Chevy Bolt Continues
Chevrolet had told the world that their future was all Ultium and that spelled the end to the Bolt and Bolt EUV at the end of the current model run.
Chevrolet had told the world that their future was all Ultium and that spelled the end to the Bolt and Bolt EUV at the end of the current model run.
Today, Chevy reversed themselves and said a 3rd generation Bolt is on the way. This seems to be reflecting that upcoming Ultium models (Blazer and Equinox) with brand new Ultium platforms and powertrains were going to come in priced higher than existing Bolt buyers are used to.
So, what will a new Bolt be like?
GM is claiming that the new Bolt will be updated with Ultium technology. This likely means battery and motors at least inspired by the work on the new Ultium platform. This may also mean an update to GM’s new Ultifi software platform that will allow over the air updates, will bring more features to the Bolt’s existing SuperCruise autonomous system, and could show significant improvement to the Bolt’s current slow recharging performance.
What will keep the Bolt cost down, versus other upcoming Chevrolet EVs, is reuse of the current Bolt platform. The new Blazer and Equinox EV both are brand new and that means development costs that have to be amortized over the first few years…keeping costs higher than a new Bolt that will have quite a bit of its costs already paid off.
What is unclear is if we will see the current Bolt continue into the 2024 model year while we wait. Will we have a hiatus for the model while the updates are executed and the new Ultium=ified Bolt drops.
Either way, we could see a new Bolt by this time next year…but, if the current car stays in production and gives Chevy some breathing room with a cheap electric in the lineup…we wouldn’t expect a new Bolt until 2025 as a 2026 model year.
Ram Announces 1500 REV Specs
At today’s New York Auto Show press day, Ram showed off the 1500 REV full-sized pickup and dropped several key specifications.
The truck, which is expected to go on sale late in 2024 as a 2025 model takes advantage of being the last of the classic truck manufacturers to announce specs that beat trucks from Ford and Chevrolet/GMC.
At today’s New York Auto Show press day, Ram showed off the 1500 REV full-sized pickup and dropped several key specifications.
The truck, which is expected to go on sale late in 2024 as a 2025 model takes advantage of being the last of the classic truck manufacturers to announce specs in order to announce numbers that beat trucks from Ford and Chevrolet/GMC.
Specifically, Ram announced that the REV will have a base range of 350 miles with its 168kWh battery, with a long-range battery pack (229kWh) that will make it the first full-sized electric truck to crack the 500 mile range barrier.
In addition, Ram teased an even longer range option, the REV XR.
We expect this will be the rumored range-extender version that would pair a gas engine and generator with the electric powertrain to be able to extend range beyond what the batteries can power alone. This would promise an electric truck that could tow heavy loads without destroying its range like tests have shown happens to pure-electric trucks like the Lightning.
Ram isn’t quite ready to tell us about the XR - though there are plenty of auto shows or other opportunities between now and late 2024.
The 1500 REV will be ready for truly high-speed charging with an 800V system that can accept up to 350kW of charging power at DC fast charging stations. This allows the REV to add 110 miles of range in 10 minutes (an approximately 33% increase in charge if the truck is rocking the 350 mile range standard pack). It will be interesting to see if this is still competitive in a couple years given how quickly other brands are advancing.
Other technical specs Ram was ready to promote today were tow rating of up to 14000 lbs. This is quite competitive, while falling short of Chevrolet’s promise of a Silverado EV work truck spec that they think will be able to tow 20000 lbs. Though the extended range Lightning and the normal-spec Silverado EV both have tow ratings around 10000 lbs.
Payload limits for the REV max out at 2700 lbs. This beats the Lightning’s 2000 (standard battery) or 1800 (extended range battery) as well as the Silverado EV’s 1300-ish lbs.
Up front, the REV trades its gas engine for a front trunk. It’s stated 15 cubic feet of volume beats out the Lightning’s 14.1 and Silverado EV’s 10 cubic feet.
One place where the 1500 REV does not beat the competition is it’s 0-60 time. 4.4 seconds is still seriously quick, but recent tests of the Ford Lightning with extended range battery showed it performing the same trick in 4.0 seconds. Chevrolet has yet to deliver any of the Silverado EVs to customers, so we’ll have to wait to see what it is really capable of (though they predict about 4.5 seconds in their promotional materials). The GMC Hummer pickup with triple motors does that feat in a class leading 3.0 seconds flat. Though the Hummer to compare the REV to would be the dual motor version that has yet to go on sale and will probably be more in line with the Silverado and REV’s predicted acceleration.
Inside, the REV did have one new trick up its sleeve…
The passenger gets a 10.25” dedicated display directly in front of them. This provides access to the cameras all around the REV, ideally to allow the passenger to truly ‘co-pilot’ in situations where the Ram is maneuvering tight environments or moving a trailer. Additionally, this display allows for monitoring of vehicle functions, such as power flow from the electric powertrain. Also, passengers can connect to this display via HDMI to display their own media for entertainment.
We have at least a year and a half before REVs start to hit the road, so more details are sure to follow. We are also looking forward to a rumored mid-sized electric truck that Ram may announce in the interim.
For now, though, the Ram 1500 REV looks to be a solid offering in the growing electric full-sized truck segment.
2024 Chevrolet Corvette E-Ray
…fast forward to January 17, 2023 - and Chevrolet shows off a completely new flavor of their sports car at Rockefeller Center on the famous ice rink. Announcing this version 70 years, to the day, later means that this latest Vette is something the company wants us all to notice.
The date was January 17, 1953. The location was the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York City. Chevrolet was there to showoff a new sports car at GM’s Motorama event. They named this sports car after a fast warship…you might know it as the Corvette.
Fast forward to January 17, 2023 - and Chevrolet shows off a completely new flavor of their sports car at Rockefeller Center on the famous ice rink. Announcing this version 70 years, to the day, later means that this latest Vette is something the company wants us all to notice.
So, let’s take a look at what they’re up to this time.
What makes this latest model special? Chevrolet just released the Z06 with the most powerful normally aspirated engine the Vette has ever had (indeed the most powerful normally aspirated engine in production). That Corvette is a track monster that takes Chevy’s sports car to places no production Corvette has seen.
So, what makes this new Corvette stand apart?
Well, how about the fastest 0-60 time a Corvette has ever achieved…even faster than that legendary Z06? Well, 0-60mph in 2.5 seconds is on offer (a 10th faster than that Z06). How about making a Corvette that can conquer roads when they get slippery or even snowy? That would be a new feature for a Corvette and the new car has that handled as well.
How did Chevrolet pull this off? They equipped the new Corvette with the model’s first ever all-wheel drive system.
Let that sink in for a moment. For 70 years the Corvette has only put power to pavement using it’s rear tires. For nearly 70 of those years the power for those tires came from a front engine. Now we are looking at a mid-engined sports car with available all-wheel drive. That’s quite the switch for America’s sports car.
But, this isn’t a traditional all-wheel drive system like you might see in other mid-engined exotics like Lamborghini. In this particular case, Chevrolet leveraged the company’s electrification expertise to add a 160hp electric motor to the front axle that is powered by a 1.9kWH battery located down the center of the car (to maintain proper weight distribution.) That electric powertrain combines with the C8’s 495hp 6.2L V-8 to create an all-weather Corvette packing a total of 655hp in a package with new tricks no Vette has ever possessed..
They’ve christened this variation the E-Ray. This fits in with the other electrified models Chevrolet has shown recently where they never skip an opportunity to highlight an ‘E’ in the name. In this case, they had to add an E to the model designation to get there.
The E-Ray does get a unique front end that is less aggressive than other models. Likely this is to improve aerodynamics. Offsetting this is the fact Chevrolet gave the E-Ray the wide and aggressive rear fenders , and air intakes that debuted on the Z06. It’s a good look on the C8, no matter the powertrain.
Adding an electric motor has allowed Chevrolet to add another couplel features. For one, the electric propulsion is used to extend the range of conditions where the Vette’s can keep the big V-8 running on 4-cylinders. That should allow the E-Ray to sport some impressive economy numbers when Chevrolet announces them.
Another trick up the E-Ray’s sleeve is something Chevrolet is calling ‘Stealth Mode.’ When this is activated, the E-Ray can drive in electric-only mode at up to 45mph. The small batter capacity likely means this won’t mean a long range in this mode, but certainly enough to quietly get underway when a rumbly V-8 might wake the neighbors.
The E-Ray will go on sale later this year. Starting price $104295 for the coupe, $111295 for the convertible.
Once we know more, we’ll let you know how this changes the Corvette’s personality and if it would be worth such high prices.
And Then There Were Three - Ram 1500 Revolution EV
…the folks in Auburn Hills were the remaining part of the classic ‘big-three’ that had not thrown their hat into the electric full-size truck ring.
That ended at this month’s CES where Ram showed off their long anticipated Revolution electric truck.
Trucks are one of the hottest segments on the move to electrification. While startups are working hard to break into this market (for instance, Rivian with their R1T, Lordstown with the Endurance, and Canoo with their…’pickup truck’) the companies that we know can be trusted both to build hundreds of thousands of examples every year and to exist a decade from now are the classic ‘big three’ automakers from Detroit.
Chevrolet and GMC, using GM’s new Ultium platform, brought us electric trucks. First under the Hummer name, Then with variants under the Chevrolet and GMC brands.
After that first Hummer electric truck, Ford brought us the Lightning. Ford’s truck is an electrified version of their popular F-150. Their truck was both the least ambitious (essentially adding batteries and electric motors to the regular F-150) while also being most likely to change the world since Ford could rapidly scale up this truck to meet demand, as it uses mostly off-the-shelf components.
This has left the folks in Auburn Hills as the remaining member of the ‘big-three’ that had not thrown their hat into the electric full-size truck ring.
The wait ended at this month’s CES where Ram showed off their long anticipated 1500 Revolution electric truck.
Built on Stelantis’ STLA Frame platform, the Ram 1500 Revolution concept previews a production truck that is expected to be shown later this year. This short wait before the production reveal means that most details are likely locked in, but not enough to badge this truck as more than a concept.
However, there are plenty of juicy details in the concept that suggest some very truck-y and versatile features will be heading our way.
Powertrain
Packed between the concept’s frame rails is a low mounted battery pack that mirrors all the other electric trucks we have seen so far. This keeps the extra mass down low and out of the way of the cabin and cargo areas of the truck. It is the smart play as it leads to sporty handling, especially for a truck.
Putting power to the pavement are an electric drive unit (motor) at each axle. This likely previews the all-wheel drive and high-power variants of the production truck. It is likely that Ram will offer a rear-drive option as well at a lower price point.
Otherwise Ram has been mum on power, range, and performance. We’ll have to wait for the production truck announcement to learn more.
That doesn’t mean that there isn’t other news in the powertrain announcements. Confirmed by Ram management, is a range extender (as gas powered engine that drives an electric generator) will be part of the powertrain offerings. So you’ll be able to get your Ram electric truck with the ability to continue its journey even if you can’t immediately find a charging station. We don't know yet the details of how, exactly, Ram will implement a range extender. This could be a significant differentiator for Ram in the market when their truck goes on sale.
Carg-whoa
Beyond that powertrain hedge…there are several cargo and interior features that show that the minivan and truck crew at Ram/Dodge/Jeep/Chrysler haven’t lost their touch.
We thought that GM held a patent on the mid-gate idea. Apparently not. Where GM is planning to offer the Silverado and Sierra EVs with a 60/40 mid-gate separating the cabin from the bed…Ram is planning to offer a 50/50 split. This will allow, along with the folding rear and front passenger seats, the ability to extend the cargo bed into the cab.
But, that’s far from the only trick.
The Revolution includes a split tailgate that opens, dutch-door style. To extend the back of the bed further, the bed floor slides rearward to extend to fill the space between these dutch doors and then the inner skins of the tailgate halves pivot out to make a new rear bulkhead to contain even longer loads.
But, what if you have something really long to carry?
The Revolution has a front trunk where a classic engine would live…but Ram went a step further. They have designed in a passthrough to the cabin in the center of the trunk as well. This means that, when taking advantage of all the extra cargo carrying tricks…that you could carry 18’ long lumber with it extending from the front of the trunk…through the center of the cab (under the center console)…through the mid-gate…and ending with the extended bed floor and dutch doors open and the barrier deployed for the longest bed config available. That is a mind-bending level of flexibility all without ever having to worry about attaching a red flag to the end of your boards as you drive home from the hardware store.
Comforts
Room for your cargo isn’t the only place where the Revolution shines.
The interior also has what the brand calls ‘Ram Rails’ that are used in the bed and trunk for cargo management…but, inside the cab, they are used as mounting points for the seats. This allows the 2nd row seats to slide fore and aft just like the front row. Note, that is ‘2nd row’ not ‘rear’…because this cab, which is the longest of any Ram truck that has come before, also has a pair of jump-seats mounted to the mid-gate. So, this is the first full-sized truck with 3 rows of seating.
These jump seats mean that you can have extra passengers in a pinch, though we wouldn’t expect you’d ever want anyone you really care about to sit back there for long.
The Revolution concept also shows thoughts on the ever expanding center screens of modern vehicles. In this case, a pair of screens make up either a single large center display or one can be hidden away or re-purposed. The release video showed this second screen being mounted above a shelf on the dash to act as a pseudo laptop. This seems like one of the most concept-y ideas of this concept and likely won’t see production.
So, with Ram’s new Revolution concept, we see where the Auburn Hills brain-trust are thinking of taking their full-size truck in the world of electrification. Given their public statements that a production truck could bow in a number of months…and that Ram historically shows new trucks at the February Chicago Auto Show…we don’t think we have long to wait to see what of this truck will make it to market. Even then, we wouldn’t expect a truck you can buy until possibly 2025 as a 2026 model.
Electric Car Road Trips - What You Need to Know
Electric cars can be intimidating.
For about as long as anyone alive remembers, we have had gas stations in every town. We all had to learn growing up that the gas gauge is something to keep an eye on and we just stop at a station to fill up when needed. We also know that all pumps will connect to our car (diesel notwithstanding).
Electric cars can be intimidating.
For about as long as anyone alive remembers, we have had gas stations in every town. We all had to learn growing up that the gas gauge is something to keep an eye on and we just stop at a station to fill up when needed. We also know that all pumps will work with our car (diesel notwithstanding). We largely understand that octane rating is -something- our car needs and a value listed on the fuel door tells us which hose is ‘required’ or recommended. Additionally, we know about how long a fill-up will take.
Electrics have many similarities, but the industry is still working towards the same sort of ubiquitous supply of charging stations that we expect and need.
However, fewer available chargers with varying plugs and rates of charge lends a certain amount of uncertainty with regard to taking long road trips in an electric.
It is with that in mind that Unhealthy Obsession with Cars is going to try to break down the capabilities of any electric we review to help show what a road trip would entail.
We are based in the Denver area. Out west even gas stations can be far apart. So we picked a significant distance to drive from here that crosses rural America using mainly interstate travel. Increased infrastructure on an interstate should combine with the slowness to roll-out new tech away from population centers to give a nice average.
Our standard road-trip drive will take us from Denver to St Louis, crossing rural Eastern Colorado, Kansas, and northern Missouri.
To help plan the trip as well as to estimate appropriate stopping/recharging points, we will use the amazing route planning service for electric cars ‘A Better Route Planner’ (ABRP) which understands the gory details of individual electric car battery capacity (similar to fuel tank size), driving efficiency (similar to MPG), and the capabilities of charging stations (not exactly analogous to anything in the gas-powered car world - but close to how fast the pump can flow gas into the tank) in order to plan out a route. Their plan is based on how much charge is left after each leg of the journey and how fast and how much you need to add to easily make it to the next stop.
In our recent Ioniq 6 piece, we added this standard road trip to our review of the car. In this case, the high-speed of recharge that the Hyundai is capable of results in guidance of 100-170 miles between recharge stops. That keeps you in the sweet spot for DC fast charging where the Ioniq can charge from that 10% all the way to 80% at the fastest recharge rate. ABRP also directs you to the fast charging stations along the route to minimize the length of stops.
Ioniq 6 Road Trip
Combined the drive is estimated to be a series of 1.5-2.5 hour drives with 15-20 minute stops all the way from Denver to St. Louis. Total time at chargers adds up to 1.5 hours.
To show how using the ABRP service can help evaluate electrics…let’s take a look at the same drive in Ford’s F-150 Lightning with a standard battery pack.
F-150 Lightning Road Trip
Here you can see a similar number of stops along the way (7 instead of 6) but why are the stops a minimum of 32 minutes and as many much as 1 hour and 12 minutes? Also, why is that last leg of the trip yellow?
ABRP helps uncover the impact of details most buyers won’t want to understand. The F-150 has a bigger battery, by far than the Ioniq 5…but it’s consumption per mile is practically 3 times greater than the ultra slippery Hyundai.
This wouldn’t be so bad if you could recharge at the same rate as the Hyundai (which can gulp power at up to 221kW), but the Ford can’t take advantage of the fastest DC fast-charge stations (maxing at 150kW charging). A bigger battery, refilled slower means longer charging times. Total time at the charger for this trip in the Lightning is over 5.5 hours. Additionally, that last leg of the trip highlighted in yellow? To get from Boonville to St. Louis, the Lightning needs to go no faster than 60mph to preserve power and make it before the battery drops below 20% (a value we pick for all cars analyzed so you would have power to get around town once you reach the destination.
So, in this fairly random comparison, we uncover interesting differences to discuss - we will continue to do so in the future so we can all better understand our electric future and see what companies are making better decisions as they design their new products.
The dense details of electric car design are something that will make sense in years to come - but until then, we’ll help turn the facts into something the average driver can feel…time sitting around waiting - since that is what may tell you if a given electric could work for your travel needs.
GMC Unveils Sierra EV Denali
Electrics need to really crack the North American market. For this to work, there is one segment that they need to bust wide open and that is trucks.
Electrics need to really crack the North American market. For this to work, there is one segment that they need to bust wide open and that is trucks.
North American buyers are willing to spend big money on their trucks. Think F-150 Raptor on the off-road end…but also luxurious trucks. Full sized trucks are have long been available in opulent trims…but one brand and trim stands out among the others as a go-to for fancy and capable. GMC Denali.
GMC has been selling Denali trims of the Sierra truck for over 20 years. Buyers love their Denalis and they’ve long given GM’s luxury truck buyers a place to go and largely kept Cadillac out of pickups.
Today, GMC unveiled their electric Sierra. Based on the same platform as the already announced Silverado EV and GMC’s own Hummer EV truck and SUV. The Sierra EV brings a more sophisticated style than either to the same basic truck. The Sierra EV has the same mid-gate, fancy ‘Multi-Flex’ tailgate, and available 754 hp. Additionally, the Sierra EV Denali comes with GMCs exclusive Crabwalk 4-wheel steering feature that was previously shown on the Hummer EV. Up front, GMC has their eTrunk ‘frunk’ with plenty of lockable storage.
Range tops out around 400 miles. The Sierra EV is equipped with 800V/350kW charging that allows up to 100 miles of range to be added in 10 minutes. That means that buyers of this EV pickup will be ready when high-power DC fast chargers are more readily available. That’s a great perk that will make this truck even more versatile and useful years down the road.
But, this is more than just a grill-job.
Exterior styling maintains a squared-off, truck-y style. Think a traditional Sierra that has been polished down like a stone in a river. A large grill graphic is still there, but minus the opening for airflow. GMC has outlined the grill and lit the GMC badge which telegraphs the electric nature of this truck. C-clamp accent lighting surrounds the headlights similar to the current Sierra.
Inside, unlike the Silverado EV, GMC has put a portrait oriented 16.8” screen in the center of the dash. Front gauge duty is handled by a 11” screen in front of the driver and a 14” Head-Up display projected in front of the driver.
Sierra EV Denali Edition 1 will go on sale in early 2024 for $107000 plus destination. Lower trim levels such as the Sierra EV AT4 and Elevation trims will come to market in 2025 for lower price-points.
Jeep Electrification Plans
Jeep named September 8th ‘4xe Day’ and dropped a video previewing the brand’s electrification plan.
Included in their plan is an announcement to have electrified offerings across their portfolio by the end of 2025. This suggests a 4xe, plug-in hybrid, version of each model. In that same time, Jeep will be offering 4 all-electric models as well. Three were announced in today’s video.
Jeep named September 8th ‘4xe Day’ and dropped a video previewing the brand’s electrification plan.
Included in their plan is an announcement to have electrified offerings across their portfolio by the end of 2025. This suggests a 4xe, plug-in hybrid, version of each model. In that same time, Jeep will be offering 4 all-electric models as well. Three were announced in today’s video.
Jeep 4xe Day announcement video
Jeep Avenger EV - On Sale in Europe in 2023
Starting off the all-electric push is the Europe-only Jeep Avenger compact crossover. It makes sense this model may come to the US to replace the Renegade, perhaps with a plug-in version. Avenger goes on sale in 2023.
In it’s initial form, the Avenger will have a 400km range which would make it competitive with small electrics like the Chevy Bolt and their recently announced Equinox EV.
Jeep Wagoneer S EV - On Sale in 2024 with up to 600hp and 400 miles of range
2024 will be a busy year for Jeep with a 4xe version of the Wagoneer as well as 2 other all-electric models.
One is an electric Wagoneer called, for now, the Wagoneer S that will offer up to 600hp, 400 miles of range, and 0-60 in 3.5 seconds. While the Wagoneer S shares a name with the recently released Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer, it is obvious that the electric model is a new platform, sharing no body panels with the gas offerings.
That same year, Jeep expects to debut the Jeep Recon which provides door-off out-door fun with retractible roof and removable doors and windows as well. The overall design comes across somewhat as Wrangler meets Bronco, which leaves Jeep plenty of room to show off a 4th electric Jeep in the future that will almost certainly be the all-electric Wrangler that has been teased in Moab concepts for the last two years.
Jeep’s electric push shows that the company hasn’t been sitting idly by waiting to see if the move to electrification was going to be a fad, given that having products ready to go in 2023 and 2024 means they have been working quietly for years to get these new names/platforms ready to go.
It will be an exciting time be a Jeep fan for the rest of the decade.
Jeep will be holding a press conference on September 14th at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit. UOwCars will be there to report on any details that Jeep drops and if that electric Wrangler gets shown or teased.
Jeep Recon EV - open air off-roading in a package with retractable roof and removable doors and windows - but leaving plenty of room for an electric Wrangler
2012 Chevrolet Volt - Is it a Real Car? Conclusions
We are left with one last thing to answer - is it a 'real car' when all is taken into account?
There are many ways to tear the Volt apart, to call it a weird science experiment of a car that has no place in the modern automotive landscape. How do you rationalize the weirdness of a compact sedan that costs twice its most comparable sibling in the GM lineup? How do you justify an electric car with a sub-40 mile range and a full gas-fueled power train to cart around as well? How can you excuse a $40k compact Chevrolet that seats just 4?
Well, that is just it.
A shifter falls readily to hand and behaves exactly as decades of automotive practice have lead them to expect. Pedals and controls exactly where we've all come to expect them. Quiet operation. Readily available power greater than they'd expect. Fancy displays that suggest high-technology, even if they didn't know what they were suggesting or trying to communicate. They might noice braking that seems a touch off if they were sophisticated enough to notice a slight blip, the barest inconsistency as regenerative braking transitions into pads against disks. But, for all intents and purposes, a 'car'.
Certainly, from a financial standpoint, the Volt is hard to justify at $40k or more unless you can get the federal tax credit. Bonus if happen to live in a state that has a credit of its own that brings the overall purchase down into normal compact sedan territory. GM has also partnered with their old GMAC financing arm (now called Ally Financial) to offer screaming good lease offers as well. Taken into account, the Volt doesn't cost like its MSRP suggests.
Then there is the angle of utility. Only you know if seating for 4 in compact proportions is reasonable, but this is comparable to most compact offerings on the market with any other form of propulsion.
But, beyond the few changes to routine - the Volt is built like and drives like a very well turned out compact sedan. A 'Real Car.'
That it just happens to preview where our modern world's march to reward fuel efficiency is very likely taking us is simply another reason to respect how well GM has done with this car. It certainly has me wondering what is coming next (and dreading 'eco' cars just that much less than I did before.)