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Recharge Wrap-up: Chevy Volt CarPlay video, Tesla Supercharger importance

A video demonstrates Apple CarPlay on the touch display in the next-generation Chevrolet Volt. The Volt's eight-inch (bigger than an iPad Mini) capacitive display is capable of putting Siri and your iPhone apps and right at your fingertips. It's "the best CarPlay display I've seen," says the user in the video. In case you're not in the market for a new Volt, 9to5Mac offers some of its favorite aftermarket CarPlay screens. See the video above, and read more at 9to5Mac. A single Supercharger can make a big difference in the life of a Tesla owner. Teslarati's Electric Jen talks about purchasing a Model S, being assured by both Tesla employees and the map of planned Supercharger sites that one would be built along an important route for her. With the construction being pushed back, it made visiting family tricky. "As if owning such a grand car isn't embarrassing enough, asking for a ride to drop off and pick up said car because you can't make it home without charging really made me feel awkward," she says. "You see, one single charging location can mean the world to some people," Jen adds. Read the whole article at Teslarati. Tesla once had considered creating mobile range extender trailers for the Model S. Elon Musk touched upon the abandoned idea during his visit to Paris. While Tesla ultimately dismissed the concept, Nomadic Power has taken the opportunity to hitch their product onto the Tesla brand. "We are delighted, that Tesla Motors' CEO Elon Musk is thinking about a concept like ours for even more extending the range of the Tesla models," says Nomadic Power's CEO Manfred Baumgaertner. He adds, "This confirms our approach to build a long distance mobility provider for all electric vehicles on the market." If you say so, Baumgaertner. Read more from International Business Times, and in the press release below. Renault is giving its EV batteries a second life through Connected Energy's E-STOR. When the batteries have degraded to the point that they're no longer suitable for use on the road, they still have a significant capacity that can be used for other purposes. Still useful for stationary storage, they can be used to support charging sites in order to allow for faster charging. The stationary batteries can charge slowly at the site, but then offer up the juice in a hurry when it's needed for a vehicle. Read more from Renault.

1970 Chevy Camaro gets 650-hp crate engine for SEMA

The latest edition of the Chevrolet Performance catalog arrives at the 2015 SEMA Show, and to demonstrate the insane creations that are possible with it, the company has a seriously powerful machine in tow. This custom 1970 Camaro RS boasts the new LT4 crate engine that makes a staggering 650 horsepower and 650 pound-feet of torque. The offering gives hot rod builders the ability to put the Corvette Z06's 6.2-liter supercharged V8 into any project where they can make the mill fit. This Hyper Blue Metallic Camaro should offer neck-snapping performance with its massively powerful engine and a T-56 Super Magnum six-speed manual gearbox. Chevy's show car is about more than just packing copious horsepower into a classic shape, though. The builders also overhaul the suspension with coilovers at the front and rear, in addition to a four-link setup at the back. Behind the 19-inch aluminum wheels, the coupe has Z06-based brakes at both ends. For better visibility, it wears LED headlights and taillights. Plus, the interior gets custom gauges and a six-point roll cage. With pieces like titanium intake valves and forged aluminum pistons, the LT4 crate engine comes ready to offer serious performance, but Chevy also gives builders a few options to fit their application. The mill is available with either wet- or dry-sump lubrication. Depending on the version, there are kits to fit front-end accessories, air conditioning, and power steering, as well. The new Chevy Performance catalog features other high-performance components like Z06-based parts for the standard Stingray and an array of performance upgrades for the 2016 Camaro, including suspension lowering kits, brake upgrades, and more. We look forward to seeing this vast collection of goodies at SEMA this year. Related Video: Classic 1970 Camaro Shows Supercharged LT4 Heart Contemporized muscle car highlights new Corvette Z06-based crate engine LAS VEGAS – Chevrolet Performance is showing off the new LT4 crate engine in the most attractive way possible – under the hood of a classic 1970 Camaro RS. The concept vehicle was introduced today at the SEMA Show, in Las Vegas. As the supercharged 6.2L heart of the Corvette Z06, the LT4 is rated at 650 horsepower and 650 lb-ft of torque, making it the most powerful production-vehicle engine ever from General Motors. The new crate engine – offered in dry-sump and wet-sump versions – allows builders to use the high-tech performance engine in their hot rod projects.

With only 246 Volts sold in Australia, Holden not getting next-gen model

The Chevrolet Volt has not been the resounding success General Motors hoped for here in the United States. But it's fortunes in Chevy's home country are nothing compared to how poorly it's done down under. Only 246 Volts have been sold in Australia, where the car is branded as a Holden, since its debut in 2012. That's not just a bad showing – it's an absolute disaster. According to Motoring.com.au, it was the Volt's astonishing $60,000 price tag, combined with a lack of interest from Aussie drivers, that killed the car's chances. What's fascinating about this development, though, is that it doesn't necessarily seem to be Holden that's pulling the plug. Instead, it's the Volt's Hamtramck, MI factory, which is preparing to shift into production of the second-generation model that seems to be taking the blame. According to Motoring, the plant confirmed that it will only build the Gen 2 plug-in in left-hand-drive form, basically ruling out a model for Australia. "Electric and hybrid vehicles haven't taken off in Australia," Holden's director of communications, Sean Poppitt, told Motoring. "Considering the lack of infrastructure, the lack of government incentives, the large distances between cities, it's a tough sell." The death of the right-hand drive Volt won't be the only loss of business in Hamtramck. Opel has already confirmed that it will drop the plug-in's European fraternal twin, the Ampera, while the next-gen Chevy won't make the trip across the pond either. Related Video: