2006 Chevrolet Avalanche 2500 Lt Crew Cab Pickup 4-door 8.1l on 2040-cars

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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

Super Bowl LVII car commercial roundup: Watch them all here

Fewer automakers than usual spent money advertising during Super Bowl LVII. In total, there were only five traditional ad spots from three big OEMs. A number of car-adjacent ads aired during the Big Game, too, and we’ll bring you those ads in this roundup alongside the more obvious ones. WeÂ’ve compiled all of the automotive-related commercials for you here in this post so you donÂ’t have to go searching for them elsewhere. Read on below to see what aired as the Kansas City Chiefs defeated the Philadelphia Eagles. Ram's Super Bowl spot offers a cure for 'Premature Electrification' This commercial revealed the new electric Ram Rev pickup, and itÂ’s themed like a prescription ad for an antidote to "Premature Electrification.” A concerned narrator in the Ram spot asks if you're afraid that going electric too soon will mean "you might not be able to last as long as you like," and there's a guy on a pier who's going to need some new equipment if he wants to catch fish. We're also told there are "options being designed to extend range in satisfying ways," so if this truck isn't right for you, you have choices. All the commercial's missing is a silly medical marketing name and six seconds of speed-reading gibberish about side effects like intestinal bleeding and death. Which are two more good things. Jeep 4xe Super Bowl commercial highlights modern version of 'Electric Boogie' JeepÂ’s “Electric Boogie” commercial follows the Wrangler 4xe and Grand Cherokee 4xe in a variety of simulated off-road situations. Though fun, the soundtrack is the real star of the show. The songÂ’s original artist, Marcia Griffiths, was joined by Grammy winner Shaggy, Jamila Falak, Amber Lee, and Moyann on the track. The modernized re-recording celebrates 40 years since GriffithsÂ’ original track, and Jeep says the track is available for streaming now. Kia returns to the Super Bowl with the tale of 'Binky Dad' This year, Kia follows the adventure of "Binky Dad" in his quest to fetch his daughter's lost pacifier, which naturally takes him over just about every bit of terrain you might encounter upon leaving the civilized confines of Southern California for the not-so-civilized mountains of ... probably also California. It features the refreshed 2023 Kia Telluride, which probably doesnÂ’t need much advertising to see these days, but Kia went for it with the strong three-row SUV anyway.

Chevy's 6.6-liter Duramax is pretty much all new

To say there's a heated battle in heavy-duty pickups is an understatement, with Chevrolet, Ford, and Ram constantly trading blows of increased torque, horsepower, and towing capacity. The latest salvo is the revised, more powerful turbo diesel 6.6-liter Duramax V8 in the 2017 Chevy Silverado. It has 910 pound-feet of torque, an increase of 145, putting it nearly level with the Ford Super Duty. Here's a closer look at where those gains come from. How exactly did Chevrolet add all that torque plus 48 horsepower? The automaker essentially took a fine-tooth comb to the entire engine. Chevy says it changed 90 percent of the V8, and the cumulative effect of those small changes adds up to big increases. As you might guess, the turbocharger is updated. The larger unit features electric actuation of the variable nozzle turbine (VNT), and what Chevy calls a double axle cartridge mechanism that separates the VNT moving parts from the housing. That helps with heat performance as well, with a claim that the exhaust side of the turbo can run continuously up to 1,436 degrees Fahrenheit. Helping that cause are six exhaust gaskets made of Inconel - an nickel alloy that contains chromium and iron – and upgraded stainless steel for the exhaust manifold. Despite having the same cast iron cylinder block, albeit with some minor enhancements, the engine has new cylinder heads, pistons, piston pins, connecting rods, and crankshaft, which have all been upgraded to handle 20 percent higher cylinder pressures. Alongside the increase in pressure, Chevrolet also increased the cylinder head's structure with a honeycomb design. The pattern features high-strength aluminum with dual layer water jackets that not only improve strength, but also optimize water flow for better cooling. For 2017, the cylinder head also benefits from integrated plenum that aids the engine in getting more air under heavy loads. The cylinder head isn't the only component to get a minor update, as the pistons have a larger diameter pin for improved oil flow. The same detailed improvements has been bestowed to the humble connecting rods (second in our hearts only to the inanimate carbon rod). The new design has the bolts oriented roughly 45-degrees to the rod instead of parallel. The angle split design, as it's called allows for easier passage through the cylinder.