2014 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 1lt on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Here’s how 20 popular EVs fared in cold-weather testing in Norway

Electric vehicles are known to suffer diminished performance in cold weather, but some do a better job than others hanging onto their range capacity while cabin heaters and frigid outdoor temperatures sap power from their batteries. Recently, the Norwegian Automobile Federation put the 20 of the best-selling battery-electric vehicles in the country to the test, to see not only how winter weather affected their range but also their charging times. The major findings: On average, electric vehicles lost 18.5% of their official driving range as determined by the European WLTP cycle. Electric vehicles also charge more slowly in cold temperatures. And interestingly, the researchers learned that EVs don’t simply shut down when they lose power but instead deliver a series of warnings to the driver, with driving comfort and speed levels maintained until the very last few miles. Because itÂ’s Norway, the worldÂ’s top market for electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles by market share, the test included many EVs that arenÂ’t available here in the U.S. But there are many familiar faces, among them the Nissan Leaf, Tesla Models S, 3 and X, Hyundai Kona (known here as the Kona Electric) and Ioniq, and Audi E-Tron. In terms of range, the top-performing EV was the Hyundai Kona, which lost only 9% of its official range, which the WTLP rated at 449 kilometers, or 279 miles, compared to its EPA-rated range of 258 miles on a full charge. It delivered 405 km, just enough to nudge it ahead of the Tesla Model 3, which returned 404 km. Other top performers included the Audi E-Tron, in both its 50 Quattro (13% lower range) and higher-powered 55 Quattro (14% lower) guises; the Hyundai Ioniq (10% lower); and Volkswagen e-Golf (11% lower). At 610 km (379 miles) the Tesla Model S has the longest WLTP range of all models tested and went the furthest, but still lost 23% of its range, though it also encountered energy-sapping heavy snow at the end of its test, when many cars had dropped out. The Model 3 lost 28% of its range. The worst performer? That goes to the Opel Ampera-e, better known stateside as the Chevrolet Bolt. It traveled 297 km (about 184 miles) in the test, which was nearly 30% lower than its stated WLTP range. We should also note that Opel, now owned by Groupe PSA, is phasing the car out in Europe and that Chevy recently upgraded the Bolt here in the U.S.

Now's the time to buy a cheap first-gen Chevy Volt

Would you fork over 18 grand and change for a new Chevrolet Volt extended-range plug-in vehicle? If so, there are some for the taking. Since the updated Volt is about ready to hit dealerships, current models have become a lot easier to afford. For some reason, it appears the best deals are in Iowa, recalling some sort of Field of Dreams-style whispering voice luring car shoppers to their first plug-in vehicle, according to EV Obsession. To wit, a couple of 2014 Volts with a sticker price in the $35,000 range are being offered for less than $26,000 in that Midwestern state. Factor in the $7,500 tax credit from the federal government, and the Volt can be had for less than the sticker price of a Toyota Prius C compact hybrid. Chevy started priming that particular pump earlier this year, though didn't appear to have a ton of success. This past spring, Chevrolet was offering some impressive lease deals on the Volt, with monthly payments dropping to less than $250. There's a reason buyers will want to wait for the second-generation Volt. The 2016 version will have a 53-mile all-electric range, up from the 38-mile range in the current version, along with 106 MPGe. Some will say that the style is improved as well, and the first-gen's touch-sensitive control panel was discarded for more buttons. Still, if you're more concerned about price than having the newest car on the lot, now's a good time to shop. And speaking of the current version, sales remain down substantially. Last month, Chevy moved 1,380 Volts, a 45-percent plunge from a year earlier. Through August, Volt sales were down 37 percent this year compared to 2014 numbers, to 8,315 units.

Toyota tops Kelley Blue Book's Resale Value Awards

Kelley Blue Book announced its annual Best Resale Value Award winners, and we weren't too surprised to see the list dominated by Japanese automakers - mainly Toyota and Honda. KBB hands out the awards based on the projected residual value of mostly all 2013 model year vehicles, and Toyota skated home with a number of awards including 10 of the 22 overall categories and having five of its products in the top 10 for models with best resale value. KBB's Best Resale Value Awards were announced in the same week as the ALG Residual Value Awards, and there were many similarities between both lists, especially when it came to Toyota.
To come up with its winners, KBB measures depreciation over the first five years of ownership, and looks for the cars it expects to hold its value the best after this time; on average, the report says the 2013 model year vehicles will lose 61.8 percent of its value in five years. Of the 22 categories, 15 slots were filled by Toyota, Honda and Nissan products, while the Camaro and Porsche (Cayenne and Panamera) each took home a pair of awards. If Toyota has anything to be upset about in this list of cars, it's that categories for Hybrid/Alternative Energy Car and Electric Vehicle went to the Ford Fusion and Chevrolet Volt, respectively.
The overall top 10 models for the best resale value in 2013 are, in alphabetical order: