Enlarge / At a time when it seems like every automaker is making cars larger and more expensive, the EX30 is a welcome alternative to that trend. (credit: Volvo)

For a while now, Volvo has been teasing a new, smaller electric car. And on Wednesday morning, the company finally unveiled its latest creation. It’s called the EX30, and it ticks a pair of boxes many readers want: it’s small and affordable.

The headline figure is the starting price. At $34,950 here in the US, it’s one of the most affordable EVs available (before taking into account any tax credits)—joining the Chevrolet Bolt twins, Nissan Leaf, Mini Electric, and Hyundai Kona Electric in the sub-$35,000 club. And as we noted previously, Volvo says this car will have the lowest carbon footprint of any car it has sold, at below 30 metric tons after 124,274 miles (200,000 km).

Small, safe, efficient—what’s to dislike? (credit: Volvo)

And it’s pretty compact, too. At 166.6 inches (4,232 mm) long, 72.3 inches (1,837 mm) wide, and 61.2 inches (1,555 mm) tall, it’s a bit bigger than a Chevrolet Bolt but a bit smaller than a Chevrolet Bolt EUV. There’s no baby-swallowing front fascia to be scared of, either—in keeping with Volvo’s corporate ethos, this is a humane design.