski, Volvo Car South Africa Managing Director.
“We worked tirelessly to set EX30 pricing at an extremely competitive level in order to grant South African consumers the chance to own an electric SUV for the price of a similarly sized ICE vehicle. Our pre-orders so far prove that we got that right,” Maruszewski says.
The Twin Motor EX30 variant is the fastest-accelerating Volvo of all time. Pushing out 315kW, it can accelerate from 0-100km/h in just 3.6 seconds. The Single Motor models have a 200kW output.
The Core Single Motor model has a 51 kWh battery and a claimed WLTP range of 344km. Volvo will also be offering a pair of Single Motor Extended Range models, featuring a 69 kWh battery and 480km claimed range. Here you get to choose between a Plus model at R865 900 and an Ultra variant that sets you back R965 900.
The range-topping Twin Motor Performance model, with a claimed range of 460km, is priced at R935 900 in Plus format and R995 900 in Ultra guise.
Interestingly, the standard-range Core model has a lithium iron phosphate battery (LFP) that’s cheaper and less resource intensive to produce than the Nickel Manganese Cobalt (NMC) lithium battery that provides juice to the extended range models.
Inside the new model, traditional buttons and switches have been almost entirely eliminated from the central cabin, where you’ll find a large 12.3-inch (31.2cm) vertical screen that handles infotainment and climate functions.
The infotainment system has built-in Google software, giving easy access to features Google Assistant and Google Maps. But fret not if you’re in the Apple camp, as wireless CarPlay is also available for the first time in a Volvo product.
The EX30 also comes with 5G connectivity, powered by Snapdragon and promising an ultra-responsive experience.
As for advanced tech, the EX30 is available with a wide array of driver assistance technologies, including a new Park Pilot Assist, which will identify available parking spots around you and then accelerate and steer you into the chosen spot.
The new Volvo EX30 is also big on recycling and sustainable production methods. For instance, 17 percent of all the steel and plastic used in the new model are recycled, which is the highest percentage in any Volvo to date. Volvo has used a wide variety of recycled or renewable materials in the cabin, including denim, flax and a wool-blend featuring recycled polyester.
The vehicle is also manufactured using 100% climate-neutral electricity and Volvo says it also managed to convince 95% of its suppliers to use 100% renewable energy in their production by 2025.