The average new vehicle in the US has grown 25mm wider and 558mm longer between 2013 and 2023. A bittersweet tale emerges with the Volvo EX30 – a compact, efficient electric crossover that could be perfect for today’s eco-conscious drivers, except it won’t see the American market.

In 2023, Volvo unveiled the EX30, priced at $34,950 before tax credit. However, geopolitical hurdles have upped the ante: heavy tariffs on Chinese-made cars and a 25% tariff on European vehicles have made it unfeasible to import the EX30 into the US.

Initially, Volvo planned for the car's manufacture in Zhangjiakou, China, to keep costs down. But with the Biden administration imposing heavy tariffs in 2024 and the Trump administration following suit a year later, the company shifted production to its factory in Ghent, Belgium. This shift has doubled the starting price of the rear-wheel drive version to $40,345 (including destination charge) or $46,345 for the twin-motor all-wheel drive model.

This decision leaves US consumers with a smaller selection of EVs that could actually make a difference in carbon emissions and safety. Will the Volvo EX30 remain an imported curiosity, or will it become a symbol of what’s lost in global trade wars?