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GM executive chief EV engineer says reducing cost of plug-in vehicles is 'huge priority'

As we know, another major automaker investing heavily in electrified vehicles is General Motors, and it's doing things much differently than rivals BMW, Ford or Nissan. The Chevrolet Volt extended-range EV is a modest seller at its $35,000 sticker price but a huge hit with owners. The Chevy Spark BEV, still in limited availability, puts smiley faces on its owners and drivers. The just-introduced Cadillac ELR, a sharp-looking, fun-driving $76,000 luxocoupe take on the Volt's EREV mechanicals, has admittedly low sales expectations. With this interesting trio in showrooms and much more in the works, the third vehicle electrification leader I collared for an interview at Detroit's North American International Auto Show (see #1 and #2) was Pam Fletcher, GM's executive chief engineer, Electrified Vehicles. ABG: Why do your EREVs need four-cylinder power to extend their range when BMW's i3 makes do with an optional 650 cc two-banger? "We designed [the Volt and the ELR] to go anywhere, any time" - Pam Fletcher PF: I get that question all the time: why not something smaller? You don't really need that much. You use the electric to its ability, then you just need to limp. But we designed those cars to go anywhere, any time, and we don't want their performance to be compromised. If you're driving through the mountains, we don't want you to be crawling up grades, or to be limited on any terrain. So it's optimized to be able to travel literally the biggest grades and mountain roads around the globe at posted speeds. Because what if you can't? Another good reason: when the engine is on, you have to run it wide open throttle, max speed, most of the time. And while we can do a lot with acoustics, and the ELR has active noise cancelation, a small-displacement, low cylinder-count engine at high speed, high load all the time isn't something you want to live with. That's how we came up with the balance we did among the key factors of performance, NVH [noise, vibration and harshness] and range. ABG: Where you go from here? Is the range-extender engine due for an update? PF: We know and love the current Volt, and there is still a lot of acclaim about it, so we think it's a good recipe. But we are heavily in the midst of engineering the next-generation car, which I think everyone will love and be excited about.

Sunday Drive: From a mid-engine 'Vette to a restomod RV

Automotive enthusiasts are a diverse bunch. As proof, we present last week's top posts on Autoblog, starting with some really good spy photos of the upcoming mid-engine Chevrolet Corvette. Will it be sold alongside a classic front-engine 'Vette? We have no idea, but we can't wait to find out. Up next is a pickup truck. Can't get much further from a supercar, right? At least both the Corvette and the 2019 Ram 1500 – which will debut a radical new design that appears to eschew the mini big-rig look of past Rams in favor of something more refined – are both American. Decidedly not American? The Mercedes-Benz G-Class SUV. The boxy off-road 'ute looks a heck of a lot like the old one, which is probably a good thing, but we know it'll be fancier and more luxurious than ever before. Check out the leaked images below. Also hailing from Germany, but sharing absolutely nothing else in common at all, is the Audi A4 Allroad. We've been driving this all-wheel-drive wagon for a while now, and we like it quite a bit. And, last but not least, is a 1959 bus that's been converted into an RV. Like we said, y'all certainly are a diverse bunch. Mid-engine Corvette — our clearest pictures yet 2019 Ram 1500 shows its full face 2019 Mercedes-Benz G-Class revealed in leaked photos 2018 Audi A4 Allroad Drivers' Notes Review | Wagons still rule This Mercedes O 319 restomod camper van shames your VW Microbus Audi Chevrolet Mercedes-Benz RAM Truck Coupe Minivan/Van SUV Future Vehicles Luxury Off-Road Vehicles Special and Limited Editions Performance Supercars mid-engine corvette recap sunday drive

Chevy Malibu rolls over 10 million on the odo

On the cusp on the introduction of the latest model, the Chevrolet Malibu is celebrating a major milestone with 10 million of them now on the road since the car's introduction 51 years ago. While not quite enough to rank among the best-selling vehicles of all time, the feat is impressive considering the name took over a decade off from the Chevy lineup in the '80s and '90s. The Malibu started life in 1964 as the top trim on Chevy's new, midsize model, which also included the 300 and Chevelle. Offered in a plethora of body styles, including a wagon and convertible, the Bowtie brand moved over 370,000 of them in the first year. By 1969, sales reached more than 503,000. However, the market for rear-wheel drive sedans eventually softened in the US, and the Malibu name was dropped in 1983. The moniker returned in front-wheel-drive form in 1997 and has been a part of the lineup again ever since. These days, the Malibu is obviously only available as a four-door, but the model is more efficient than ever. The larger, lighter 2016 example can get up to 37 miles per gallon highway with its 1.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder or 47 mpg combined when the hybrid goes on sale next year. You can get a great look at the Malibu's changes from the original until now in the gallery above. Related Video: MALIBU MILESTONE: 10 MILLION CUSTOMERS SERVED 31/08/15 Venerable sedan's 51-year legacy strongest in U.S., China and Korea DETROIT – Fifty-one years after it was introduced as Chevrolet's first midsize car, production of the venerable Malibu sedan has crossed the 10-million mark. Chevrolet celebrated the sales achievement today for the global sedan in the United States, China and Korea, which collectively account for more than 90 percent of sales. The Malibu is sold in more than 25 markets around the world. "The Chevy Malibu joins an exclusive club of vehicles that have achieved this extraordinary milestone and we acknowledge it today by honoring the common thread linking every one produced: The customer," said Alan Batey, president, global Chevrolet. "Some people are buying their very first Malibu today and others may have driven a Malibu from a different generation as their first car. It is a car that has resonated with customers for more than half a century." Chevrolet's interaction with customers has evolved since the Malibu was introduced in 1964. Back then, an owner's manual and a personal relationship with the dealer defined conventional customer service.