Volvo Begins EX30 Electric Car Production in Belgium
Volvo has started production of its EX30 electric car at its Ghent, Belgium factory, marking a strategic move to assemble key models closer to their major markets.
The small SUV was previously manufactured exclusively in Zhangjiakou, China, before being shipped globally. However, in October 2023, Volvo decided to add European production capacity to better meet local demand. The EX30 was Europe’s 13th best-selling EV in the first quarter of 2025, outperforming models like the Audi Q4 E-tron and Mercedes-Benz EQA.
The decision to start EX30 production in Ghent was validated by the EU’s imposition of punitive tariffs on Chinese-built EVs last year. Volvo plans to primarily deliver Belgian-built cars within the EU to avoid these tariffs, while Chinese-built models will be ramped up in non-EU markets like the UK and southeast Asia.
“We’ll start [EX30] production at our Ghent facility in Belgium in the first half of next year and then ramp up through the gears,” former Volvo CEO Jim Rowan said last year. “In the meantime, we can supply that car to many other regions which are not yet affected [by tariffs]: a lot of countries in south-east Asia, and the UK is an example of that.”
Adding EX30 production to the Ghent plant required a €200 million investment, including a new assembly line, 600 new or refurbished robots, and a new battery pack production line. The factory currently produces the electric EC40 and EX40, as well as the XC40 and V60 hybrids.
Francesca Gamboni, Volvo’s chief manufacturing and supply chain officer, described the EX30 as “crucial” for the brand’s European position, noting that production flexibility enhances their resilience. Volvo had previously planned to launch the EX30 in the US after 2025, but the future of these plans remains uncertain due to US trade policies.
