Automotive Design Award (Best Interior Design) | Volvo EX30

Published on: 20 September 2024

Good Design Australia’s Automotive Design Award is a Special Accolade within the Automotive and Transport Category that recognises excellence in automotive design and styling.

Vehicles entered into the Automotive and Transport Category in the annual Australian Good Design Awards are considered for the Best Exterior Design Award and Best Interior Design Award as part of the jury process.

Meet this year’s Automotive Design Award – Best Interior Design Winner: the Volvo EX30, a compact battery-electric SUV that’s redefining what a small vehicle can achieve. As Volvo’s most compact offering, the EX30 impresses with its “small but big” philosophy, blending outstanding performance with forward-thinking design.

Step inside, and you’re greeted by a cabin that’s both innovative and inviting. The interior is designed to offer four distinct “rooms” to choose from – Breeze, Mist, Pine, and Indigo – each creating its own unique atmosphere. This nature-inspired design isn’t just a nod to Volvo’s Scandinavian roots; it’s a bold statement of their commitment to marrying natural beauty with modern functionality.

Crafted on the SEA (Sustainable Experience Architecture) platform, tailored for electric vehicles, it sports a longer wheelbase that makes the most of every inch of interior space. This forward-thinking design doesn’t just slash Volvo’s CO2 footprint – it delivers a driving experience that’s as stylish as it is sustainable. With its sleek, premium aesthetic, the EX30 proves that you can look good and do good for the planet at the same time.

For an in-depth look at the design, we spoke with Rekha Meena, Senior Manager of Design, Color & Material, Volvo.

[Volvo EX30 – Winner of the 2024 Automotive Design Award (Best Interior Design). Image: Volvo]

GDA: What problem did the design aim to solve, and what were the key factors that needed to be addressed in order to solve it effectively?

Rekha Meena: The EX30 brief was that it should be the most sustainable Volvo car to date – small but mighty. Even though dimensions of the car were small, we never wanted customers to feel small, rather, they should be surrounded by a Scandinavian premium vast experience. Our innovative approach to materials in the Volvo EX30 plays an integral role in helping to reduce our carbon footprint.

GDA: The design is said to be inspired by nature. Could you elaborate on how these natural influences are reflected in the interior design principles?

Rekha Meena: The core design value of Volvo cars is keeping Scandinavian essence in our approach and spirit. The four interior rooms are inspired by nature and bring the natural expression of the material’s character.

Mist gives you a feeling of Scandinavian cosiness, contemporary luxury and understated elegance – like the lingering silver mist at the first light of dawn. Pine gives you a calm and fresh feeling, like a walk in the forest. Similar feeling to going offline. Breeze gives you a feeling of a run close to the seashore. This bright and breezy interior is effortlessly cool. Indigo gives you a sporty and stylish feeling and is inspired by fashion.

To enhance the overall Scandinavian cosy experience the ambient lighting of the EX30 is inspired by the Scandinavian seasons – allowing you to experience the best our nature has to offer at different times of the year.

There are five different themes: Archipelago, Northern lights, Midsummer, Nordic twilight and Forest bath. They are manifested in a coloured ambient light and sound experience to the cabin. We combined all rooms with five beautiful exterior colours truly inspired by Scandinavian landscapes: Moss Yellow (inspired from lichen), Cloud Blue, Vapour Grey, Crystal White, Onyx Black.

GDA: What materials were chosen for the interior, and how do they contribute to both aesthetics and sustainability?

Rekha Meena: Our approach to design and materials we use are based on our values. That means expressing our Scandinavian foundations together with meeting a new paradigm in automotive luxury.

The Colour, Materials, and Finish team explored many natural and recycled materials. For example, Mist and Pine seat upholstery is made from a tailored wool blend textile, which is responsibly sourced, renewable, and possesses good built-in properties with responsive climate capabilities – cooling when the weather is hot and warming when the weather is cold.

While Breeze room seat upholstery is made of knitted textile in 100% recycled polyester, only the required area is knitted. This innovative materials approach is also reflected in our natural yet precise array of decors available in this car.

Whether it’s flax deco featuring naturally renewable material woven flax, denim deco using short fibres from recycled jeans, or particle deco from discarded window frame flakes, we bring the natural expression of the material’s character.

If it’s from the recycled world, the feel and look should be honest, not trying to hide it. We are proud to achieve 17% recycled/natural content, 17% recycled steel, and 25% recycled aluminium for the EX30.

[Volvo EX30 – Winner of the 2024 Automotive Design Award (Best Interior Design) Single Motor – Moss Yellow. Image: Volvo]

GDA: Can you describe any innovative design elements or features in the interior that set this SUV apart from competitors in its class?

Rekha Meena: All four interior rooms (Mist, Pine, Breeze, Indigo) are unique and specially designed to cater to our customers’ aspirational choices. Additionally, there are hidden delights such as a phone pocket combined with a map pocket, and transparent air vent decor in two colours for different rooms.

There is a special grain called Stone on the IP lower, doors, and tunnel console, inspired by a stone texture from Mariestad (Sweden). It has an organic, natural look. Also, a moose graphic has been used as functional ribs on the trash bin/frunk to give customers a sense of our connection with Swedish nature. Plus, there are some colour details on the seats and storage areas to add a bit of fun to the car.

GDA: In what ways does this project embody good design? Does it effectively combine innovation and creativity?

Rekha Meena: Our interpretation was to make a small car with high on sustainability and low on carbon footprint. We succeeded by offering customers four rooms with their unique characteristics. We believe this is a step forward to use renewal and discarded materials to make new fresh Scandinavian expressions which fits with our brand philosophy.

GDA: What were the design challenges faced along the way, and how were they responded to?

Rekha Meena: Our biggest challenge in pinpointing which reclaimed materials to use inside a car and finding options that meet our stringent test parameters for durability while also being perceived by consumers as premium.

Outside of denim, we’ve used a range of recycled and renewable materials for the seats, doors, and dashboard of the Volvo EX30, including flax and a wool-blend that contains around 70% recycled polyester. We designed this car during COVID travel restrictions, and we are proud to have achieved 17% recycled/natural content, 17% recycled steel, and 25% recycled aluminium for the EX30.

GDA: Design is one thing, adoption is another. What has the public response been to the design?

Rekha Meena: Overall response till now has been overwhelming, our EX30 has received numerous awards in different categories. Our customers are pleased with their choices. We provided four rooms which helped our customers pick the best according to their desire. Moss Yellow exterior colour has got an astounding response.

GDA: Considering this year’s Awards theme, “The Design Effect,” what impact do you anticipate this design will have on individuals and communities?

Rekha Meena: Small is mighty. The EX30 is designed to have the smallest CO2 footprint of any Volvo car to date and to make people’s lives safer, more convenient, and more enjoyable through cutting-edge technology and Scandinavian design. It’s about taking responsibility for doing the right thing and prioritising customers’ well-being by providing them with safe, sustainable materials.

[Volvo EX30 – Winner of the 2024 Automotive Design Award (Best Interior Design) Electric Interior Image: Volvo]

The Volvo EX30 is a bold statement in automotive innovation, seamlessly blending Scandinavian elegance with a commitment to sustainability. This compact SUV isn’t just about cutting-edge design; it’s a revolution in eco-friendly luxury. With its nature-inspired interior “rooms” and a clever mix of recycled and renewable materials, the EX30 redefines what a small vehicle can achieve.

Good Design Australia congratulates Volvo for this accolade.

“Good Design Australia commends Volvo for redefining the future of interior design with the EX30, where cutting-edge innovation and sustainability converge,” added Rachel Wye, Managing Director of Good Design Australia.

The Jury commented, “With its longer wheelbase, the Jury was impressed by the proportions of its interior spaces. This small car is big on little details, including five different lighting themes and the rationalisation of multiple functions into single controls. It is a masterclass in streamline and simplification, with good use of several recycled and renewable materials.”

Winning the Automotive Design Award (Best Interior), the EX30 proves that great design can be both creative and responsible, making a powerful impact on drivers and the environment alike. It’s not just a car; it’s a game-changer in how we think about automotive design.