A Scandi weekend in the Volvo EX30: From Gothenburg to the Swedish wilderness
Once again, our friends at Volvo Car Netherlands gave me the keys to their EX30 with the text, “Do something nice with it.” Something nice + Volvo was not a difficult calculation for me. The answer was immediately clear: I would roadtrip through Sweden. And for three resounding reasons. Firstly, because Sweden is Volvo's motherland. Secondly, Sweden is a wonderful country to drive through (that nature is of rare beauty). And, not to mention, Sweden is the epitome of style and taste AND I might also visit our friends living in Malmö. Oops, five reasons to step on the accelerator of the all-electric EX30 over the Motorvägar.
Therefore Sweden
Volvo is in good company when it comes to Swedish brands that have conquered the world. From Ikea to H&M, from Filippa K, Spotify, to Acne Studios; they all exude a timeless and unwrinkled coolness, and I am going to immerse myself in that during this road trip. Sweden has for me that excellent mix of enormous nature and rawness, while at the same time tasteful refinement, as I see it reflected in the EX30: electric driving (with love for the nature around us) and design and innovation in one.
The Volvo EX30: the car for the city and the road
The Volvo EX30 feels like an extension of the city. Compact enough for the busy streets of Gothenburg, big enough for a drive through the Swedish wilderness. The comfortable seats ensure that I can easily handle that maximum range of 474 kilometres without getting tired. Useful technology, such as automatic parking and the Door Opening Alert, make it easy and safe for me to survive even in narrow streets of Gothenburg. Ideal when driving into a city that is not only crowded, but also doesn't quite feel like your pocket yet. And especially in these days, when it's dusk early in Sweden, it's extra nice when the car you're driving also thinks a little with you.
Gothenburg: a city with character
The journey starts in Gothenburg, the city where Volvo was born. Coincidentally, my Pilates teacher is Swedish and grew up in Gothenburg, so her stories made me want to get to know the city better. I was already there once this year with Volvo, but didn't get out of the factory grounds and all the test centres then. Now I really want to explore the city. For example, I want to eat a cinnamon roll at Café Husaren, where the cinnamon rolls are said to be as big as a small head. I want that! I also want to visit Abecita Pop Art and Photo to admire works by Warhol, Bacon and Rauschenberg. Besides, that neighbourhood already seems to be a kind of open-air museum with all kinds of murals and sculptures.
View this post on Instagram
For lunch, I make a reservation at Tavolo, a restaurant the Michelin guide tipped me to, which is not too expensive but has that typical Swedish stylish atmosphere. (Magasingatan 19, Gothenburg).
The ride will be as follows:
Via Gothenburg, I drive to Småland: via E20 → E4 (about 2.5-3 hours) and then from Småland to Malmö: via E4 (about 1.5-2 hours).
Småland: Sweden's rugged nature
After the city life of Gothenburg, I want to get out into nature and do some mileage. Småland is a region known for its forests, lakes and those typical, rustic wooden cottages. No fuss, no tourist attractions, just the exactly-as-you-have-it Sweden. Although driving fast in Sweden is not really appropriate (I've never been anywhere where so many people keep neatly to the recommended speed), I do enjoy trying the EX30's fast acceleration here for a while. Within 3.6 seconds you are from 0 to 100 kilometres per hour, and since patience is not my greatest quality, I love it.
Malmö: Modern and dynamic
After Gothenburg, I continue my journey towards Malmö, which is in the south of Sweden and, being close to Copenhagen, also has a lot of Danish influences. The two cities are connected by the Öresund spring, so you can get from one to the other within half an hour. I have been to Malmö before, as our Swedish friends live there, and will now zoom by there briefly with the EX30. The EX30 is fully electric, so even in emission-free zones, we are just hartstikke välkommen.
To sleep, I picked The More Hotel (Norra Skollgatan 24), which is located in an old chocolate factory. You don't have a hotel room here, but a whole flat to yourself. Of course, I invite our friends for dinner and for that I picked Mutantur, where you eat Scandinavian food in tapas form. Ideal if you want to eat informally and don't want to spend too much time studying the menu. To get to know the city in a fun way, I booked a food safari for the next day through Matkaravan, where you walk past foodie hotspots in a small group. And I'm going to tick off that Swedish Fika anyway.
Oh well, and if my EX30 is recharged by then (it takes no time at all, by the way, as it is already full for 80% within 26 minutes), I might drive on to the student town of Lund. If only to hear Loreen blaring through those great Harman Kardon speakers and to postpone the end of this lovely trip for a few more hours.
