Volvo has opened orders for the EX30 – its smallest-ever SUV and a “cornerstone” in its plans to go fully electric from 2030.

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Starting deliveries from the first quarter of 2024, Volvo’s baby SUV is priced from £33,795 in the UK and around €36,000 in Europe and comes with an official range of up to 480km (298 miles).

“A small car with big potential” the EX30 will be built in high volumes and sold across the globe, providing an expected best seller and a key model in the brand’s electrification strategy and growth ambitions. It will also be positioned to provide customers with a premium all-electric SUV for a similar price as an internal combustion engine-powered equivalent

It will sit under the existing XC40 Recharge, taking Volvo into a new and fast-growing segment that includes rivals such as the Hyundai Kona and Mini Countryman.

“The fully electric EX30 might be our smallest ever SUV, but it’s a big deal for our customers and a big deal for us as a company,” said Jim Rowan, our chief executive. “We like to say the EX30 is small yet mighty, because it delivers on everything you’d want from a Volvo but in a smaller package. Like any Volvo, it’s an outstanding product which is safe and designed around people and their needs.”

It’s based on the modular Sustainable Experience Architecture (SEA) platform developed by parent firm Geely and also used for new models such as the recently revealed Smart #1 and Polestar 4.

Three electric powertrains are up for grabs: a Single Motor with 272hp and a 51kWh battery with up to 344km (214 miles) of WLTP range, the Single Motor Extended Range with 272hp, a 69kWh battery and up to 480km (298 miles), and the Twin Motor Performance with 428hp, a 69kWh battery and up to 460km (286 miles).

The latter is expected to be capable of 0-62mph in just 3.6 seconds – making it the fastest-accelerating Volvo car ever. It’s also expected to provide the basis for the more rugged Cross Country variant that Volvo has said will arrive next year too.

The extended-range Twin Motor variant has a charging capacity of up to 153kW, while the standard-range car has a capacity of 134kW. That enables a 10 to 80% charge in around 26 minutes.

Despite its diminutive size, the EX30 has been designed to offer plenty of smart storage space along with high levels of safety. New features include Safe Space Technology which targets specific urban driving accident risks and equips the car with front and rear Cross Traffic Alert with brake support and a Door Opening Alert, giving visual and audible warnings to help guard against a door being opened into the path of a cyclist or other road user approaching from the rear.

Sales will be via outright purchase, lease and the Care by Volvo subscription packages, as part of the brand’s growing online offer.

Orders are now open across Europe and other selected markets. In the United States, customers can place pre-orders, while order books will open in other markets at a later stage.