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The real costs of keeping a Chevy Volt on the road

The release of the new, 2016 Chevy Volt is sure to bring a surge of used electric vehicles to the market as early adopters trade their older models in. Many of these cars are selling for a fraction of their original price, thanks in part to federal and state incentives that lowered the initial cost to the first owner, which opens these cars up to a whole new class of consumers. While the prices are getting attractive, potential buyers are still hesitant to buy a used EV due to uncertainty about service and repair costs, but there may be some good news on the horizon. The Chevy Volt comes with a battery warranty that is good for at least 8 years and 100,000 miles, but many of the Volts popping up on the market have passed that 100,000-mile mark. The threat of needing a new battery can be a deterrent, especially with some dealers quoting prices as high as $34,000 for a full "drive motor battery replacement." That sum is more than the MSRP of a 2016 model. Some of the fear of EV maintenance and repair comes from the mystery of the individual pieces that make up the drivetrain and charging system. If we take a look at the Volt in terms of analogs to a traditional internal-combustion vehicle, the outlook becomes a little more friendly. The Volt battery pack consists of three lithium-ion modules in a T-shaped arrangement, each of which can be serviced individually. Module 1 is made up of 90 cells and corresponds to GM part number 22954462, which retails for $3,258.33; module 2 is made up of 72 cells and corresponds to GM part number 22954463, which retails for $2,930.00; lastly, module 3 is made up of 125 cells and corresponds to GM part number 22954464, and retails for $4,933.33. These part numbers have been added to the dealer order systems but have not shown up in the distribution centers at this time. Although all three of the modules add up to a fairly large $11,121.66 total and are still on hold for dealer ordering, the good news is that in most cases these battery cell modules do not need to be replaced. There are many other individual pieces mounted on the battery pack that are serviceable, such as the Battery Energy Control Modules (BECM) and the Battery Interface Control Modules (BICM). These modules control and monitor the battery packs and charging system and have been known to fail while the lithium-ion battery cells are not at fault. Some have been replaced under warranty, but if you are stuck buying one they run about $255 a piece for the part.

Diesel-powered 2020 Chevrolet Silverado, GMC Sierra get big price cuts

General Motors is reducing the price difference between its diesel-powered light-duty pickups and their gasoline-burning counterparts, according to a recent report. As of September 3, 2020, the Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and the GMC Sierra 1500 benefit from a $1,500 price cut when they're ordered with a turbodiesel under the hood. Enthusiast website GM Authority first reported the news after looking at internal documents sent to dealers across the nation. It wrote the discount applies to in-stock and in-transit units of the Silverado and the Sierra (pictured), and it added dealers will begin receiving amended window stickers on September 8. And, it's not just a quick, easy way for General Motors stores to clear out 2020 inventory. Incoming 2021 models will benefit from it, too. Chevrolet's cheapest diesel-slurping 2020 Silverado, a double-cab LT with two-wheel drive, now starts at $44,000 once a mandatory $1,595 destination charge enters the equation. For context, the same configuration costs $38,795 including destination when it's ordered with the 2.7-liter turbocharged four-cylinder, which is the smallest and cheapest engine on the roster. Selecting the more efficient engine option costs buyers $5,205. At the other end of the spectrum, the crew-cab High Country with a standard cargo box and four-wheel drive is now priced at $59,690. Walk a block to the GMC store, and you'll need to spend between $44,470 (double-cab SLE with two-wheel drive) and $61,685 (crew-cab Denali with a regular cargo box and four-wheel drive) for a diesel-powered Sierra. It doesn't sound like either company is making major mechanical changes to the trucks for 2021. Both are powered by a 3.0-liter straight-six Duramax engine, which makes 277 horsepower and 460 pound-feet of torque. Rear-wheel drive and a 10-speed automatic transmission come standard, and four-wheel drive is offered at an extra cost. In its most efficient configuration, the Silverado returns 23 mpg in the city, 33 mpg on the highway, and 27 mpg in a mixed cycle, impressive numbers for a body-on-frmae pickup that's as heavy as it is capable. Ram's diesel-powered 1500 posts EPA estimates of 22, 32, and 26, respectively. Ford pledged the recently-unveiled 14th-generation F-150 will offer a turbodiesel engine, too, but its fuel economy figures are not available yet.

Autoblog fan favorite car ads from Super Bowl XLIX

Super Bowl XLIX is in the books, and the New England Patriots emerged victorious. Of course, if you're like us, the big game wasn't so much about the battle between the east coast and west, so much as a fight between the world's automotive advertisers. We collected and collated all of last night's new ads and put them together for you to vote on. And yes, we're limiting this year's contest to last night's new features. That's why you aren't seeing Dodge's epic Wisdom among our collection of commercials, and it's a similar story with Chevrolet's Truck Guy Focus Group series, which highlights the new Colorado. You can still vote for your favorites. We won't be closing the voting on our Super Bowl page, so while the winners and losers are correct as of this writing, it's entirely possible that there could be some changes in the rankings as time goes on. So, without any further ado, here are the winning ads based on your voting. Nissan: With Dad Fiat: Ready For Action Jeep: Beautiful Lands BMW: Newfangled Idea Mercedes-Benz: Fable NASCAR: America Start Your Engines As for those ads that failed to impact you, loyal readers, Toyota was the absolute, undisputed loser. The Japanese brand ran four ads in total – two for Toyota and two for Lexus – and all of them have negative tallies as of this writing. Lexus' Make Some Noise and Lets Play and Toyota's One Bold Choice and My Bold Dad both had very weak showings among the commercials that aired, although they weren't alone. Neither Mazda nor Kia scored particularly well, despite featuring celebrity magic act Penn and Teller and former James Bond, Pierce Brosnan, respectively. Chevrolet was the winner of the losers, as of our writing, recording the fewest downvotes for its audience-punking The Big Game ad. If you want to take a second look at the losing ads, you can head back to our Super Bowl page for the complete collection. But for now, head into Comments and let us know what you think of the results.