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GM phasing out light-duty 1500-series vans

In the market for a fullsize van but don't need a heavy-duty model? You're in the minority, and you're also out of luck. That's because there are barely any more fullsize vans on the market with gross vehicle weight rating of less than 8,500 pounds, the threshold that separates light- and heavy-duty vans.
According to PickupTrucks.com, neither the Ford E-Series, Ram ProMaster, nor Mercedes-Benz Sprinter are available in light-duty versions. Few of the Ford Transit configurations are, either, and now General Motors is discontinuing production of the 1500-series Chevy Express and GMC Savana.
Apparently light-duty versions accounted for just 23 percent of Express sales and only 7 percent of Savanas. Add to that the fact that these 1500 versions were the only ones using the old generation of engines and suspension, and that the Wentzville plant near St. Louis, Missouri, is trying to make room for the next Chevy Colorado and GMC Canyon pickups, and the fate of the light-duty GM van was sealed.

Buyers ditching expensive European sedans to buy expensive American trucks

The New York Times ended the automotive week with a story that adds numbers and context to a range of other stories, from the crossover craze to the increasing median price of a new car to ever more grandiose pickup trucks. The NYT piece reveals that the shift to larger vehicles isn't merely about the average U.S. buyer swapping the midsize sedan for a Ford Edge. Luxury buyers are migrating from plush sedans to plush SUVs and trucks that creep close to six-figure prices, and the Detroit Three are running Treasury presses because of it. From 2013 to 2017, the truck category — everything from pickups to minivans — climbed from 30 percent of the market to 41 percent. In January of this year, trucks claimed 66 percent of new vehicle sales. At the milk-and-honey end of profits, GMC alone accounted for 11.3 percent of all vehicle sales over $60,000, not just trucks. That puts the luxury truck maker behind Mercedes-Benz and Ford, The Blue Oval's feasting on Lariat, King Ranch and Raptor versions of the F-150, which make up more than half of that pickup's sales, putting it ahead of Chevrolet, Porsche and Lexus on the high-dollar sales list. The average transaction price of a GMC in Denali trim last year was $56,000; it's easy to see why, when one dealer told the NYT he just swapped a 2012 BMW 550i for a $71,000 GMC Sierra Denali. That truck starts at $52,900. The NYT started its story with a buyer who took home a Ford Raptor instead of an Audi A6, and optioned that $50,020 Ford Raptor close to $80,000. Over at Lincoln, the new $72,055 Navigator — the one so popular that Ford will increase production — crossed hands for an average sale price of $77,000 in January. And a Jeep dealer told the NYT that the two $93,000 Trackhawks he had on his lot "won't be here more than a few weeks." While trucks head up in sales volume and price, cars are headed so viciously in the opposite direction that "the Detroit Three and even some foreign manufacturers acknowledge they are now losing money on many of the cars they sell." So ... get ready for a lot more crossovers and trucks. Related Video: Find out what vehicle is right for you. Give our Car Finder tool a try.

Recon Power Bikes partners with GMC on AWD Hummer eBike

Want the ultimate two-wheeled companion to your new GMC Hummer EV, or maybe you just want something electric and all-wheel drive without the Hummer's price tag? Recon Power Bikes has you covered with its new Hummer EV e-bike. Not convinced? Well, hear the specs before you bail. You might be surprised.  Recon's new offering is marketed as "all-wheel drive," which our resident two-wheeled expert and consumer guru Jeremy Korzeniewski tells us is quickly becoming conventional nomenclature for dual-motor electric bicycles. Hey, if you've got two wheels and both have motors, it's technically correct, even if it sounds a bit silly to those of us who prefer the comforts of a cage and four wheels on pavement.  Each of the two motors produces 750 watts, which combines for just a little over 2 (two!) horsepower, but remember, this is a bicycle, not a sport bike. And flipping the coin, that lone pony is accompanied by more than 118 pound-feet (or roughly a 1.8-liter Miata's worth) of torque. Recon says its top speed is north of 28 mph, which is plenty quick for something that you might see strapped to the same hitching post as a 30-year-old Huffy. The base battery offers 17.5 aH of capacity; an upgrade bumps that to 21. Recon says the total range should fall between 40 and 50 miles. The package is rounded out by an adjustable front suspension, four-piston hydraulic brakes, puncture-resistant 4-inch all-terrain tires with molded-in liners and Shimano gearing.  Recon says the Hummer e-bike offers "on-demand" AWD (rear by default; both when called upon) and even offers three fixed drive modes — "Cruise" (rear wheel drive, for maximum range and efficiency), "Traction" (front wheel drive, for navigating with low grip) and "Adrenaline" (for "off road all wheel drive dominance of the toughest, steepest terrain"). "Adrenaline" mode even offers real-time torque vectoring, just like a real Hummer EV. The two vehicles are basically the same, only the bike weighs just 96 pounds, not more than 9,000.  Look for the Recon Power Bikes GMC Hummer e-bike to hit the market in early December with a starting price of $3,999. That may sound steep, but keep in mind that QuietKat's Jeep eBike costs nearly double that.  Related video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Featured Gallery Recon Power Bikes GMC Hummer eBike Green GMC Green Culture Bikes Electric