Volvo EX30 Deliveries In North America Delayed Due To Tariffs, Software Issues

Geely SEA-based Volvo EX30 shown at Auto China 2024.

Volvo's eagerly awaited EX30 compact EV crossover SUV will not enter the American market on time. Said market entry into one of the Swedish marque’s key markets was initially slated to commence in the fall of this year, but the automaker has instead revised its target to the second half of 2025.

The revised market entry timeline reportedly stems from Volvo’s decision to shift production of US market-bound EX30 models from China to Belgium instead. Aptly, this move was prompted by the stiff new import tariffs imposed by the current American government led by President Joe Biden.

This shift in production to Volvo’s plant in Ghent, Belgium will aid the carmaker at circumventing these hefty tariffs. This strategic move is also in anticipation of new tariffs from the European Union on Chinese-built EVs, which is also expected to take effect sometime this month.

Adding to the EX30’s challenges, Volvo recently issued a recall for all units due to a software glitch affecting the speedometer. While the issue is being resolved, it highlights the complexities of launching new EV models across global markets.

Built atop the Geely SEA platform, the Volvo EX30 stands as Volvo’s smallest, most affordable EV SUV to date.  Regionally, the model has already launched in both neighbouring Thailand and Singapore, with deliveries slated to begin soon too.

Despite these setbacks, Volvo remains optimistic about the EX30’s potential. Locally, the EX30 was widely tipped for launch sometime in the third quarter (Q3) of this year. However, it appears things have been delayed until further notice too. KR