Volvo Cars is reportedly delaying the start of EX30 reservations in the U.S. by about two months for unknown reasons. Reservations were previously scheduled to open in November but have now been delayed until January at least, according to an Automotive News report.

This has led to the EX30 becoming ineligible to participate in the 2024 North American Car, Truck and Utility of the Year awards, where it was in contention for the 2024 Utility of the Year accolade. The automaker informed the NACTOY jury about the delay and pulled the EX30 from the competition because the China-made EV’s on-sale date will be pushed past NACTOY’s deadline, Volvo Car USA spokesperson Russell Datz told Automotive News. “We wanted to be fully transparent,” he told the publication.

In a December 11 email to jurors, NACTOY President Jeff Gilbert said Volvo informed the organization of journalists that the “first vehicles will not be delivered to customers until well into 2024, perhaps not until summer.”

That is in line with Volvo’s previous launch timing announced in July at the EX30’s North American unveiling. The EX30 was competing with the all-electric Kia EV9 and Genesis GV70 for the 2024 North American Utility of the Year award. Volvo’s entry-level electric SUV will be replaced by the Hyundai Kona and Kona EV in the competition.

We reached out to Volvo Cars USA to learn why the EX30’s start of reservations was delayed and if the decision was production-related. Seeing as many automakers open reservations many months and even years ahead of a vehicle’s actual launch, Volvo’s decision seems a bit strange. Unfortunately, company representatives did not return our emails, but we’ll update this story if they do.

The 2025 Volvo EX30 will be the brand’s cheapest EV when it launches stateside in mid-2024—it starts at $36,245, including $1,295 shipping. With a pared-down interior and innovative packaging, its size, price and construction make it a compelling offering for Volvo and possibly a lot of people’s first EV purchase. 

The base model comes in a single-motor RWD configuration rated at 268 horsepower and 253 pound-feet of torque. Power comes from an extended-range battery with NMC chemistry (lithium, nickel, manganese, and cobalt) that has a usable capacity of 64 kilowatt-hours, enabling an EPA-estimated range of 275 miles.

There’s also a Twin Motor Performance variant that delivers 422 hp and 400 lb-ft of torque from a dual-motor AWD powertrain, enough to ensure an impressive 0-60 mph sprint in 3.4 seconds. That makes it Volvo’s fastest-accelerating production car ever, but the price premium over the base model is significant.

The EX30 Twin Motor Performance starts at $46,195, including $1,295 shipping. The dual-motor EX30 utilizes the same 64-kWh battery as the base model, but the range takes a hit of around 10 miles to 265.

The Volvo EX30 is currently built in China at the company’s plant in Zhangjiakou, but the automaker recently confirmed that the electric SUV will also be made in Ghent, Belgium, from 2025 for the European market.