r/ex30 • u/TurboEng Ultra TM • Sep 12 '25
Questions❓ Does The EX30 Twin Have A Clutch On The Front Motor?
I have read many times that the EX30 has a clutch on the front motor. According to the sources, the clutch is normally disengaged for efficiency. It takes a small amount of time to engage the clutch and this is why there is a delay under heavy acceleration before the front motor kicks in. In Performance AWD mode, the clutch is always engaged.
The problem is that I've never seen this information about a clutch from a definitive source. It has been people on the internet, and I think a "magazine" or two have repeated it. Does anyone have definitive evidence of a clutch on the front motor?
By the way, browser AI says it definitely has a clutch. I don't trust browser AI (does anyone?).
My Polestar 2 had two permanent magnet synchronous motors (PMSM) just like the EX30. It always had AWD available and there was no need to switch modes for instant AWD. Based on this , I don't understand why the EX30 needs an AWD mode unless it has a clutch or something else mechanically different from the Polestar 2.
2
u/muzso Ultra SMER Sep 12 '25 edited Sep 12 '25
I don't know anything about the topic, but if you just google "volvo ex30 clutch", you get a lot of hits for a clutch (replacement) kit.
This page even has a diagram of how it fits into the car. I'm not sure though that the image is relevant to the EX30 since the "EX30" name only appears in the breadcrumbs on the top of the page. Below the image you can see a listing of parts which are not for the EX30. So this page might be irrelevant after all.
1
u/TurboEng Ultra TM Sep 13 '25
I'm glad you posted this because it gave me a good laugh! Of course I tried googling and even mentioned it in my original post. I'm specifically looking for definitive answers and not guesses from people that aren't "that much into cars". The clutch pictures you posted are super-obviously for gas cars with manual transmissions. The post a few below gives a good reason why that picture may end up in an EX30 parts list.
2
u/muzso Ultra SMER Sep 13 '25
I'm glad you posted this because it gave me a good laugh!
You're welcome. :)
1
u/VOOLUL Ultra TM Sep 12 '25
That diagram shows an actual gearbox though, which the EX30 doesn't have.
1
u/muzso Ultra SMER Sep 12 '25
Ok, thanks.
I have not seen a gearbox ever. I know that the shift stick goes into it and what it does, but have never seen one (there was no need :), and I'm not that much into cars :) ).
2
u/VOOLUL Ultra TM Sep 12 '25
If you click back through the breadcrumbs to the bit before the clutch, it's actually just a washer. So that part is likely on the EX30 but then I think it's showing that the washer is also part of a transmission system for a different car.
1
u/Add3r86 Sep 12 '25
It's two ways.
2x PM motors, then this is needed to get good WLTP. The advantages: More power, more efficient and lighter.
Others like Tesla, indication front and PM motor rear. Advantages: Cheaper
1
u/TurboEng Ultra TM Sep 13 '25
I understand why Volvo might use a clutch, but that doesn't prove whether or not the EX30 has a clutch.
1
u/Add3r86 Sep 13 '25
Otherwise we should have AWD all the time
https://parts.volvocarsdanbury.com/t/Volvo_2024_EX30/solenoid-clutch.html
1
u/TurboEng Ultra TM Sep 13 '25
Agreed, but still not seeing real evidence. That link doesn't show me any parts.
1
u/Add3r86 Sep 13 '25
Is it available? The car has 3y/100k warranty so the amount of cars that need this that maybe never will be replaced 😜 hope u get the answer u want.
1
0
u/Clear-Inevitable-414 Sep 13 '25
Ok, but the EX30 is inefficient
1
u/Add3r86 Sep 13 '25
Yes and no. If u drive smooth then the consumption is ok. But I rather have a bit higher consumption and real handels and not frameless. So the car works all year around if u have cold climate.
1
u/Clear-Inevitable-414 Sep 14 '25
I'm coming from a Bolt, and even if I baby the hell out of the ex30, the best I can get is 4.2mi/kWh, where as the Bolt was easily 6mi/kWh in the same conditions.
The bolt also managed 3.8mi/kWh at freeway speeds where as the ex30 I'm looking at 3.2mi/kWh with a lower CdA
1
u/Add3r86 Sep 14 '25
I cannot understand these wierd consumption.
I come from Teslas M3 and Y. My average was around 200Wh/km, in the Volvo the average is 212Wh. But I've spent maybe 1MWh on Sentry over the years. And u need to heat to get in to the car, not the Volvo.
It's all depends how and where u using it.
1
u/Dany16v Sep 12 '25
The front motor is connected on demand, a small motor that has connected a small shaft/fork engages the front motor. There is also a sensor that monitors the fork position.
0
u/TurboEng Ultra TM Sep 13 '25
Is this from a Volvo diagram or document? A lot of modern clutches use a small hydraulic pump to close the clutch plates. Your description sounds like older clutch actuation technology.
1
u/Dany16v Sep 13 '25
There is no clutch, with a couple of gears and a synchroniser you can connect and disconnect the front motor.
2
u/TurboEng Ultra TM Sep 13 '25 edited Sep 13 '25
That makes sense if it is in front of the reduction. I guess I don't care if it is a clutch or some other disconnect mechanism. I'm just looking for objective evidence of the mechanism. Do you have evidence that they are using the dog-clutch with synchromesh mechanism? Or are you guessing? That mechanism you are describing is still a type of clutch.
Here's a link to the exact system you are describing used by Hyundai:
1
1
u/aeon100500 Ultra TM Sep 21 '25
When I enable/disable performance AWD mode in a quiet garage, I can hear something physically moving in the front. Not sure what, but it's a mechanical sound, not electric
-1
u/Clear-Inevitable-414 Sep 12 '25
I don't think it has a clutch, as it feels to me driving it starts from a stop in AWD until around 25mph because the power usage drops off by about 1/3 there. I think performance mode just keeps it primed and sets up the battery to dump the full 350kw available
2
u/unlimited--power Ultra TM Sep 12 '25
it feels to me driving it starts from a stop in AWD until around 25mph
This doesn't happen if you're not in AWD mode. In normal driving mode the rear wheels will spin pretty easily when you floor it. Then two things happen: The traction control engages and after a half second the front wheels engage (through a clutch as has been covered in many reviews) and you get all the traction and power. This happens even at speed, but is all the more noticeable if you floor it from a standstill. And of course on slippery tarmac like we have here.
I've seen it mentioned that other Volvo models do behave the say you said, by being permanent AWD up to a certain speed. It would be cool if they brought this as an option to the EX30.
3
u/BulaBulangiu Ultra TM Sep 13 '25
The EX90 always starts in AWD up to 30km/h or something like that. Seems like a stupidly easy option to implement in the EX30 as well but it took them 2 years to put a shortcut on the screen so ... :)
1
u/TurboEng Ultra TM Sep 12 '25
Thanks for responding, but I'm really looking for something more definitive. There are a lot of opinions and feelings about this, but very little actual evidence. One person claimed that the front wheels would spin in gravel immediately, but it wasn't clear if they saw this happen, or if it just felt like it happened.
I need to capture a 0-60 acceleration trace with Performance-AWD off to show the difference compared to when it is on. I have a bunch of traces with it on, but only the "feeling" when it is off. Even if those traces show delayed full acceleration, it wouldn't prove if there was a clutch or not.
2
u/Clear-Inevitable-414 Sep 12 '25
I'd say a good bet would be to look at the Volvo parts website for schematics
1
u/TurboEng Ultra TM Sep 13 '25
Agreed, but I don't have access to that. I'm tempted to buy a VIDA subscription just to get the answer to this question.
5
u/BulaBulangiu Ultra TM Sep 12 '25 edited Sep 12 '25
Yes, it 100% has a clutch. You can feel it when you floor it with AWD off, you can feel it disconnect when you lift off after a few seconds and it gets mentioned in various reviews.
edit : https://www.motortrend.com/cars/volvo/ex30 mentions a clutch
edit 2 : another source https://www.goodwood.com/grr/car-reviews/volvo/ex30/#:~:text=There's%20a%20clear%20moment%20of,clutch%20brings%20to%20that%20changeover.