Volvo is switching gears again, this time to accelerate deliveries of its much-anticipated EX30 subcompact electric SUV so that it reaches the U.S. before the end of 2024.
The Swedish automaker last summer had postponed the U.S. launch of the EX30 to 2025, citing “changes in the global automotive landscape.” The move followed the Biden administration’s 100% import tariff on electric vehicles made in China.
While production of the EX30 is currently taking place in Zhangjakou, China, Volvo is shifting it to its factory in Ghent, Belgium.
U.S. deliveries were originally scheduled for this summer. Volvo says it now seeks to fulfill orders from customers who had placed deposits on the EX30 after it was unveiled in Milan in June 2023.
“While it has become one of the best-elling electric vehicles in Europe, customers in the U.S. have been patiently waiting for it to arrive,” Volvo said in a statement.
Volvo says it’s prioritizing deliveries of the most requested model: the EX30 Twin Motor Performance, with a starting suggested retail price of $44,900. The Single Motor variant is still scheduled to reach the U.S. later in 2025.
Besides adding all-wheel drive, the Twin Motor Performance is the “quickest-accelerating Volvo ever,” Volvo says. And with charging capacity of up to 153 kilowatts, the EX30’s battery can be charged from 10% to 80% in 25 minutes.
While the EX30 was dubbed by Digital Trends as potentially “the best-looking’ budget EV to date, it appears that the budget part of the equation might eventually be in question. Until last summer, the EX30 was expected to sell at $34,950. Volvo does mention that “at present”, the EX30 is eligible for the Biden administration’s popular $7,500 tax incentive on the purchase or lease of an electric vehicle.
But EV automakers, not to mention drivers, are now facing uncertainty as to what will happen to that incentive: The incoming Trump administration has toyed with the idea of ending it altogether in 2025.
BYD has launched the third-generation Qin Plus DM-i in China, and the first thing that caught my eye is its price. According to CarNewsChina, the plug-in hybrid sedan starts at 79,900 yuan, which is about $11,980. That’s an incredibly low price for a brand-new car, especially by US standards.
What’s even more impressive is the range. The Qin Plus DM-i can drive up to 137 miles on electricity alone, which should cover most people’s daily commutes without using a drop of gas. Once the battery runs out, the 1.5-liter engine takes over. Thanks to its 17-gallon tank and roughly 91 mpg with a drained battery, the combined range reaches up to 1,423 miles.
Apple won the PC market’s worst quarter, but that’s not the entire story. It won the race by stumbling less than everyone else.
PC makers shipped just 57 million computers worldwide in Q3, which might look good, but it’s a 21% year-over-year plunge (via Counterpoint Research). And despite Apple’s Mac shipments falling by 11%, to 5.6 million, its market share rose from 8.7% to 9.8%. How did that happen?
Update (October 22 23:54 PT): In response to our query, GM clarified that offline recording support is already available on eligible vehicles. Like Tesla's Sentry Mode, it requires owners to connect a USB drive to save incident recordings, which can be viewed on the vehicle's infotainment screen. The upcoming Connected Cameras feature will build on this by giving owners remote access to these recordings via the revamped OnStar app, allowing them to check footage without walking out to their car.
General Motors has announced plans to add a new Connected Cameras feature to its OnStar service starting next year, giving drivers a way to monitor parked vehicles remotely and capture footage of certain incidents.