Why the EX30 will be Volvo's greenest EV

Volvo's first small SUV will also be its greenest electric vehicle yet.

Since announcing in 2019 that it wanted to a climate neutral company by 2040, Volvo Cars has been looking for ways to slash its life cycle carbon footprint.

By tackling emissions across the EX30's entire production and life cycle Volvo reduced the small SUV's total carbon footprint over 200,000 km of driving to less than 30 metric tons.

That is 25 percent below the carbon footprints of the C40 and XC40 EVs.

Volvo aims to cut its overall CO2 emissions per car by 40 percent to 31.8 tons of CO2 per car by 2025 from 53 tons in 2018.

"Our new EX30 is a big step in the right direction for our sustainability ambitions," Anders Kärrberg, Volvo's global head of sustainability, said in a release.

Volvo cut the EX30's CO2 footprint by using less steel and aluminum -- this came naturally because its the smallest car in the lineup -- however, to maximize the reductions about a quarter of the aluminum in the EX30 is recycled while about 17 percent of the steel is recycled.

In addition about 17 percent of all plastics in the car, from interior components to exterior bumpers, are recycled -- the highest percentage in any Volvo car to date.

The Volvo EX30 will be built in Zhangjiakou, China, at a factory primarily powered by climate-neutral energy, including 100 percent climate-neutral electricity, Volvo said, adding that 95 percent of the SUV's Tier 1 suppliers have committed using 100 percent renewable energy in their production by 2025.

Volvo also said the EX30's so-called cradle-to-gate CO2 impact is estimated 18 metric tons compared with the 26.5 tons for the C40.

Cradle-to-gate describes the CO2 impact from the extraction of raw materials to the finished car arriving at the dealership, so before it’s driven.

Volvo said last week its entry electric SUV will be the Swedish automaker's first model to offer a safety solution aimed at preventing deadly accidents with cyclists.

The EX30, which will have its world debut June 7 in Milan, Italy, will give a door opening alert, warning people inside the car via visual and audio cues if they are about to open the door in front of a passing cyclist or other traffic user.

The system will part of the EX30's standard safety equipment.