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GM to squeeze out more production capacity for midsize trucks

General Motors was predicting a strong showing for the Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon before they debuted, and demand among dealers for the midsize trucks even exceeded company's expectations. The positive situation has left GM with a problem, though: finding ways to increase capacity for the pickups at the Wentzville Assembly plant in Missiouri. With a third shift already running, GM has continued to look for ways to build just a few more of the trucks at the plant. The company has plans to hire as many as 1,000 more workers for the Saturday and Sunday shifts to construct an additional 2,000 pickups a month, according to unnamed insiders at the factory speaking to Automotive News. The little adjustments even extend to getting rid of an unpaid break to add 18 minute of assembly time over the course of a day, which equals about 3,500 more vehicles a year. All of this effort comes because the trucks are in such high demand. According to GM's figures, the company has delivered a combined 35,720 units of the Colorado and Canyon from January through April 2015, and the Chevy was the fastest-selling truck in the US for the previous three months. In May, it spent an average of just 12 days in showrooms before being snapped up. And even better for the company, 43 percent of these buyers came from other brands. According to Automotive News, the most popular trade-ins have included the Ford F-150, Toyota Tacoma, and Dodge Dakota. Related Video:

GM Ultium tech can scavenge heat from everywhere, even you

GM likes to give us tidbits about its Ultium platform from time to time, and today it’s telling us about the platformÂ’s ability to capture waste heat from the propulsion system. In addition to capturing from the propulsion system, it can also capture humidity from both inside and outside the vehicle and even from passengersÂ’ body heat. Yes, you, your family and/or your friends are a usable heat source as far as GM EVs are concerned. It then deploys the heat in an advantageous way. If at this point, youÂ’re screaming, "Heat pump!" youÂ’d be right. WeÂ’re talking about an elaborate heat pump system that GM is using for its Ultium-based vehicles. Every Ultium-based GM vehicle gets this system that is covered by 11 patents and four publications. The waste heat it collects is used in a number of ways, but its primary use is to heat the cabin quickly and efficiently. GM claims it can heat the cabin of its Ultium-based vehicles quicker than vehicles with traditional internal combustion engines. Plus, when put to use, GM claims that using the heat pump provides its EVs with up to 10% more range than theyÂ’d have without. Beyond heating the cabin, the heat pump is capable of putting waste heat to use by preheating the battery prior to charging so that you can charge quicker. The system can even cool the propulsion system in preparation for Watts to Freedom (WTF) launch control starts. GM says this was vital in helping the Hummer EV achieve its bonkers 0-60 mph time of about 3 seconds. “Having a ground-up EV architecture gives us the freedom to build in standard features like UltiumÂ’s energy recovery capabilities,” said Doug Parks, GM executive VP of global product development, purchasing and supply chain. “This helps us squeeze more efficiency, performance and overall customer benefit out of our EVs.” GM says itÂ’s been developing heat pump technology since the EV1 and its heat pump. This is the modern evolution of that technology, and GM says itÂ’s going to be implemented in every Ultium-based vehicle as a standard feature. Related video: Green Cadillac Chevrolet GM GMC Technology Electric Future Vehicles

2023 GMC Canyon debuts August 11

Chevrolet started GM's new-generation midsize truck party with the 2023 Colorado, now GMC's about to hit the stage with the 2023 Canyon. On August 11 at 11 a.m. Eastern time, we'll see what the new generation has done for the Colorado's upscale sibling. GMC teased us with a low angle of the coming Canyon in AT4X trim April. That revealed brawnier bits like big Goodyear Wrangler tires wrapped around 17-inch beadlock-capable wheels, plastic wheel arch flares, and rock rails. The initial version of that trim will be called the AT4X with Edition 1 Package, the front view showing split headlights, a new grille, thin LEDs, and a brush bar like the unit sprouting from nose of the Colorado ZR2 Desert Boss. We're also told there will be a "higher and wider stance, which is factory lifted." The current AT4 trim gets raised one inch, and we have a feeling the AT4X will get around three inches on its tippy toes just like the Colorado ZR2. The rationalization of body styles into a single Crew Cab Short Box will make ease configurations and production. Sadly, the 2.8-liter Duramax four-cylinder diesel is all but certain to be a goner here as well. The 2.7-liter four-cylinder gas engine should slip in here as the sole engine choice in two or three outputs. There's no telling which trims will get which outputs standard, but the choices are a base tune with 237 horsepower and 259 pound-feet of torque, a middle turbocharged tune with 310 hp and 390 lb-ft, and a high-output turboed topper with 310 hp and 430 lb-ft.   The 2023 GMC Canyon AT4X with Edition 1 Package will be available to order on the same day the lineup is revealed, at which time we expect to find out what's included in the Edition 1 versions compared to the AT4X variant that will join the lineup for series production. Related video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.