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Next-gen Chevy Silverado and GMC Sierra may use carbon fiber

It's been generally accepted that the next generation of full-size GM trucks will use some sort of strong, lightweight material for the beds while retaining steel for the cab. While aluminum seems like the most obvious choice, according to Automotive News, the Chevy Silverado and GMC Sierra will incorporate both aluminum and carbon fiber in their beds. The publication cites sources from within GM, though it seems the introduction of this comparatively exotic material mix is still a few years off. While carbon fiber is both stronger and lighter than steel and aluminum, it takes significantly more time and money to produce, essentially relegating the material to small-volume cars. The main benefit for trucks is the resulting reduction in weight to improve fuel economy without sacrificing the tough, rugged capabilities truck buyers expect. The Ford F-150 made the switch to aluminum for the 2015 model year and it's proved highly successful. It seemed like it was only a matter of time before the competition followed suit. Automotive News says that the next-gen trucks will launch with aluminum beds and that it will take a couple of years before we'll see any carbon fiber incorporated into the design. Even then, only look for the composite material on higher-trim models, with a trickle down to lower-spec trucks possible further in the future. In 2011, GM announced it was working with Japan-based Teijin Limited on a carbon fiber reinforced thermoplastic. There's a good chance that material's introduction will be on trucks. Related Video: News Source: Automotive News Plants/Manufacturing Rumormill Chevrolet GM GMC Truck

GM recalling another 2.7 million vehicles in five separate campaigns

The recalls keep rolling in from General Motors, evidently keen to avoid repeating the mistakes of the ignition-switch debacle and clean house. This time they're all coming at once, with five separate recalls announced together covering approximately 2.7 million vehicles.
The largest of the five actions involves over 2.4 million units of the previous-generation Chevrolet Malibu and Malibu Maxx, Pontiac G6 and Saturn Aura in order to fix brake light wiring harness, which have been found to be susceptible to corrosion. The recall is separate from the 56k Aura sedans which GM recently recalled over faulty shift cables, not to mention the previous massive recall of 1.3 million vehicles - some of them the same models - but appears to have resulted from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration investigation that started with the G6 almost a year ago.
The second-largest campaign involves the 2014 Chevy Malibu, specifically those fitted with GM's 2.5-liter engine and stop/start system, approximately 140,000 examples of which has been found to have problematic brakes. The issue does not appear to be connected to the recall of 8k Malibu and Buick LaCrosse sedans (also involving brake woes) which we reported upon last week. Four crashes have been reported in such models, but GM admits it's not yet clear if the problem was a contributing factor in the accidents.

The GMC Hummer EV is big and fast; it's also a social conundrum

Pedestrian fatalities, unresolved safety issues, overachieving and overweight trucks — overweight electric trucks — and divisive attitudes about vehicles equipped as is the new Hummer EV, are very much on the mind of Robinson Meyer. Mr. Meyer, who suggests that the 1,000-horsepower pickup is a cross "between an ambulance and a race car," is a staff writer for The Atlantic, a well-respected, long-lived journal founded in 1857. His recent essay in the monthly's flagship magazine starts off describing a scary video clip posted online by Edward Barseghian that features the 9,000-pound Hummer hurtling full tilt towards three lanes of cars idling at a light (the driver stops it in time). Then he goes on to pretty much berate the machine. "The Hummer EV haters and lovers had discovered one of the most important facts about electric 'super trucks': They are very heavy, and they go very fast," he writes. "If you imagine an ambulance that can accelerate as fast as a Formula 1 car, youÂ’re imagining a vehicle only slightly more unwieldy than the new Hummer." Meyer goes on to discuss the issue of allowing battery powered vehicles that weigh as much as the Hummer does onto public roads. "The weight of EVs is a safety issue that drivers — and cyclists and pedestrians — will only have to keep worrying about as these cars go mainstream," he explains. "Suffice it to say that cars as huge as the Hummer EV need to face some kind of regulation, especially in cities and towns, where they pose a distinct threat to the public." To Hummer devotees, them's fightin' words. But Meyer takes pains to present a sort of response from Anthony Schiavo, a research director at Lux Research, a global advisory firm: Why is the Hummer so heavy if its batteries weigh only about 3,000 pounds? “ItÂ’s absolutely a design choice and a marketing choice,” Schiavo answers. “People like larger vehicles, and the reason why those larger vehicles are getting made is because they sell.” The author concludes by bringing into his thesis the issues of climate change, liberal and conservative politics. In some places, his arguments wander; they become muddled. But for those enthused about electrics and big trucks, "Frankenstein's Hummer" is worth a read. Related video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.