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Next-generation Volvo XC90 could wear the Embla nameplate

Volvo's next-generation XC90 will have a lot of firsts on its resume. It will inaugurate an evolution of the modular SPA2 platform that underpins the current model, it will be available with a new suite of driver assistance features, and it will reportedly adopt the Embla name. Citing a trademark application filed in Europe in 2021, British magazine Autocar believes it has uncovered the big SUV's new name. While a trademark or a patent filing is never a guarantee that a feature, a name or a car is right around the corner, we know that Volvo plans to ditch its alphanumerical naming system in the near future to start giving its cars real names. "We're going to give cars a name as you give a newborn child," explained outgoing company boss Hakan Samuelsson. He also confirmed the next XC90's name will start with a vowel. Embla, your author just learned, is the first woman created by the gods according to Norse mythology. Its etymology is seemingly lost to history. It appears that Volvo wants to build on the Thor's Hammer lights and continue putting its Swedish heritage front and center. Viewed in that light, Embla is a relatively good choice. It's reasonably easy to pronounce, even for folks outside of Scandinavia, and it's original; it's likely not a name that you hear on a daily basis. It's also relatively soft — Volvo Yggdrasil Recharge arguably has less of a ring to it.  Unofficial morsels of information allow us to piece together a vague idea of what to expect from the Embla. We hear the SUV will be loosely related to the Concept Recharge design study (pictured) that Volvo introduced in November 2021. If that's accurate, it won't look anything like the model that's currently in showrooms. It will be longer, higher off the ground, and built on a much longer wheelbase. Details about the powertrain are conflicting: some sources say the Embla will be entirely electric, while others believe it will also be available as a hybrid. Volvo is expected to unveil the Embla before the end of 2022, and the crossover will arrive in showrooms as either a 2023 or a 2024 model. An earlier report claims that production will take place near Charleston, South Carolina, where the firm currently builds the S60 sedan. And, to complete the history lesson: the first man created by the gods in Norse mythology was named Ask.  Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

Volvo recalls 460,000 cars worldwide for potentially deadly airbags

Volvo and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) have released an expanded recall for just shy of 260,000 of its S60 and S80 sedans. Including those 260,000 cars in the U.S., the recall worldwide numbers about 460,000. The recall affects 2001-2009 S60s and 2001-2006 S80s, which have airbag inflators that could have degraded and could blast shrapnel into occupants. If that sounds familiar, it's because the monumental Takata airbag recall was for the same basic reason. But these Volvo devices aren't Takata airbags. Instead, these airbags were manufactured by ZF, the company that builds all varieties of automotive components but is probably best-known among car enthusiasts for their transmissions. The inflators use a material that, when exposed to high levels of moisture, can start to break down and form dust-like particles. These can ignite rapidly, more so than the component was designed for, which can cause the component to break and release metal shrapnel. According to the Associated Press, this material is different than the ammonium nitrate used by Takata. According to the NHTSA documentation, there has been one incident reported concerning the airbags, in which a person died. Volvo will replace all affected airbags at no charge to the customer. The replacement airbag apparently uses a different type of propellant, so it likely won't need to be replaced again. Dealers have already been informed, and owner notices will be going out at the end of November. If you have an affected Volvo, you can call 1-800-458-1552, and the recall number for Volvo is R10125. Related video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

Recharge Wrap-up: video touts Volvo electric buses, Nissan and BMW build EV chargers in S. Africa

Volvo is touting the advantages of electric buses in a new video. The short film, called Route 55, promotes the ElectriCity Project for public transport, and, more specifically, the new electric bus route in Gothenburg, Sweden. The new route debuts June 15 using Volvo electric and hybrid buses. In the video, two teenagers are seen waiting for the bus. As one boards, the other asks her out from the sidewalk, but she can't hear him over the noise of the diesel bus, which then closes its doors and drives away. The film asks, "What if this bus had been silent?" See the video above, and read more in the press release below. BMW and Nissan will build an EV charging network across South Africa. Through 2017, the two automakers will build fast-charging and AC stations around the country in order to encourage the adoption of EVs. Nissan has been selling the Leaf in South Africa since 2013, and BMW introduced the i3 and i8 in March. "In order for the introduction and expansion of electric vehicles as well as plug-in hybrid electric vehicles to be successful in this market, we need to work together," says BMW South Africa Managing Director Tim Abbott. Read more at Automotive News Europe. The Renault-Nissan Alliance will provide the United Nations with 200 electric vehicles for the COP21 climate conference in Paris. The fleet of vehicles includes the Nissan Leaf and e-NV200, as well as the Renault ZOE, Kangoo ZE and Fluence ZE. The entire passenger car shuttle fleet will use all-electric vehicles as some 20,000 UN attendees descend upon Paris from November 30 to December 11. "Thanks to the Alliance's fleet of 100-percent electric vehicles, it will contribute to our goal of achieving a carbon neutral event," says French Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Development and COP21 President Laurent Fabius. "The technology of electric vehicles helps reduce greenhouse gases in the transportation sector efficiently." Read more from Renault. Visa will be the official title sponsor of the Formula E London ePrix. Officially called the "2015 FIA Formula E Visa London ePrix," the races on June 27 and 28 will be the last of the electric racing series's inaugural season. Visa Europe will award the Visa Fastest Lap trophy after the each round, and will have interactive activities at the race's eVillage.