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GM's European Opel division may eventually go all-electric

General Motors' Opel division in Europe may transform itself into an all-electric vehicle maker by 2030. Granted, a lot can happen between now and then, including a potential buyout by French automaker PSA Group. Regardless, Opel appears to view its electric future beyond the Ampera-e, which is the sister vehicle to the Chevrolet Bolt, and more like Tesla. Opel CEO Karl-Thomas Neumann indicated that focusing on electric drivetrains would be a superior strategy to expanding its EV technology while pushing forward with conventional drivetrains, says Automotive News Europe, citing comments Neumann made to German publication Manager Magazin. General Motors could make the decision to move towards an all-electric vehicle line for Opel as soon as May. Of course, that depends on whether Opel is bought out by PSA, the parent country to Peugeot and Citroen. PSA is in talks to buy General Motors' Opel and Vauxhall divisions, though government and labor representatives in Germany have expressed concerns over potential job losses from the proposed buyout, Reuters says. Regardless, GM has hinted at expanding its electric-vehicle line far beyond the Bolt, which has a 238-mile single-charge range and debuted late last year. Mary Barra, in an interview with CNET, said the Bolt's all-electric platform could be applied to a "huge range of vehicles," though wasn't specific about additional EV models. Opel first showed off its Ampera-e at the Paris Motor Show last fall. The name of the model raised some eyebrows because the Ampera badge had been previously used by Opel for the sister version of the Chevrolet Volt extended-range plug-in. Either way, Opel is looking to take on Renault for electric-vehicle sales supremacy across the Pond. Related Video:

2016 Chevrolet Camaro design teased

Chevrolet just can't seem to help itself from continuing to tease the next-gen Camaro. The pony car gets its official debut at a big event on Detroit's Belle Isle on May 16, but the upcoming model's new exhaust, suspension components, and wheels are already well known. With this latest taste, we're finally getting an official glimpse at what the coupe actually looks like. The 2016 Camaro's shape hasn't completely been a secret, and even Chevy showed it testing while covered in camouflage in March. Still, these shots are a great opportunity to check out some undisguised details for the new model. The styling is supposed to be "more athletic," according to Chevy, and the aluminum hood looks especially good with crisp, straight lines forming the design. "It's a more expressive evolution of the Camaro's iconic character – and one that complements its leaner size and sharper reflexes," GM global design boss Ed Welburn said in a statement. These two photos suggest a more angular, futuristic shape for the upcoming pony car. We're looking forward to seeing it all in a couple weeks. Sculpted Exterior Reflects 2016 Camaro's New Athleticism 2015-04-30 DETROIT – For the all-new 2016 Chevrolet Camaro, the design team set out to create a leaner, more athletic design that complemented the new driving experience. "The Camaro went to the gym and came out with a lithe, more athletic physique for the sixth generation," said Ed Welburn, vice president, GM Global Design. "It's a more expressive evolution of the Camaro's iconic character – and one that complements its leaner size and sharper reflexes." The exterior design vocabulary is defined by complex shapes, which appear to be form-fitted around the mechanical components. Every shape and surface detail is a skilled, artistic collaboration of hand and digital sculpting. Camaro's new design details draw the eye into the design. For example, the new aluminum hood features powerful, smoothly curved sculpted forms accented with sharp creases. As a result, the hood appears to be shrink-wrapped around the engine. Similarly, the new Camaro retains the broad, dramatic rear fenders that became a defining feature of the award-winning Gen 5 Camaro. The design is updated with greater detailing, including a subtle crease running parallel to the fender edge. The effect makes the new Camaro look even lower and wider despite having a slightly smaller footprint than its predecessor.

Recharge Wrap-up: NEDC's NOx problems, autonomous Chevy Volts

The International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT) found a significant difference in NOx emissions in Euro 6 diesel cars in NEDC and WLTC testing. While 88 percent of the cars tested met emissions standards for NEDC, NOx emissions averaged five times higher under WLTC, with only 27 percent of vehicles under the limit. WLTC is considered to be a more realistic driving cycle, using hot starts and factoring a higher top speed as well as harder and more frequent accelerations than the NEDC. Read more at Green Car Congress.GM Canada will build a fleet of autonomous 2017 Chevrolet Volts. The self-driving Volts will be deployed for testing at GM's Warren, Michigan Technical Center. Employees will be able to use a carsharing app to reserve a car, which will then drive itself to the set destination. The project will allow GM to collect important data and experience to help the company more quickly develop autonomous driving technology. Read in a press release more from GM Canada, or at Green Car Congress.Carwatt is showing an electric Renault Trafic powered by second-life batteries at the COP21 environmental summit in Paris. The lithium-ion batteries used to power the EV were recycled from other Renault EVs. With the electric Trafic, Carwatt – a company that converts vehicles to use electric power – aims to demonstrate the "circular economy" of batteries, which can provide more value through a longer lifecycle. Read more in the press release below. Carwatt presents a unique automotive application for second-life batteries from electric vehicles. On the sidelines of the COP21 summit, in the Solutions Gallery running from 2 to 9 December 2015 in Le Bourget near Paris, Carwatt and its partners —Renault, Paris City Council, BPI France, the Ales Ecole des Mines Engineering School, and the Bobigny Business Campus — are showing a very special electric Renault Trafic. This prototype vehicle, the only one of kind in the world, is powered by second-life lithium-ion batteries recycled from Renault electric cars. Circular economy at work with electric vehicles When, over time, the batteries of a Renault electric vehicle fall the performance threshold specified for their initial automotive power duty (around 75% of initial capacity), they can still provide valuable service in "second-life" applications before end-of-life disposal at a recycling centre. Experiments are already under way on power storage applications, for example.