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Watch this time-lapse build of the Chevy SS for NASCAR

There's only about a week left until we get our first look at the production version of the 2014 Chevrolet SS sedan, but Chevrolet NASCAR teams have been looking at the race version of the car all winter. Autoweek has posted a really neat time-lapse video showing just a portion of what it takes to build one of NASCAR's new Gen6 stock cars.
Though the video is quite brief, it does show almost the entire build process starting with just the car's nose, and it gives us a good look at how integral the template is to the final product. As a bonus, Hendrick Motorsports also provided some videos showing two of its teams performing pit stop tests over the winter. The second video shows some of the more detailed aspects of the racecar's rear end, including the stock-looking trunk cutout and a newly mandated rear bumper extension that will be used on super speedways like Daytona and Talladega.
To see what Team Chevy has been up to all off-season, check out all three videos posted after the jump.

7 major automakers to build open EV charging network

A new joint venture established by BMW, GM, Honda, Hyundai, Kia, Mercedes-Benz and Stellantis will build a new North American electric vehicle charging network on a scale designed to compete with Tesla's industry-benchmark Supercharger network. The 30,000-plus planned new chargers will accommodate both Tesla's almost-standard North American Charging System (NACS) and existing automakers' Combined Charging System (CCS) options, effectively guaranteeing compatibility with the vast majority of current and upcoming electric models — whether they're from one of the involved automakers or not.  "With the generational investments in public charging being implemented on the Federal and State level, the joint venture will leverage public and private funds to accelerate the installation of high-powered charging for customers. The new charging stations will be accessible to all battery-powered electric vehicles from any automaker using Combined Charging System (CCS) or North American Charging Standard (NACS) and are expected to meet or exceed the spirit and requirements of the U.S. National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) program." Critically, the automakers involved will have a say in how the charging tech is implemented, guaranteeing that the hardware will play nicely with each automaker's in-house charging systems. Hyundai and Kia, for example, were hesitant to jump on board the Tesla NACS bandwagon earlier this year over concerns that the Supercharger network is insufficient for powering the two automakers' 800-volt charging systems; similar tech is used by Volkswagen and Porsche.  In addition to providing much-needed capacity and high-output charging for America's growing fleet of electric cars and trucks, the new network will integrate seamlessly with each automaker's in-app and in-vehicle features, rather than forcing customers to use third-party tools and payment systems, as is the case with some existing public charging infrastructure.  "The functions and services of the network will allow for seamless integration with participating automakersÂ’ in-vehicle and in-app experiences, including reservations, intelligent route planning and navigation, payment applications, transparent energy management and more. In addition, the network will leverage Plug & Charge technology to further enhance the customer experience," the announcement said.

Recharge Wrap-up: Phoenix Cars delivers ZEUS to Navy, Volt saves gas compared to i-MiEV

Phoenix Cars has delivered its first Zero Emissions Utility Shuttle (ZEUS) flatbed truck to the US Navy. The electric flatbed will be used to transport maintenance materials around Naval Base Ventura County Port Hueneme. The Phoenix ZEUS features a 100-mile range, and can charge in just three hours. It also features vehicle-to-grid technology and direct power capability, allowing it to function as a mobile power station. ZEUS customers enjoy an eight-year/300,000-mile battery warranty and round-the-clock technical support from Phoenix. Phoenix launched an electric passenger shuttle last year, and years ago worked on an electric sport utility truck before shifting over to larger vehicles. Read more in the press release from Phoenix Cars. A man found that he used less gas by trading in his Mitsubishi i-MiEV for a Chevrolet Volt. Ben Rich saved fuel in part by using his Volt for road trips rather than needing to rent cars. Rich also found other benefits to driving a Volt, including more comfort, more freedom of movement and less range anxiety. Rich often had to turn off the heat in the winter to eke out precious miles in the Mitsubishi, which he needn't do in the Chevy, though he did have a gripe about the Volt using the gas motor to warm the car. Read more at Green Car Reports. EV drivers using the ChargePoint network have traveled over 196 million miles without gasoline. ChargePoint has tallied over 9 million charging sessions for a total of 65 gigawatt hours of energy. Based on national efficiency averages of three miles per kWh and 23.9 miles per gallon, this has saved 8.2 million gallons of gasoline and 60 million pounds of CO2. This accounts for what ChargePoint calls a "huge environmental impact." Read more in the release from ChargePoint below. The Environmental Impact of ChargePoint Drivers Campbell, Calif.– We all know electric vehicles (EV) have enormous environmental advantages over gas vehicles. Plug-in EVs reduce carbon-based greenhouse gases, improve air quality and reduce our dependence on fossil fuels. EV drivers on the ChargePoint network have had a huge environmental impact. With over 9 million charging sessions delivering 65 gigawatt hours of energy, EV drivers have avoided over 60 million pounds of CO2 and 8.2 million gallons of gasoline, and driven over 196 million gas-free miles. *Based on national averages: EV efficiency of 3 miles per kWh, gas efficiency of 23.9 mpg and a net savings of 0.924 pounds of CO2 per kWh.