Volvo says its upcoming EX30 electric SUV will have the lowest carbon footprint of any of its production models to date.
Scheduled to launch on June 7, with pre-orders and pre-orders in select markets on the same day, the EX30 will reduce its lifecycle carbon footprint by 25% compared to Recharge C40 and Recharge XC40 Electric vehicles — both boast improved performance for the 2024 model year.
Electric cars have no “exhaust” emissions, but are still responsible for emissions from other sources, such as manufacturing and the grid electricity used to charge them. According to the company’s press release, Volvo aims to solve the former problem by looking at the use of materials.
Teaser for Volvo EX30 to launch on June 7, 2023
As the smallest car in Volvo’s lineup, the EX30 will use less steel and aluminum in its construction – the two biggest contributors to production-related carbon dioxide emissions, the automaker said. to declare. According to Volvo, much of the metal used will also be recycled, including about a quarter of aluminum and 17% of steel.
Additionally, 17% of the plastic in the EX30, from the interior to the bumpers, is recycled. Volvo says this is the highest amount of recycled plastic in any of its production models to date. Other sustainable materials, including linen and a wool blend with 70% recycled polyester, are used in the interior, along with denim trim made from recycled jeans.
Volvo is also looking to tackle energy use in the manufacturing process. According to the company, the EX30 will be built in a factory powered by “high degree of climate-neutral energy, including 100% climate-neutral electricity”. Volvo has also asked 95% of Tier 1 suppliers (those that supply components directly to vehicle manufacturers) for the EX30 to commit to using 100% renewable energy by 2025.
Teaser for Volvo EX30 to launch on June 7, 2023
Volvo claims that the manufacturing process itself has also been streamlined to maximize the use of materials. And at the end of its life, the EX30 is designed to be 95% recyclable.
Full details won’t be known until the EX30 launches next month, but Volvo also said car that there will be two battery options—a 51 kwh lithium iron phosphate pack and a 69 kwh nickel manganese cobalt pack. However, it is not yet clear whether both will be made available in the US.
The EX30’s efforts to reduce carbon emissions are a step towards Volvo’s overall goal of cut its carbon footprint increase 40% by 2025, compared to 2018. It is on the way to making All-electric models only by 2030. Every model in the automaker’s lineup in the U.S. currently has some degree of electrification, but mild hybrids and plug-in hybrids make up the majority of them.
Teaser for Volvo EX30 to launch on June 7, 2023
Volvo and sister brand Polestar have taken the lead in disclosing the carbon footprint of their vehicles and method transparency. But overall, across the market, lifetime CO2 is getting better and better for electric vehicles.
However, most of the carbon emissions come in the use phase. In the United States, last year, the Supreme Court may have managed to increase future carbon emissions of electric vehicles in the United States, by saying that the EPA does not have sufficient authority to regulate air pollution from power plants on a comprehensive market basis — and puts U.S. policy at odds with its own when it comes to investments in electric vehicles.
