The newly unveiled Volvo EX30 might be the Tesla Model Y’s biggest competitor yet. It is the Swedish carmaker’s smallest SUV, but has plenty to flaunt – it’s the brand’s fastest accelerating car ever and has the lowest carbon footprint of all Volvos.
The Volvo EX30 is significantly smaller than the Tesla Model Y. The EX30 is 166.6 inches (4,233 millimeters) long while the Model Y is 187.0 inches (4,751 mm) in length. The Model Y is also wider and taller, but the EX30 appears to be a force to reckon with in all other areas.
For starters, the base model costs over $12,000 less than the standard Model Y. It carries a starting price of $34,490 in the US, while the Model Y starts at $47,740. Even with the federal tax credit, the Tesla is likely to cost more. The EX30 is unlikely to qualify for tax credits as it will be manufactured in China.
The low price can be attributed to the shared architecture. The EX30 rides on parent company Geely’s Sustainable Experience Architecture (SEA) for compact vehicles. SEA also underpins the EX30’s cousins, like the Smart #1, Zeekr X, and Smart #3.
Next, the EX30 uses a 64-kilowatt-hour NMC (lithium, nickel, manganese and cobalt) battery, that provides an estimated range of 275 miles on the single-motor version and 265 miles on the dual-motor variant. The base Model Y, believed to be equipped with CATL’s LFP (lithium iron phosphate) battery, has a range of 279 miles on a single charge.
In terms of on-paper performance, the EX30 will raise your eyebrows. It comes in two variants, dubbed Extended Range and Twin Motor Performance. The latter is all-wheel drive and has an output of 422 horsepower and 400 pound-feet of torque – Volvo says the SUV will slingshot from 0 to 60 miles per hour in just 3.4 seconds, making it the quickest accelerating Volvo to date.
The base Model Y does the 0-60 mph sprint in 5.0 seconds, and even the Model Y Performance is 0.1 seconds slower than the EX30, on paper.
That said, Volvo is trying to allure buyers in other ways as well. The interior, for example, is minimalist, but packed with cutting-edge technology. Like Tesla, it has a large central touchscreen, which Volvo claims to have developed in partnership with Google, Apple, and Qualcomm for the best possible user experience. It also uses abundant recycled materials in the cabin.
Watch the video above to learn more about how the EX30 could challenge the Model Y. What are your thoughts on Volvo’s newest EV? Do you think it could impact the hugely popular Model Y in any way? Leave your thoughts in the comments.
