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GM seeks national mandate for zero-emissions cars

DETROIT — General Motors says it will ask the federal government for one national gas mileage standard, including a requirement that a percentage of auto companies' sales be zero-emissions vehicles. Mark Reuss, GM's executive vice president of product development, said the company will propose that a certain percentage of nationwide sales be made up of vehicles that run on electricity or hydrogen fuel cells. GM says a nationwide program modeled on such a requirement in California could result in 7 million electric vehicles, or EVs, on U.S. roads by 2030. California wants 15.4 percent of vehicle sales by 2025 to be EVs or other zero emission vehicles. Nine other states, including Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey and New York, have adopted those requirements. In January, California Governor Jerry Brown set a target of 5 million zero-emission vehicles in California by 2030. The Trump administration criticizes California's ZEV mandate, saying it requires automakers to spend tens of billions of dollars developing vehicles that most consumers do not want, only to sell them at a loss. Reuss told reporters that governments and industries in Asia and Europe "are working together to enact policies now to hasten the shift to an all-electric future. It's very simple: America has the opportunity to lead in the technologies of the future." A national mandate also would create jobs and reduce fuel consumption, CO2 emissions and "make EVs more affordable," Reuss added. GM, the nation's largest automaker, will spell out the request Friday in written comments on a Trump administration proposal to roll back Obama-era fuel economy and emissions standards, freezing them at 2020 levels instead of gradually making them tougher. Under a regulation finalized by the Environmental Protection Agency at the end of the Obama administration, the fleet of new automobiles would have to get 36 miles per gallon by 2025, 10 mpg higher than the current requirement. But the Trump administration's preferred plan is to freeze the standards starting in 2021. Administration officials say waiving the tougher fuel efficiency requirements would make vehicles more affordable, which would get safer cars into consumer hands more quickly. GM on Thursday said it doesn't support the freeze, but wants flexibility to deal with consumers' shift from cars to less-efficient SUVs and trucks.

PSA's purchase of Opel from GM is expected to be finalized soon

PSA's purchase of the Opel/Vauxhall division from General Motors is expected to be officially announced on Monday, according to The New York Times. PSA, the parent company of European automakers Peugeot and Citroen, will reportedly hold a joint press conference with GM in Paris to announce the deal. GM has worked as part of an alliance with PSA in Europe since 2012. The deal could be a big boon for both companies. For PSA, the addition of Opel and Vauxhall into its fold would catapult the automaker into second place behind Volkswagen for European marketshare, and would allow the company to spend research and development costs across a greater number of vehicles. And GM, which has struggled in recent years to turn a profit with its European division, would be able to focus more squarely on the areas where it's most profitable and to invest in future technologies like automation. But the deal isn't without its potential pitfalls, primarily for PSA. GM hasn't been able to make a success of Opel and Vauxhall, and it's not a sure bet that PSA will, either. What's more, the addition of Opel and Vauxhall doesn't expand PSA's reach any further into new markets, like China or India. The NYT cites data from Ferdinand Dudenhoffer, a professor at the University of Duisburg-Essen in Germany, showing that 70 percent of PSA and Opel business is done in Europe, a market that has been shrinking since 1999. We'll have to wait a few days to see exactly how the deal between PSA and GM will be structured. We're also curious to see how the loss of Opel may affect GM's lineup in the States, especially for Buick, since the company's Regal sedan is based on the European Opel Insignia. In other words, stay tuned. Related Video:

2025 Buick Enclave changes trim names and pricing

Buick loves to fiddle with its trim names. In 2020, the Enclave offered Base, Essence, Premium and Avenir trims. Two years later, the trim steps went Preferred, Essence, Premium and Avenir. Two years later, in 2022, only Essence, Premium, and Avenir remained. And the 2025 Enclave has done another presto change-o, with Essense becoming Preferred, and Premium switching to Sport Touring. And while we knew that, what we didn't know were the prices for these reshuffled trims, which GM Authority sniffed out. MSRPs for the 2025 Enclave after the $1,395 destination charge, and their differences from 2024, are: Preferred: $46,395 ($1,100) Sport Touring: $48,795 (New trim) Avenir:  $59,395 ($500) These are all front-drivers, sending power to the rear wheels adds $2,000 to the price.  The Sport Touring costs $2,490 more than the entry-level Preferred, nearly 40% more than the current option price. Also, since it's a spiffier version of the Preferred, the Sport Touring is $3,800 less than the current middle trim, the 2024 Enclave Premium.     Mechanically, the Enclave gets the same turbocharged 2.5-liter four-cylinder as the Acadia and Traverse as its sole engine option. Output comes to 328 horsepower and 326 pound-feet of torque, sent through an eight-speed automatic. Towing capacity is 5,000 pounds,  All Enclaves except the Avenir get a standard 30-inch instrument and infotainment display, floating center console, adjustable ambient lighting, wireless device charging and a 12-speaker. The range-topper takes the sound system to 16 speakers, adds a panoramic sunroof, front seat ventilation and massage function, rear seat heating, a head-up display, plus adaptive shocks working larger 22-inch wheels. The Sport Touring (ST), as one might expect, adopts black trim, including in the grille, and black 20-inch wheels.  Buick added standard ADAS perks like automatic emergency braking with intersection support, blind-spot monitoring with steering assist, plus lane-keep assist as standard. And Super Cruise will be an option. All told, it's a healthy improvement in features for relatively small price increases.