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Volvo produced over 100,000 units of the EX30

The Volvo EX30 is the smallest model in the Swedish manufacturer’s fleet but also the second best-selling electric car in Europe in August, after the Tesla Model Y. Now Volvo has announced that it has produced the 100,000th EX30, which is an extraordinary result.

Since the start of 2024, Volvo has sold 53,966 examples of the EX30, making it the company’s second best-selling car after the Volvo XC60 with 58,254 deliveries. However, given that the monthly sales of the smaller SUV are twice as high, it is possible that with the September results, the EX30 will become Volvo’s best-selling car.

The starting price of the EX30 model in Europe is 36,000 euros. The version with one motor and a standard battery has a range of 440 kilometers. An extended-range battery that costs 4,200 euros more and offers up to 593 kilometers on a single charge.

In April, Volvo announced that it was moving the production of the EX30 model to Europe, specifically to its factory in Ghent, Belgium. The Ghent plant is one of the most profitable for the Swedish-Chinese brand, which currently produces the EX40 and XC40 models. However, there is still enough capacity in Ghent to produce the EX30 with which Volvo will achieve the maximum production volume. Last year, about 230,000 units left the factory in Ghent, of which 60 percent were electric cars.

Source: Volvo

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2025 Škoda Elroq has arrived

At the beginning of October, Škoda unveiled a new compact crossover and the successor to the Karoq model, the Škoda Elroq. With this car, the Czech manufacturer enters a new era of minimalist, lean and functional design.

Elroq is the first Škoda model with a new design under the slogan “Modern Solid”, which brings a shiny black Tech-Deck mask instead of the standard one that adorned the previous models. It is equipped with an extremely aerodynamic body with a drag coefficient of only 0.26, which was achieved through a series of innovative design elements that enable a top speed of 180 km/h. The new front end features a larger front bumper with a dark chrome insert like the one on the new Kodiaq, and there’s also the familiar “four eye” headlight graphic.

Inside, the Elroq offers plenty of room for passengers including the largest luggage compartment in its segment with a volume of 470 liters (up to 1,580 liters with the rear seats folded down). In front of the driver is a 13″ infotainment display with a new user interface. The cabin is equipped with a number of innovative sustainable materials, new Simply Clever features including smart compartments that offer 48 liters of storage capacity and a storage net for the charging cable under the parcel shelf. A wide range of intuitive connectivity functions, advanced assistance systems and up to nine airbags ensure superior driving comfort and the highest level of active and passive safety.

Škoda Elroq is a fully electric compact crossover available with three different battery sizes (55, 63 and 82 kWh). The Elroq 50 is powered by a single electric motor with 170 hp (125 kW) and 228 lb-ft (310 Nm) of torque, and thanks to a 55 kWh Lithium-ion battery it has a range of 230 miles (370 km). The Elroq 60 is powered by an electric motor with 204 hp (150 kW), and has a range of over 400 km thanks to a 63 kWh battery. Elroq 85 and 85x are the most powerful versions. Both versions are powered by an electric motor with 285 hp (210 kW), and thanks to the 82 kWh battery, they have a range of over 560 km.

The Elroq 60 and Elroq 50 models have maximum charging capacities of 165 and 145 kW, and charge from 10% to 80% in less than 24 minutes (Elroq 50) and less than 25 minutes (Elroq 60). More powerful versions have a maximum charging capacity of 175 kW, and can be recharged from 10% to 80% capacity in just 28 minutes.

When it comes to price, in some markets the Škoda Elroq starts at around €33,000.

Source: Škoda

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2025 Škoda Elroq has arrived
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EU decided: Additional tariffs of 35% on EVs imported from China

New EU tariffs of 35% on all imported electric vehicles made in China come into force in November. This is a definitive decision of the EU that was made after the vote of 27 member states.

Two years ago, the European Commission launched an investigation into the privileged position of electric vehicles produced in China due to subsidies. “These can also be vehicles from other manufacturers if they have used subsidies in China,” said Executive Vice President of the European Commission for an Economy Valdis Dombrovskis. In order to protect European car manufacturers, it was decided that EVs from China will be subject to an additional customs duty of 38.1%. However, the EU gave the companies a chance to cooperate in the investigation, so it was decided that those who accept cooperation will have temporary lower tariffs (20.8% instead of 21%), while those who refuse cooperation will have tariffs of 37.6 percent.

In the meantime, the European Commission completed an investigation that concluded that Chinese manufacturers receive large subsidies from the Chinese government, which destroys European manufacturers. Chinese authorities rejected the results of the investigation and threatened to impose tariffs on cars and food from the European Union.

Also, the European Union specified that any alternative to these tariffs, such as the minimum price, must comply with strict requirements, which are aligned with the rules imposed by the World Trade Organization (WTO).

It should be noted that some European manufacturers, such as BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Volkswagen, were against additional tariffs on EVs from China. Some members even asked for tariffs of 45%. However, the European Commission has announced that it will start a new round of negotiations with China in order to solve the problem for a long time.

Source: Reuters

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