The move of the Volvo EX30 production to Belgium could have little impact on its selling price

As we already told you here on HighMotor, Volvo decided a few weeks ago to postpone the launch of its best-selling EX30 in the North American market. This compact electric SUV, which is already on sale in Europe, combines the safety and performance typical of Volvo vehicles with an affordable price, thanks to its production at Geely’s factory in China.

However, the high tariffs imposed by the United States and Europe on vehicles manufactured in China have led Volvo to reconsider its strategy. Production of the EX30 for both markets will be moved to the Ghent plant in Belgium. This decision has raised some doubts among potential buyers of this model as to whether the change could end up affecting its final price.

Fortunately for everyone interested in the Swedish manufacturer’s compact electric SUV, this uncertainty seems likely to be resolved satisfactorily for future buyers. During a meeting with journalists at Volvo’s global headquarters in Gothenburg, Jim Rowan, the company’s current CEO, offered an optimistic view of the impact this change will have on the vehicle’s price.

According to his own words, the profit margins between the brand’s vehicles built in China and those that will come out of the Belgian plant should not differ much, and to this we must add the expected reduction in logistics and transport costs.

Don’t panic

As Rowan explained, by being closer to the customer, both in North America and especially in Europe, logistics costs are considerably reduced, and it is no longer necessary to maintain such high inventory levels. The gross margin per unit of the EX30 produced at the Belgian plant is therefore not expected to differ much from that of China-built units, which would allow its final selling price to be maintained, or at least for any increase to be insubstantial.

In Europe, the EX30 is an absolute sales success, which has made it the third best-selling electric model in terms of registrations during the first half of 2024, behind only the Model Y and Model 3 from Tesla.

Top-level technical specifications at a competitive price

The EX30 is equipped with a 69 kWh battery pack that allows it to travel up to 480 km on a single charge, depending on the version chosen. This compact SUV does not fall short on performance either: the top all-wheel-drive version can deliver up to 455 horsepower and reach 100 km/h from a standstill in just three and a half seconds.

If everything goes according to plan, production of the EX30 at the Ghent plant in Belgium will begin in mid-2025, and although the North American market will have to wait until then, it seems this compact SUV could ultimately achieve the same success it is already enjoying in Europe.

Technical specifications of this car

Off-RoadVolvo EX307 versions · from 39,050 €