US to get Volvo EX30 directly from Belgium in 2025
Volvo Cars is communicating to dealers and customers who have pre-ordered the Volvo EX30 in the US that the new small electric SUV will arrive from Belgium in 2025. The new development comes from a local company spokesperson, as per a report from InsideEVs. Previously, the Geely-owned Swedish automaker was going to import the EV initially from China, where production is already underway in a factory in Zhangjiakou (Hebei Province), and launch it between January and June this year.
Volvo Cars has not yet revealed if the change in the launch plan will affect the prices, originally announced to range from $34,950 to $46,600, excluding a $1,295 destination fee. The sub-$35,000 starting price is one of the Volvo EX30’s biggest attractions, along with a decent EPA-estimated range of up to 275 miles, a smart-looking exterior, and a minimalist interior.
The addition of a second production site for the Volvo EX30 was in response to strong demand, Volvo Cars said in an announcement in October 2023. In hindsight, that was a clever move, as given the recent change in the tariff structure in the US, sourcing the EV from the Chinese factory and selling it at the originally announced prices could have been difficult.
The US increased the tariff on China-made EVs from 25 per cent to 100 per cent last month. The EU followed suit, imposing a countervailing duty of up to 38.1 per cent on top of the existing 10% import duty this month. While Volvo Cars’ intention with the planned Belgian production was to increase the model’s supply, it may turn out to be a brilliant China Plus One strategy, saving the company from an adverse situation in both the US and the EU.
The Belgian factory, located in Ghent, currently makes the Volvo EX30 and Volvo EC40. In the US, where the compact EVs still carry the old names – Volvo XC40 Recharge and Volvo C40 Recharge, their prices start at $52,450 and $53,600, respectively, excluding a $1,295 destination fee.
0 Comments