Volvo has started building its small, all-electric EX30 SUV at its Ghent, Belgium factory, creating around 350 new jobs and bringing the facility’s workforce to 6,600.
The EX30, which debuted in late 2023, is built on parent company Geely’s SEA2 electric platform. Until now, the model was only produced at Volvo plants in China and Malaysia.
The company says it chose Ghent for EX30 production to strengthen its position in the European premium EV market. The EX30 joins Volvo’s growing electric lineup that includes the EX90, EX40, EC40, and the recently launched ES90 sedan.
Volvo has invested over €200 million in the Ghent facility to support EX30 production. The funding covered a completely new car platform, nearly 600 new or refurbished robots, an extended battery hall, and new production and assembly lines for doors and batteries.
This production shift aligns with the European Union’s sustainability and competitiveness agenda focused on innovation, EV technology, and job creation. Volvo’s Swedish Torslanda plant and the Ghent facility together manufacture 10 of the brand’s electric and hybrid models for European and export markets.
Stefan Fesser, the Volvo Ghent plant manager, said: “Following a decision in autumn 2023 to bring production of the EX30 to Ghent, we were able to industrialise the new model in record time. Thanks to the engagement and collaboration of the entire Ghent team, we cut the industrialisation time in half.”
“Today, we are extremely proud to welcome the EX30 and demonstrate that new technology and innovation enable us to react more flexibly to market demands.”
The Ghent factory will also produce the upcoming EX30 Cross Country – a more rugged version of the award-winning EX30. When it arrives in UK showrooms this summer, the EX30 Cross Country will start at £47,000, considerably more than the standard EX30’s £33,060 entry price.
