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Volvo EX90 EV is heavy on sustainability with new Nordico cabin material

After hints from former Volvo CEO Hakan Samuelson and a trademark application for the term "Embla," we'd suspected the electric successor to the XC90 would be called the Embla. New Volvo CEO Jim Rowan explained that after taking brand familiarity into account, the people who decide the names of things decided "EX90 marks a new iteration on our current nomenclature and is reflective of our transition toward a full-electric lineup by 2030." Another symbol of the transition to all EV all the time is Volvo interior designers believing they have created "one of the most pleasant and elegant car interiors on the market" by "reinterpreting luxury and well-being [through the] essential qualities of Scandinavian design: simplicity, well-being and natural sources." Senior Design Manager Cecilia Stark tells us the nut and bolt of this is Forest Stewardship Council-certified wood, and wool shorn off sustainably raised sheep. Backlit wood trim lines the EX90's cabin, reminiscent of a Scandinavian living room. The wool is a secondary fabric option, buyers first invited to enjoy Volvo's new Nordico synthetic fabric made from ingredients like recycled PET bottles and responsibly sourced pine resin from managed forests in Sweden and Finland. Counting Nordico and other synthetic textiles in places like the carpeting, Volvo says there are "almost 50 kilograms of recycled plastics and bio-based materials" in an EX90 cabin, surpassing the amount for every other vehicle in the automaker's range.  There will be a standard luxury aspect to configuring the flagship crossover, though. Mostly discussed as a feature among super luxury makers who offer so many options that buyers can be overwhelmed into analysis paralysis, Volvo designers have created themed "rooms" encompassing EX90 exterior colors, upholstery, and decor. We don't know how many rooms will be offered, and we're not used to seeing exterior hues included in themed packages, so this should be interesting.     Volvo will show the EX90 on November 9. The crossover is slated to go into production at the automaker's South Carolina plant before the year is out. Related video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

Volvo XC90 First Edition sells out in 47 hours

Two days ago, Volvo opened the order books on its completely new 2015 XC90 crossover, and just like that, all of the 1,927 First Edition models were reserved in a scant 47 hours. According to Volvo, most of the vehicles were reserved within one hour of the online ordering site launching, and at its peak, seven cars were being sold each minute.
First Edition models wear a unique Onyx Black exterior, and ride on eight-spoke, 21-inch wheels. Inside, amber nappa leather covers the seats, the dashboard is lined in charcoal leather, and there are walnut inlays throughout the cabin.
Under the hood, the XC90 First Edition can be had with either a four-cylinder Drive-E gasoline or diesel engine (if you live in markets outside the US, of course). The twin-charged T6 petrol model comes with 320 horsepower, and sends its power to the ground via all-wheel drive.

Volvo EX90 will lack certain features on launch, to come later with OTA updates

Turns out there's an asterisk to the news of Volvo commencing production of the EX90 at its South Carolina plant this month. The automaker sent an e-mail to customers awaiting delivery that certain features won't be installed on some delivered units, and posted a notice on its customer help site listing the 10 features that could be missing. Four are safety and ADAS features, one of those related to the lidar system, one of Volvo's primary talking points concerning the EX90. The automaker says the "Lidar first safety scenario" will get an "update that increases the car's abilities, even in darkness — and emergency steering is primed if needed to avoid a collision." It sounds like this means there will be some lidar capability, just not the planned breadth.  Four more items deal with the battery and charging. The most unwelcome might be a battery drainage issue while parked, Volvo saying that for the first three days the EX90 is parked without charging it will lose around 3% of battery charge. This is because the core computing system needs to remain on to run the car's "highly advanced functions" — whatever that means — when the SUV isn't being used. After 72 hours, the EX90 "will go into a deep sleep mode to conserve battery power." Why can't the EX90 enter a deep sleep mode an hour after the car is parked? Because software is hard. Smart charging and Plug & Charge could also be lacking, those features making charging less costly or more convenient without extra steps needed from the driver. Bi-directional charging won't come at first, either, so EX90 buyers should hold on to those portable battery banks.  The two final software puzzle pieces are Apple CarPlay, out to lunch for now, and the one we consider most surprising item on the list, a light theme for the driver cluster and infotainment. On delivery, owners should expect a dark theme only on the digital displays. EX90 deliveries aren't slated to begin until later this year, though, so the OTA list could shrink (or grow) before then.