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GM natural gas-powered vans recalled due to possible leak

General Motors is recalling almost 3,200 of its compressed-natural-gas powered utility vans because of possible leaks. GM and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) released a notice last week saying that 3,196 Chevrolet Express and GMC Savana CNG vans are on recall, though no accidents have been reported due to the possible issue. The recall is specifically for vans for model years ranging from 2011 to 2014. The recall stems from a potential leak from the compressed natural gas high-pressure regulator, and such a leak could cause a fire or explosion. GM will replace the vehicles' high-pressure regulator in order to fix the problem, will do it free of charge and is instructing owners to contact Chevrolet or GMC customer service to arrange for the parts replacement. Utility vehicle makers like General Motors have pushed for fleet sales of CNG-powered vans and trucks for the past few years and have touted them for their cheaper refueling costs relative to standard gasoline, not to mention the fact that natural gas can be readily sourced from throughout North America (thanks, fracking). According to CNGPrices.com, compressed natural gas sells for about $2.22 a gallon, on average, while the AAA is pegging the average price of gas at $3.34 a gallon. NHTSA has posted information on the recall here. Featured Gallery News Source: NHTSA via Reuters Green Chevrolet GM GMC Natural Gas Vehicles CNG gmc savana

2016 Chevrolet Malibu Hybrid Quick Spin [w/video]

If a Chevy Volt is like a hybrid that prefers its electric motor, then the new Malibu hybrid is like a Volt you never have to plug in. That's partly because you can't plug it in, but more because the Volt and the gas-electric Malibu share a lot of major components. Since we happen to like the newly refined Volt, that's good news for the larger family sedan. The shared parts include the blended braking system, A/C compressor, the auxiliary power module, and most of the hybrid transaxle (what you might call a fancy electro-transmission). In the Malibu, the electric motors use neodymium magnets for efficiency and power, while the Volt has weaker ferrite magnets to reduce drag, and the Volt also gets an extra clutch to lock out the engine. The two use different batteries, with their size, power capabilities, and chemistry suited to the task for each vehicle. Unlike most of the midsized sedan leaders, the Malibu has never had a full hybrid option. For a few years in the last generation, Chevy offered the Malibu Eco with a version of GM's eAssist mild-hybrid system, which featured a small motor-generator in place of an alternator hooked up to a bigger battery that could harvest energy during deceleration and add some back in when you hit the throttle; it also brought engine stop-start functionality to save a little more fuel. But it saved only a little fuel, so eAssist was nixed in favor of a more efficient four-cylinder with a standalone stop-start system. Driving Notes Mode switches between gas and electric are just as smooth as in the Volt. No shudder or weirdness in the throttle. It drives as much like a gas-only car as any midsized hybrid does. The blended braking system is also noticeably well sorted. There's no deadness in the pedal, no touchiness, and no artificial, wooden feeling when you step through the regen portion of its travel. There's nothing abrupt or jarring about any of the experience, and the Malibu's baked-in quietness helps to deal with noise from the somewhat coarse 1.8-liter gas engine. Engine startup and shutdown are noisy from outside, but much less noticeable from within. The 2016 Malibu is larger yet lighter. The hybrid weighs about 125 pounds more than a comparably equipped 1.5T. You don't notice the extra weight, but there is some space eaten out of the trunk by the battery.

Driving the Toyota Supra, Honda Passport and BMW 3 Series | Autoblog Podcast #582

In this week's Autoblog Podcast, Editor-in-Chief Greg Migliore is joined by Green Editor John Beltz Snyder and West Coast Editor James Riswick. First, they talk about the cars they've been driving, including the Honda Passport, BMW 330i and Audi RS5. They follow up with notes about driving the Toyota Supra and 86, and whether Toyota's new sports car strategy makes sense. Then they discuss the news, including the Ferrari SF90 Stradale plug-in hybrid, a possible Renault-FCA merger, death rumors for the Jaguar XJ and thoughts on the upcoming Chevy Trailblazer. Autoblog Podcast #582 Get The Podcast iTunes – Subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes RSS – Add the Autoblog Podcast feed to your RSS aggregator MP3 – Download the MP3 directly Rundown Cars we're driving: 2019 Honda Passport 2019 BMW 330i 2019 Audi RS5 Sportback Toyota Supra, 86 and the company's sports car strategy In the news: Ferrari SF90 Stradale FCA and Renault Jaguar XJ going away? Chevy Trailblazer Feedback Email – Podcast@Autoblog.com Review the show on iTunes Related Video: