In the '90s, with Cross Country Volvo launched a series of models inspired by wild Scandinavian nature. Now it's the turn of the EX30, the electric car designed for travellers who love pushing beyond boundaries, consciously.
We told you about it — the electric Volvo EX30 — about a year ago, on the occasion of a trip to Sweden, to Luleå, the gateway to Swedish Lapland, an adventure at the heart of the world's largest brackish-water archipelago. The goal? Well, beyond introducing you for the first time to Volvo's most compact electric car (4.23 metres in length make it well suited to city driving), it was also to debunk one of the most widespread pieces of fake news about electric mobility — namely that electric cars don't work in the cold. For anyone who missed the answer, we've included the link to our test drive below.
Today, we return to the EX30, this time in the brand-new Cross Country version, "designed for those who want to live great experiences with their fully electric compact SUV", as a press release explains. An electric car for pushing beyond city limits, in any weather condition, designed for weekend "adventures", more inspired by natural settings — exploration, in short. What's different from the EX30? Greater ground clearance, larger wheels to handle rough terrain, 4×4 all-wheel drive (useful on slippery surfaces such as snow), and some exterior elements. Prices starting from €54,400.
On the outside, the front is characterised by a decorative element reproducing the topography of the Kebnekaise mountain range in arctic Sweden, while front and rear bumper skid plates, roof load bars and more prominent wheel arches complete the more rugged look, almost off-road in character. Otherwise, the EX30 Cross Country remains a compact electric car, equally at home in the city, with a declared range of up to 427 kilometres (the "standard" version with extended range reaches up to 480 kilometres) and, in the best charging scenario (the battery — covered by a warranty for 8 years or 160,000 km — accepts up to 153 kW DC), a charge from 10 to 80% in under half an hour. Lovers of adventure and sport will appreciate the option of fitting bike racks, ski carriers, kayak supports, and a tow bar.
Before getting into the details, however, a brief mention of the Cross Country range, which Volvo introduced for the first time in 1997. The idea was to offer an off-road variant within the lineup — first for estate cars and then for their natural successors, the crossovers — with some (less successful) attempts on more traditional saloons as well. The goal? To create models that reflected a precise lifestyle, expressing robustness and a spirit of adventure inspired by the wild Scandinavian landscape. The first model, the Volvo V70 of 1997, was followed over the years by several others, right up to the current EX30 Cross Country — the first electric one. At the same time, Volvo has made available since the beginning of the year an update to the plug-in hybrid XC60, with improvements in terms of user experience, design and comfort, as well as a faster and more responsive infotainment system.
Inside, the cabin remains that of the "standard" EX30 — a car apparently free of complexity which, thanks to its design inspired by Nordic minimalism, grows familiar over time, capable of reassuring, almost of instilling calm, as had already been noted. Admittedly, the issue remains that every function requires recourse to a screen that effectively contains everything and demands a minimum of familiarity — after which everything appears much clearer. In short, the EX30 Cross Country too takes a little time to understand in certain respects, but these then become everyday gestures: practical, quick. Simple, in a word. The air conditioning is dual-zone with an air quality system, the steering wheel is heatable, the wireless charging for smartphones is a welcome touch, and the glass panoramic roof — even though it doesn't open — makes journeys more pleasant (and brighter).
Inside, the floor is flat, and the space is put to good use with numerous storage compartments. Rear passenger space remains somewhat limited, and boot space is only modest — though there is a second, handy compartment up front for stowing charging cables. The extensive use of circular economy principles for interior materials confirms itself as a fine example of eco-design, where Nordic craftsmanship and sustainability merge through the use of denim obtained from discarded jeans, recycled plastic from old window frames, linen and fibres composed of polyester, wool and PET. To find out more, here you will find the full life cycle of the EX30, a document showing how it is possible to reduce a car's carbon footprint, from the extraction and processing of raw materials right through to the end of its useful life.
Built at the Belgian plant in Ghent (as a reminder, since 2010 Volvo Cars has been owned by Chinese company Zhejiang Geely Holding, which operates several production sites in China), the EX30 Cross Country is available in the most performance-oriented version of the range, namely the Twin motor performance, which pairs the most powerful battery with 2 electric motors and the aforementioned all-wheel drive — a feature that enhances safety on slippery surfaces such as snow, mud or unpaved roads. The power output is remarkable (428 horsepower, 315 kW) and, as we had already reported from Sweden where we tested the same version (from a dynamic standpoint there are no differences compared to the standard version), the EX30 Cross Country proves to be a highly capable electric car: silent, comfortable even on rough terrain.
Volvo has always been recognised as one of the brands that invests most heavily in safety, an aspect confirmed on this EX30 Cross Country as well, with a suite of ADAS (advanced driver assistance systems) ranging from brake support to reduce the risk of collisions, to door opening monitoring (Door opening alert), all the way to the highly useful Pedestrian and cyclist steering avoidance — which, on roads without a pavement, automatically steers the car away when it detects that a collision with a cyclist or pedestrian is likely, as a way of protecting vulnerable road users.