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Rumor: 2016 Chevy Volt gets 53 miles EV range, 40% increase

While we're still waiting for the official word from GM, news is creeping around the Internet that the 2016 Chevy Volt will get a big boost in all-electric range and gas-burning efficiency. According to new rumors out today, the second-gen Volt will be able to go 53 miles on a full charge, have 106 MPGe and be able to get 42 miles per gallon on the official EPA numbers. Compared to the outgoing first-gen Volt (38 miles EV range, 98 MPGe, and 37 mpg) these are all impressive increases. The all-electric range boost of almost 40 percent is the biggest surprise, though. We knew the new Volt would get better numbers than the first-gen model, but when GM debuted the car in Detroit earlier this year, it said it suspected the Volt would get a 50-mile range, 41 mpg and 102 MPGe. We'll be keeping an eye out for official confirmation of all these new numbers. Volt drivers are already making most of their driving miles electric. The number sits at about 80 percent currently, and GM has said it expects this to climb to 90 percent in the new model. GM said in May that the 2016 Volt will start at $33,995, a bit lower than the current Volt's MSRP of $34,170 before any tax breaks. So, for less money you'll be getting much better fuel economy. What's not to like about that? Preorders are already open for interested buyers in some parts of the country. Related Video: Featured Gallery 2016 Chevy Volt View 16 Photos News Source: GM Authority, Autoguide Green Chevrolet Fuel Efficiency mpg ev range

Recharge Wrap-up: U of M wins Solar Challenge, family attempts record-breaking e-bike ride

The University of Michigan Solar Car Team has won the 2014 American Solar Challenge. It is the team's eighth national championship, its fifth in a row, and its first using Siemens' product lifecycle management (PLM) software. The race took place over 1,722 miles and seven days traveling across eight states. The team's car, called "Quantum," outpaced the nearest competitor by four hours. Looking forward, Michigan Solar Car Project Manager Pavan Naik says, "The switch to Siemens tools will give us the ability to model and simulate everything and truly allow us to optimize the performance of our new vehicle. As we start on our quest to win the World Solar Challenge in 2015, we'll be leveraging a full complement of PLM solutions." Read more in the press release below. The EcoCar3 competition, in which teams will convert Chevrolet Camaros into hybrid electric cars, begins in September. The various college teams will have four years to lessen the car's environmental impact as much as possible while maintaining performance and, of course, that cool Camaro design. EcoCar3, which is put on by the US Department of Energy and General Motors, kicks off with a workshop in Novi, Michigan from September 16 - 18. Read more at the DOE website at the dedicated EcoCar3 site or watch the announcement video at our previous post. Zap and Jonway Auto are shifting to a high rate of EV production. Zap already has two lines creating the Urbee EV to met demand, and is switching over a third to make electric minivans and SUVs. The company aims to produce 30,000 EVs by 2015 for the Chinese market. Zap says it has a backlog of 25,000 Urbee orders. Read more in the press release below. A family of four hopes to make a world record-breaking, 6,000-mile electric bike journey this fall. The family, which recently drove from Argentina to Montana in a pickup with a camper, will ride from Montana to Maine, then down the East Coast to Florida in an attempt to break the record for longest electric bicycle ride. They'll use two bikes. The Father, Thomas, will ride one of the bikes carrying one of the children, while the rest of the family rides in a support vehicle, with the mother, Dylan, riding the second bike when they can find others to drive. They have started a crowdfunding campaign for some of the equipment needed to document the trip. See the video below or read more at Treehugger.

Leveling kit now available for Chevy Colorado, but not yet for GMC Canyon

In various bits of news this year concerning the Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon pickups, we kept hearing about a front leveling kit. GM Authority found a few details in early order guides in January. In February, the kit came up in relation to the Canyon's AT4 Off-Road Performance Package, and again with AEV's upgraded Colorado Bison. After three months of waiting, GMA has more info. The kit eliminates the trucks' raked stance by raising the front by one inch, using an electro-coated upper spacer and a polyurethane lower spacer in order to maintain the proper suspension geometry. Installation is a bolt-on job with low-profile nuts, but the task will require a spring compressor. Fitted properly, the kit doesn't void GM's new vehicle warranty on the Colorado. Why do we only mention the Colorado? Because for some reason, the kit isn't available for the Canyon yet as a standalone component; the GMC stays raked without one of the aforementioned option packages. For Chevy, the leveling kit is compatible with any trim in four-wheel drive except the ZR2. It cannot be installed on two-wheel-drive trucks, nor any truck wearing wheels that are 20 inches or above. The kit is available now, ordered through any Chevy dealer for $150. There is a treat in store for GMC buyers, though, but it requires spending a lot more money. GM Authority discovered that the 2021 Yukon will offer the brand's first illuminated emblem. Priced at $475 as a dealer-installed option, a backlit glow will show off the GMC logo in the grille. The brand makes the logo in red and black, it's thought the red logo will get the nod, at least at first. Only the front logo earns the spotlight, not the one on the tailgate. GMA says the tchotchke will be available on all four trims when the new full-size crossover goes on sale in a few months.