Opponents of electric cars often deride them as having the tailpipes of the nearest coal-fired power station. Although this is partially (roughly half, according to the current energy mix in the Czech Republic) true, it already helps them to reduce the environmental burden due to their higher efficiency compared to the internal combustion engine. Their locally emission-free operation primarily improves air quality, not to mention lower noise levels.
But reducing emissions is not only about the operation of electric cars, Volvo projects it into the entire life cycle of the car. It all starts during production – the compact crossover requires a smaller amount of material for its construction (mainly steel and aluminum, the production of which is highly energy-intensive). For the production of its models, Volvo uses recycled materials, in the case of the EX30, approximately a quarter of all aluminum is made up of recycled material, for steel it is 17%.
Another material ideal for recycling is plastic – around 17% of all plastic in the EX30 is from secondary sources and includes not only bumpers, but also other components including parts directly in the interior. But it is in the cabin that other recyclable and renewable materials appear (such as denim, linen and a wool blend that contains around 70% recycled polyester) used to make the seats, dashboard or decorative door trim.
Denim upholstery is created from fibers that would otherwise become a waste product of the denim recycling process.
In addition, the designers also followed the path of optimization, i.e. simplifying the design and combining functions where possible. This made it possible to reduce the number of components in the car’s cabin without forcing compromises in terms of ergonomics or usability.
In addition, Volvo uses “clean” energy (i.e. 100% climate-neutral) in the factory that produces the EX30, and the Swedish carmaker places similarly high demands on its direct suppliers, 95% of whom have committed to using 100% of energy in their production by 2025 % renewable energy (and many have already achieved this).
The cabin will be designed simply and economically with a high use of natural and recycled materials.
The production process has also been significantly streamlined – for example, there is the highest ever rate of material utilization in molded body parts. A big topic is also the reduction of waste materials (metals, oils, water), or their repeated use.
Blockchain technology is then used in battery production to help trace the path of critical raw materials, including lithium, manganese, cobalt, graphite and nickel, ensuring the “purity” of origin of the materials used. In addition, you won’t need too many, because the batteries are not absurdly large – the basic battery pack will have a capacity of 51 kWh, the version with an extended range will then be able to settle for a pack with a capacity of 69 kWh, which should be enough for a range of 480 km.
Our new Volvo EX30 is a big step in the right direction to meet our sustainability ambitions. By 2025, we aim to reduce total CO2 emissions per car by 40% compared to 2018, which we aim to achieve with a 50% reduction in total tailpipe emissions and a 25% reduction in emissions across all our operations, sourcing and supply chain – all of this will help us achieve our goal of becoming a climate-neutral society by 2040.
Volvo has hidden small renderings of the production EX30 in its documents, so you can already get at least a partial idea of what it will look like.
In addition to being more environmentally friendly, the new Volvo EX30 is also designed to be 95% reusable at the end of its life cycle, either by recycling materials or getting energy from what can’t be reused.
Thanks to all this, the XC30 model has the lowest carbon footprint of any Volvo model – compared to the current C40 and XC40 models, it has been reduced by a full quarter. Which is a fairly radical value, and Volvo, with its comprehensive consideration of the environmental impact of its cars, sets a clear example for other car companies to follow.
The Volvo EX30 will be officially presented to the public on June 7.
2023-05-25 05:32:17
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