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GM executive chief EV engineer says reducing cost of plug-in vehicles is 'huge priority'

As we know, another major automaker investing heavily in electrified vehicles is General Motors, and it's doing things much differently than rivals BMW, Ford or Nissan. The Chevrolet Volt extended-range EV is a modest seller at its $35,000 sticker price but a huge hit with owners. The Chevy Spark BEV, still in limited availability, puts smiley faces on its owners and drivers. The just-introduced Cadillac ELR, a sharp-looking, fun-driving $76,000 luxocoupe take on the Volt's EREV mechanicals, has admittedly low sales expectations. With this interesting trio in showrooms and much more in the works, the third vehicle electrification leader I collared for an interview at Detroit's North American International Auto Show (see #1 and #2) was Pam Fletcher, GM's executive chief engineer, Electrified Vehicles. ABG: Why do your EREVs need four-cylinder power to extend their range when BMW's i3 makes do with an optional 650 cc two-banger? "We designed [the Volt and the ELR] to go anywhere, any time" - Pam Fletcher PF: I get that question all the time: why not something smaller? You don't really need that much. You use the electric to its ability, then you just need to limp. But we designed those cars to go anywhere, any time, and we don't want their performance to be compromised. If you're driving through the mountains, we don't want you to be crawling up grades, or to be limited on any terrain. So it's optimized to be able to travel literally the biggest grades and mountain roads around the globe at posted speeds. Because what if you can't? Another good reason: when the engine is on, you have to run it wide open throttle, max speed, most of the time. And while we can do a lot with acoustics, and the ELR has active noise cancelation, a small-displacement, low cylinder-count engine at high speed, high load all the time isn't something you want to live with. That's how we came up with the balance we did among the key factors of performance, NVH [noise, vibration and harshness] and range. ABG: Where you go from here? Is the range-extender engine due for an update? PF: We know and love the current Volt, and there is still a lot of acclaim about it, so we think it's a good recipe. But we are heavily in the midst of engineering the next-generation car, which I think everyone will love and be excited about.

Hyundai and GM say they're serious about air taxis

The Hyundai S-A1 electric concept is displayed at the 2020 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas. (Getty Images)   DETROIT — Hyundai and General Motors said on Monday they are pushing ahead with developing "flying cars," with the South Korean company expressing optimism it could have an air-taxi service in operation as soon as 2025. A GM executive said it could take until 2030 for air-taxi services to overcome technical and regulatory hurdles and reach commercialization. Electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) zero-emissions aircraft, which take off and land like helicopters and carry passengers and cargo, are being developed by a number of startups as well as aircraft makers and automakers, but they face a long road to profitability. Hyundai is ahead of its previously stated timetable for rolling out air-mobility vehicles, Jose Munoz, the company's global chief operating officer, said in an interview broadcast on Monday at the Reuters Events Car of the Future conference. Munoz, who is also CEO of Hyundai North America, previously said urban air taxis would be in operation at major U.S. airports by 2028 and perhaps earlier. He told Reuters on Monday it could possibly happen before 2025. Cadillac Vertile View 9 Photos "We see this market as a significant growth opportunity," Munoz said, adding he was "very confident" of the technology's development. Hyundai is developing air taxis powered by electric batteries that can transport five to six people from highly congested urban centers to airports. Other automakers developing flying cars either alone or with startups include Toyota, Daimler and China's Geely. "I think that there's a long pathway here," Pamela Fletcher, vice president of GM's Global Innovation team, said at the Reuters event. "2030 is probably a real commercial inflection point." She added: "It's a very nascent space. There's a lot of work to be done on the regulatory side, as well as the actual technology side." In January, GM unveiled a flying Cadillac concept. Morgan Stanley has estimated the total addressable market for urban air mobility could hit $1 trillion by 2040 and $9 trillion by 2050. In 2019, Hyundai, which has a dedicated Urban Air Mobility Division led by Jaiwon Shin, a former NASA engineer, pledged to invest about $1.5 billion in urban air mobility by 2025. Munoz said Hyundai sees its flying cars serving not only residential customers but also transporting commercial cargo.

Cadillac gives enthusiasts an early look at its next high-performance sedans

Cadillac will introduce a pair of sport sedans named CT4-V Blackwing and CT5-V Blackwing, respectively, at 7 p.m. Eastern today (February 1). While car companies routinely drum up excitement for new models by releasing tightly-cropped or blacked-out images, Cadillac surprised us with a photo, and a TV spot that aired during the Rolex 24 at Daytona, that shows both cars in their entirety. Somewhat confusingly, the CT4-V and the CT5-V are not direct replacements for the ATS-V and the CTS-V; they're mid-range models, and they're powered, equipped, and priced accordingly. It's these flagship Blackwing variants that will pick up where the last-generation Vs left off with a significant bump in power, numerous chassis tweaks, and a more aggressive-looking design. They'll arrive in showrooms in time for the 2022 model year. Blackwing drivers won't draw unnecessary attention to themselves, because the visual changes are relatively subtle. Riding on model-specific wheels, the CT4-V Blackwing gains bigger air intakes on the front end, vents punched into the fenders, and a low-key body kit that adds a front splitter, front winglets, and a trunk-mounted spoiler. Cadillac gave the CT5-V a similar treatment, and it mounted the rear wheels on surprisingly wide tires. Cadillac pointed out the Blackwing sedans benefit from the world's fastest-reacting suspension system. It's likely the fourth evolution of its magnetic ride control technology, which it detailed in October 2020.  While full specifications remain under wraps until the duo's unveiling, we know that both sedans will be available with a six-speed manual transmission. It's reasonable to assume that an automatic (likely the familiar 10-speed) will be offered as well. As for what's under the hood, our crystal ball tells us that the CT5-V will land with a V8 engine, though it won't be the short-lived twin-turbocharged Blackwing unit that gave both cars their name. Enginers might have selected an evolution of the CTS-V's 6.2-liter. As for the CT4-V, it will receive the ATS-V's 3.6-liter turbocharged V6. Both models will be exclusively available with rear-wheel-drive. Enthusiasts who want to secure an early built slot will have the chance to reserve a 2022 CT4-V Blackwing or a 2022 CT5-V Blackwing by visiting Cadillac's website shortly after the sedans are unveiled on February 1. As we previously reported, the first 250 units of each car will wear a numbered plaque on the steering wheel.