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Chevy Bolt EV with 200-mile range to debut at CES

The production version of the Chevrolet Bolt will debut at the Consumer Electronics Show in early January, according to The Verge. General Motors global product development boss Mark Reuss made the big announcement during the Los Angeles Auto Show. The Bolt made a huge splash at the 2015 Detroit Auto Show when Chevy unveiled the hatchback as a concept with the promise of a 200-mile electric range and price of roughly $30,000 – at least after possible incentives. The idea of an affordable EV from a major automaker to challenge the Nissan Leaf was certainly intriguing. The Bowtie saw the opportunity and fast-tracked the model's development. The company announced shortly after the debut at it would build the Bolt at the Orion Assembly Plant in Michigan. Camouflaged test mules suggest the production version looks very similar to the concept. The Bolt reportedly arrives at dealers in 2017, but Chevy hasn't made an official announcement yet. However, the company already has a marketing plan, and it's committed to selling the EV in all 50 states. In addition to the launch of the production Bolt, GM will have another major presence at CES because CEO Mary Barra will give the event's keynote speech. She'll reportedly discuss the automaker's new focus on personal mobility and possible cooperation with tech companies. Related Video:

Recharge Wrap-up: GM, LG Chevy Bolt collaboration, Honda Energy Star plants

Green Car Reports details the relationship between GM and LG in the development and production of the Chevy Bolt. The unique relationship between the two companies began in 2008, and now sees LG producing a multitude of systems for the Bolt, many of which were designed by or with GM. LG's involvement in the Bolt has gone so deep as "defining what will this vehicle be, everything from how we are going to package it, what size it should be, what kind of performance it should have," according to Pam Fletcher, GM's Executive chief engineer for electrified vehicles. Forgoing the traditional automotive relationship for a more collaborative one doesn't just save money, but it also gives GM access to LG's suite of technologies and manufacturing capabilities. Read more at Green Car Congress. The EPA has awarded three Honda factories with Energy Star certification. The automaker's assembly plants in Marysville and East Liberty, Ohio have now earned Energy Star certification ten consecutive years. The Marysville plant added LED lighting, hydrogen-powered tow motors and forklifts, high efficiency HVAC and direct-fired water boilers. The East Liberty facility added new LED lighting and replaced a large water heater with a high-efficiency one. Honda's newest US plant, Honda Manufacturing of Indiana, installed LED lighting and used energy efficient features in its recent expansion. Honda also cites a culture of energy-mindedness – for every associate – for its success. "When everyone involved considers energy efficiency and how they can help the environment, results improve," says Karen Heyob, Honda's sustainability boss in North America. Read more from Honda. The student-led Associated Students of the University of Montana (ASUM) Transportation has ordered two Proterra electric buses. The 40-foot Catalyst Fast Charge buses will serve the campus, and will recharge with a semi-autonomous fast charger. "As part of our ongoing effort to innovate service, align with student advocacy and reduce our carbon footprint, we take great pride in our decision to go electric," says ASUM Office of Transportation Director Jordan Hess. "We hope this encourages – and challenges – other universities to seriously consider the economic and environmental benefits of zero-emission buses." Read more in the press release below. First Student-led Transit Agency in the U.S.

2017 Honda Ridgeline enters the landscape block war

In the test of pickup truck beds, if steel is apples and aluminum is oranges, Honda wants you to know that composites are pineapples. Chevy recently performed a test in which its own Silverado was pitted against its most obvious competitor, the Ford F-150. A loader dropped over 800 pounds of landscaping blocks into the two truck beds, and Ford's aluminum bed ended up with more damage than Chevy's steel bed. Check that test out right here. Honda apparently wasn't content to let Chevy throw stones alone. In a new test, the Japanese automaker replicated the block-drop test using its brand-new Ridgeline truck, which features a composite bed. As you'll see in the video above, there was very little damage to the high-strength plastic bed of the Ridgeline after a similar load of landscaping blocks were dropped from a loader. Without being on hand at any of these tests, we can't say with any degree of certainty that they match up in severity. But they all look pretty similar, and this is actually a test that Honda performed in front of journalists ( ourselves included) earlier this year. We visually inspected the composite bed of a Ridgeline after a demonstration just like the one on video above, and can confirm that there was basically no damage to Honda's truck. Chevy went an extra step by flinging a heavy toolbox into the Silverado and F-150; Honda didn't match that particular test. Does any of this matter? That's up to truck buyers and owners to decide, naturally, but we doubt anyone would actually dump a load like this into their own truck. And it's also worth noting that a heavy-duty spray-on bedliner would probably minimize damage to the metal surface below, whether steel or aluminum. If nothing else, it's memorable marketing. Related Video: