Classic 1959 Chevrolet Dump Truck on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Recharge Wrap-up: Tesla's Europe plans, Chevy Bolt details

Hybrid Cars takes a close look at the battery cooling system and gearbox in the 2017 Chevrolet Bolt. While information is still limited, we can make educated guesses about the car's inner workings. The Bolt's liquid battery cooling system appears simpler than that of the Chevy Volt, eschewing active inter cell cooling plates for what appear to be bottom cooling plates. The Bolt has a coaxial gearbox, with the electric motor and the drive shaft on the same axis. It uses a simpler parallel-helical gear set rather than the planetary reduction set used in the Chevy Spark EV. These simplifications have the benefit of helping lower the cost of the Bolt. Read more at Hybrid Cars. Tesla is planning to expand its Supercharger network in Europe in 2016. While a handful of countries in western and central Europe have an established Supercharger network, many European countries still have no Tesla presence. That should change this year, as a map of planned locations includes Spain and Portugal, Ireland, Scandinavian and Italian expansions, and the first Superchargers in many eastern European nations, including Poland, the Balkans, Russia, Ukraine, Romania and even Moldova. By the end of the year, you should be able to take that electric road trip from Lisbon to Moscow you never knew you were planning. Read more at Teslarati. National Biodiesel Board CEO Joe Jobe sat down for an interview with the Tampa Bay Times. In the interview, Jobe discusses biodiesel's environmental impact and relationship with the fuel market. He talks about its production, and its differences from the other major biofuel, ethanol. Jobe says the biggest challenge is dealing with the petroleum industry, which biodiesel needs to work with despite their differences. "It's a threat when you have the largest, wealthiest most powerful industry in human history making it a top priority to eliminate policy that is aimed at helping incentivize renewable energy," says Jobe. Read more from the Tampa Bay Times. Related Gallery 2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV: Detroit 2016 View 10 Photos News Source: Hybrid Cars, Teslarati, Tesla Motors, Tampa Bay Times Green Chevrolet Tesla Alternative Fuels Biodiesel Electric recharge wrapup

15 vehicles most likely to surpass 200,000 miles

Americans drive a lot. Collectively, we put, on average, more than 13,000 miles on our cars each year according to the U.S. Department of Transportation. Because of this, a vehicle's ability to travel long distances without major problems is a huge consideration when it comes time to purchase a new one. It's also worth remembering that keeping an older car on the road instead of trashing it and buying new can be considered an eco-friendly decision. After all, it takes a lot of resources to build a car. iSeeCars.com, a website that aggregates used car listings from all around the country, recently ran through the numbers on millions of vehicles that are currently on the road to determine which last the longest. Alternatively, you could choose to look at this list as vehicles likely to be driven by owners who travel long distances. Either way, we've laid out the top 15 vehicles most likely to hit or even surpass the 200,000-mile mark. It's important to note that while these are the vehicles that have stood the test of time up until today, we can't guarantee future results if you decide to opt for one of these from a current model year. That said, unless we specifically say so in the text below, we've used pictures of current models for illustrative purposes. Now, with all of that out of the way, scroll on down for the top 15 vehicles most likely to crest 200,000 miles. 15: Toyota Sienna 14: Honda Odyssey The 15th spot and 14th spot on the list of the top 15 vehicles most likely to surpass 200,000 miles are both minivans. Spoiler alert: They will be the only two minivans on the list. According to iSeeCars, 3.2% of both of these family haulers crest the 200,000-mile mark, making them the best bets for families looking to put a ton of miles on their machines. 13: Honda Ridgeline 12: GMC Yukon The next spot on the list is occupied by the Honda Ridgeline pickup truck with 3.7% lasting past 200,000 miles. Unlike any of the other midsize trucks it competes with, the Ridgeline is based on a unibody chassis. Opting for this more car-like structure — as opposed to a traditional body-on-frame layout — allows Honda's hauler to ride and drive more like a car. Up next is the GMC Yukon, also with 3.7% past the 200K mark, and the first, but very much not the last, big traditional SUV you'll see on the list. In fact, get ready to see a whole bunch of 'em, including several from GMC parent General Motors.

2014 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray Convertible gives us a couple of looks

Put away your pixel paintbrushes, kids. Pack up your Photoshop. This is the real-deal 2014 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray Convertible in its first official images. The droptop Chevrolet will roll into the bright lights of the Palexpo exhibition at next week's Geneva Motor Show, a four-wheeled statement of intent that General Motors is serious about taking its Corvette franchise global.
Chevy isn't providing anything in the way of further details with these two shots, but we've learned at least a couple of things about the car shown here. First off, the example seen in these images is fitted with the optional Z51 Performance Package - something that isn't immediately evident because there's no sign of the coupe model's prominent ductwork on its rear haunches. In order to accommodate the power folding hard tonneau cover, the vents that feed the transmission and differential coolers have been relocated to the underside of the car. The dark paint color on this example also does a good job of muting the contrasting black front fender vents and hood opening - Z51-spec design details that have proven to be somewhat controversial.
One other thing to note: These two shots also display the Stingray wearing different alloy wheels than the split five-spoke design shown at the hardtop's Detroit Auto Show unveiling in January. The simpler, thin five-spoke wheels should do a good job of showing off the Z51's upgraded brakes, and they'll be optional on the coupe as well.