The title of ‘On Brand’ is a marketing term used to reflect products from a company that match the values and principles etc that regular folk would associate with said brand. It’s the personification of an organisation, if you will.
Therefore, when one thinks of Volvo, what are the associations made with the longstanding Swedish brand? Safety is the obvious one that springs to mind, Scandi design would be the next, as well as thoughtful quirks coupled with a generally grey ownership base. If Volvo was a person, they’d probably be a little bit dull (not boring, there’s a difference). However, scratch the surface and you’d find a wealth of knowledge on many subjects and well informed but inoffensive opinions, both of which make this Volvo person good company.
In that case, Volvo’s latest creation, the fully electric EX30 is perfectly on brand. It doesn’t scream for attention but instead attracts a respectable amount of eyeballs to itself, sparking curiosity and appreciation from bystanders. The design represents an element of daring while paying homage to the brand’s history with the lights in particular being an adapted version of the ‘Thor Hammer’ we’ve come to know from the brand. It displays bucketloads of thoughtfulness in every element, the kind that Volvo have become famous for.
The attention to detail continues on the inside with storage spaces aplenty, a 318L boot will expand to a mammoth 904L with the seats folded down, there’s a hidden 61L underfloor compartment as well! The door cubbies have been expanded to a great extent thanks to the removal of the speakers. Instead, the EX30 gets a Harman Kardon soundbar across the dashboard and an accompanying subwoofer, a genius move from Volvo. After all, this is their smallest SUV ever, meaning that they needed to be even more innovative with their use of space. They’ve applied the same thinking in their choice of materials too with the baby SUV seeing recycled metals and plastics being used in its construction. There’s even a uniquely New Zealand connection with the ‘Mist’ interior configuration featuring Kiwi wool in its upholstery.
Keeping the carbon emissions low has been the ethos of this new Volvo, hence why it features electric drive. A 64kWhr battery offers the best mix of power, range and weight saving! In the Single Motor Extended Range, this is good for 476 kilometres of range (WLTP). At the same time, it offers no compromise on performance with 200kW on tap, 343Nm of torque and 272hp. 0-100kph is achieved in a brisk 5.3 seconds. At a base price of $74,990, it is a compelling package all around. There is a Twin Motor Performance version available for a $10k premium but expect the Single Motor to be the choice for business buyers.
For an organisation looking for fleet vehicles, there are fewer more admired brands around than Volvo. Now that they have made a relatively affordable but extremely intelligent offering in the new EX30, it’s perfectly on brand for them as the manufacturer and in doing so attracts all the right kind of eyeballs. The EX30 provides an excellent billboard for brands looking to attract customers who are intelligent, curious and have a bit of cash to spend, the personification of Volvo. Choose the ‘Moss Yellow’ or ‘Cloud Blue’ colour options for maximum effect!
