Volvo is adapting its industrial strategy to be able to continue selling its EX30 model in Europe, and eventually here. Its small electric SUV is now assembled at the Ghent plant in Belgium, whereas it was previously produced only in Zhangjiakou, China.
A necessary decision
The new production line is easily explained: the new EX30 climbed to 13th place among the best-selling electric cars in Europe in the first quarter of 2025.
That said, setting up production of the EX30 in Ghent entailed an investment of 200 million euros, notably to produce a new assembly line, integrate or renovate 600 industrial robots and create a new production line for battery packs.
The Belgian plant already produces the electric EC40 and EX40 models, as well as the hybrid XC40 and V60, making the facility a pillar of Volvo's electrification in Europe.
Adapting production distribution to markets
Volvo also indicated its intention to adapt production distribution more fully according to regions. Vehicles assembled in Belgium will primarily be destined for Europe and then North America, while those produced in China will be shipped to markets not affected by tariffs, such as the United Kingdom or Southeast Asian countries.
The former management of Volvo, through Jim Rowan, explained in 2023 that the company would "gradually ramp up" production in Ghent, while leveraging Chinese capabilities for other markets.
An uncertain future in Canda, U.S.
Initially planned for 2026, the launch of the EX30 in the U.S. and Canada is now uncertain. The recent imposition by the American administration of a 25-percent tariff on all foreign vehicles could force Volvo to revise its plans for this market.
The career of the brand-new EX30 in the U.S. Canada could thus be over before it even begins, if tariffs remain in place.