Volvo Cars’ premium electric SUV, the EX30, was selected as the ‘2024 World Urban Car’ at the globally renowned ‘2024 World Car Awards’ held at the New York International Auto Show.
This year marks the 20th anniversary of the World Car Awards, which are considered the most prestigious awards in the automotive industry, judged by a panel of 100 automotive journalists from 32 countries who select winners through secret voting. This year, awards were given across six categories for 38 vehicle models from around the world.
The Volvo EX30 triumphed over a competitive field to win the ‘2024 World Urban Car’ award. Additionally, the EX30 was recognized as one of the top three vehicles globally, alongside the KIA EV9 and BYD Seal, proving its competitiveness in the global market.
Volvo Cars’ CEO Jim Rowan expressed his delight at receiving this award with the EX30, stating, “I am very happy to receive this award with the EX30, and through this recognition, we have validated Volvo Cars’ electrification strategy. I believe that in the transition to a fully electric vehicle era, the EX30 will significantly contribute to the growth of Volvo Cars, including this year.”
The premium electric SUV EX30 was first unveiled last summer to widespread acclaim. It has since received multiple prestigious awards, including ‘Car of the Year’ from The Sun, ‘Best Small SUV/Crossover’ from The Sunday Times, and ‘Eco Warrior of the Year’ from Top Gear Magazine.
The EX30 is a pure electric SUV built on a dedicated electric vehicle platform, emphasizing minimizing carbon emissions throughout the vehicle’s entire lifecycle. It offers three powertrain options: Single Motor, Single Motor Extended, and Twin Motor Performance. With a maximum driving range of 476 km (WLTP standard), the battery can be charged from 10% to 80% in just 25 minutes with ultra-fast charging.
Additionally, the EX30 showcases all of Volvo’s 96 years of safety DNA, incorporating all advanced safety systems along with new safety features that set a new standard for safe electric SUVs.
Innovative features include a ‘Driver Monitoring Alert System’ using an IR sensor located at the top of the steering wheel to monitor the driver’s movements, the ‘Next-Gen Park Pilot Assist’ that allows the driver to park using a 3D interface screen, and the ‘Door Open Alert’ that visually and audibly warns of approaching bicycles, motorcycles, or scooters when opening doors to prevent accidents.
The domestic prices for the EX30 are set at 49.45 million won for the Core trim and 55.16 million won for the Ultra trim, reflecting aggressive pricing that helped achieve 1,000 pre-orders within just two days of launch, indicating strong customer interest.
By Jang Jin (daedusj@autodiary.kr)