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Electric Corvette sets mile record at 186.8 MPH

When we first saw the Genovation GXE all-electric Corvette on its stand at the Battery Show 2015, we were given some impressive specs – a three-second 0-to-60 run and a 200-mile-per-hour top speed – all made possible by over 700 electric horses spittin' out more than 600 pound-feet of torque. Turns out, it may just live up to that high-speed hype. With Bob Simpson – project manager (and EVDrive co-founder) – riding shotgun and multi-record holder Johnny Bohmer holding the wheel and applying a heavy right foot, the battery-powered C6 Z06 hit 186.8 mph on the tarmac of the NASA Shuttle Landing Facility at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida. That run puts the GXE in the International Mile Racing Association (IMRA) record books under the heading of "Top Speed Street Legal Electric Car." According to the press release, which you can read below, the record was set on the car's first day of testing. Its builders have confidence it's good for even more. Though they haven't said if, or where, further speed runs would occur, we can't help but think a one-on-one match up would be interesting, say, against a certain Zombie 222. Similarly fast – it reached 177.8 mph from a dead stop at the Texas Mile – it would make for a classic confrontation. Genovation vresus Blood Shed Motors; vintage pony car versus modern sportscar; DC drivetrain versus AC, the possibilities are endless. Genovation offers its GXE for $330,000 (or $290,000, if your supply the Vette donor). It features a 6-speed manual transmission, a 44kWh battery pack and is said to be good for 150 miles on a full charge. Related Video: FLORIDA (2/29/2016) -- Genovation Cars is proud to announce a new top speed record achieved by its prototype high-performance all-electric Corvette, the Genovation eXtreme Electric or GXE. The vehicle was being tested at the Johnny Bohmer Proving Grounds/Shuttle Landing Facility in Florida, conducting research to improve vehicle performance. During the course of testing, the car broke the record for the Top Speed Street Legal Electric Car category with a speed of 186.8 mph on the date of February 23, 2016. The record was certified by the International Mile Racing Association (IMRA). The previous record was 177 mph, set by a Finnish prototype car. The GXE, based on a 2006 Z06 Corvette, includes a state-of-the-art battery management system, inverters, batteries and electric motors that produce in excess of 700-hp and 600 lb-ft of torque.

2015 Chevy Volt gets larger battery, though range remains the same

The Chevrolet Volt isn't changing much for the 2015 model year. According to specifications uncovered by Inside EVs, though, the new Volt's battery does have a slightly larger capacity. According to the spec sheet, this doesn't translate to increased range. Real world driving, though, might tell a different story. The 2015 Volt's battery storage is slightly higher than the outgoing model's, up from 16.5 kilowatt-hours to 17.1 kWh. According to GM's manager of electrification technology communications, Kevin Kelly, speaking to Green Car Reports, the increased capacity is "a late change done in the cell... just another continuous improvement to surprise and delight our customers." The stated electric range, however, stays at 38 miles. Inside EVs followed up on its original report, and found that drivers could see some advantage to the battery tweak. When they spoke to Kelly, he told them, "As a result of this change, we would expect that some customers may see a slight improvement in overall EV range." It's worth noting that when battery capacity increased from 16 kWh to 16.5 kWh for the 2013 Volt, electric range increased by three miles to the current 38, while MPGe went from 94 to 98. The price of the 2015 Chevrolet Volt remains steady, at $34,995. The actual cost to the customer is considerably less with the $7,500 federal tax credit, as well as any local incentives.

Automakers score 8 out of top 20 most-watched ads on YouTube [w/videos]

Who would have ever thought there'd be a day where people are able to skip television commercials only to go to websites to watch them later? Such is the joy of a DVR and YouTube. AdWeek tabulated the 20 most-watched ads on YouTube, and found that nine were car-related including eight coming from automakers.
Volkswagen continued its Star Wars theme with two ads in the top 20, including the highest-ranking car commercial The Bark Side spot at number three with almost 18 million views, which doesn't even have a single car in it. Some of our favorites are from Chrysler with Clint Eastwood in It's Halftime in America and House Arrest with Charlie Sheen for the Fiat 500 Abarth. Chevrolet, Honda, Audi and Toyota were the other automakers in the top 20, but we'd be remiss if we didn't at least mention one of the coolest ads on the list, the Hot Wheels corkscrew jump.
Of all the car videos, only the Fiat ad wasn't played during a Super Bowl. Check out all eight videos - in order - after the jump. Nike took the top spot with its My Time is Now ad that has been seen online more than 20 million times with Pepsi's Uncle Drew posted up in the runner-up; some of the other videos include four Old Spice commercials and an ad in which Snoop Dogg is pedaling Hot Pockets.