Chevrolet: Traverse Lt on 2040-cars

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GM again delays plant that will build the Silverado EV

  General Motors Co. will again push back the planned opening of an electric pickup truck plant in suburban Detroit and has delayed a Buick plug-in amid uncertain growth in battery-powered car sales. Mary Barra, the company’s chief executive officer, told analysts Tuesday on an earnings conference call the automaker is postponing until mid-2026 the opening of its Orion Assembly factory, which will make the Chevrolet Silverado EV. This is the second delay for the plant, which was originally slated to start production in late 2024. Shares of the automaker fell 4.1% to $47.52 as of 9:39 a.m. in New York. The stock is up about 32% so far this year. The delay is a main reason why GM wonÂ’t be able to meet its previous goal of having production in place to make 1 million EVs by the end of next year. The company said they will add production as buyers show more interest in electric vehicles. “We continue to make sure we continue to scale the business to customers and where they are at,” GM Chief Financial Officer Paul Jacobson said on a call with reporters. GM reported on Tuesday a 60% jump in second quarter profit compared with a year ago, topping Wall StreetÂ’s expectations on strong demand for its traditional gas-powered trucks in the US market.

Where the 2023 GMC Sierra AT4X fits into the hierarchy of off-road trucks

The world of off-road pickups sure seems like it's getting crowded, but the reality is that half-ton trucks were always pretty capable, even with what seemed like fairly basic 4x4 packages. It wasn't until recently that manufacturers really started to carve out different off-road niches for their mainstream pickup offerings. With the introduction of the 2022 GMC Sierra 1500 AT4X (alongside its mechanical twin, the Chevy Silverado ZR2), the crowd has grown even thicker. Even we have trouble keeping up with the increased segmentation of off-road pickup trucks, so we threw together this handy guide to help you understand just where these various packages fit into the broader pickup hierarchy. Let's dive in.  Your basics If we say "Z71" or "FX4" to you, both will probably ring a bell. That's because they've been around a few days short of forever and their respective customers have grown so used to these package codes that OEMs got into the habit of just plastering them on the side of so-equipped truck beds. Anybody who sells a pickup truck offers some sort of basic off-road prep package like this one. Z71 is found on GM vehicles; FX4 is Ford's. Ram just calls it "Off Road Group," but no matter what you call them, they're all pretty similar.  Typical upgrades for this category include some additional ground clearance, a basic all-terrain tire, heavy-duty suspension upgrades and likely either a limited-slip or locking rear differential. These are pretty handy for anything beyond a rutted dirt road. On newer trucks — especially on higher trim levels — you'll probably also get some dedicated off-road drive modes.  Mid-range This is where things start to get interesting. To qualify for this category, a locking rear differential is a must. Most of the names in this segment are well-established too, though some (Nissan Titan Pro-4X, anyone?) may not necessarily be on your radar. The Toyota Tundra TRD Pro checks in here, as does the Ram Rebel, Chevy Silverado Trail Boss and GMC Sierra AT4 (no X!).  Realistically, if there's somewhere you need to go and one of these trucks won't do it, you might want to consider a helicopter. But it's 2021, and our thirst for capability is strong, so of course, there's a way to spend more of your money on this type of thing. Onward! Entry-hardcore Here we are, the home of the new 2022 GMC Sierra AT4X and Chevrolet Silverado ZR2. This is a tiny niche, otherwise occupied only by the Ford F-150 Tremor.

2023 Chevrolet Silverado HD reportedly getting mammoth torque

Chevrolet just gave the light-duty Silverado a significant round of updates. It hasn't detailed the changes it has in store for the heavy-duty model yet, but a recent report claims the truck will arrive with significant engine upgrades. Without citing sources, website TFL Truck reported that the current pickup's 6.6-liter Duramax turbodiesel V8 will return in the updated model. Its displacement won't increase, but its output will reportedly grow to 505 horsepower and a mammoth 1,085 pound-feet of torque. To put those figures into perspective, the 6.6-liter makes 445 horsepower and 910 pound-feet of twist in the 2022 Silverado HD; GMC's Sierra HD is available with it as well. Bumping the Duramax's output is a way to keep up with the competition. Arch nemesis Ford offers buyers who have extremely heavy things to tow 475 horsepower and 1,050 pound-feet of torque from a 6.7-liter turbodiesel V8. Over at Ram, the most powerful engine available in a heavy-duty truck posts numbers of 420 and 1,075, respectively. If the report is accurate, Chevrolet will enviably take the horsepower and the torque crowns in the segment. What remains to be seen is what effect the increases will have on the Silverado's towing capacity. As of writing, it's capable of towing up to 36,000 pounds (approximately 15 times the weight of a 2021 Mazda MX-5 Miata). Moving out of the engine bay, the 2023 Silverado HD will receive an updated exterior design that will again help differentiate it from the smaller, light-duty model. We're expecting the next round of updates will also bring new tech features, and it's reasonable to assume that the trim structure will evolve; Chevrolet might notably shift the HD in a more outdoorsy direction to satisfy a growing demand for off-road-focused trucks in the United States. None of this is official; Chevrolet is keeping its lips sealed about the updated Silverado HD. Full details will likely emerge in the coming months, and sales are tentatively scheduled to start in time for the 2023 model year.