Volvo delays EX30 SUV due to software glitches

EV drivers looking to get behind the wheel of their new Volvo all-electric SUV EX30 may have to wait a bit longer as Volvo works to resolve some software glitches before delivery – the second time a Volvo EV launch has been delayed due to software.

Volvo said yesterday that it has delayed deliveries in Europe of its EX30 all-electric SUV due to software issues, according to Automotive News Europe. The EV hasn’t yet been released in the US but that should happen by the summer, Volvo has stated. 

Automotive News Europe got its hands on correspondence from Volvo to dealers that said the software version 1.2 wasn’t ready for release. “We confirm that Volvo is working tirelessly to resolve the problem,” the correspondence said. “Important progress has been made but the software version 1.2 does not yet meet all the requirements necessary to be released.”

A source told Automotive News Europe that the update couldn’t be performed over the air and had to be handled at the dealership, and that updates will start being done as soon as today, which implies the problem has been solved. It’s not clear what is happening.

Delivery delay will affect European customers – and this is the second time Volvo has delayed a new EV’s launch due to software problems. Last July, the Swedish automaker, which is owned by Chinese behemoth Geely,  delayed production of the flagship Volvo EX90 electric SUV, citing software issues surrounding its LiDAR system.

The new entry-level EX30 is poised to be a major bestseller with its affordable pricing – it starts at €36,590 in Europe, and is expected to start at $34,950 in the US. The larger of its two models comes with a 69 kWh battery and a 268 horsepower rear-mounted electric motor, with an EPA-estimated range of 275 miles. A performance model loses 10 miles of range (265 miles) but packs 422 hp and 400 lb-ft torque for 0 to 60mph in 3.4 seconds.

The Volvo EX30 will be produced in China until another production line in Ghent, Belgium, is up and running from 2025. US production should follow the larger EX90 electric SUV, which is expected to be made at the Volvo plant in South Carolina.

Electrek’s Take

It’s not clear how long this delay will take, since Volvo has offered two versions: in the correspondence, they refer to multiple delays taking weeks, while a spokesperson wrote to Automotive News Europe saying the problem was resolved and delays should take a few days. So day, or weeks, who knows. Volvo declined to go into detail about the software issues, according to the report. But success of the much-touted EX30 is essential to its plan to boost global sales by 69% to reach its target of 1.2 million sales by 2025. Last year, Volvo sold a record 708,716 vehicles globally.

Volvo certainly isn’t alone in dealing with software issues. Fisker’s Ocean SUVs had their own issues with adaptive cruise control, and VW launched the ID3 without some essential functions back in 2020 – a problem that took VW months to resolve.