1981 Chevrolet Corvette on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Recharge Wrap-up: Chevy bi-fuel Silverado 3500HD Chassis Cab, VW Car-Net works with Apple Watch

Volkswagen's Car-Net app will be compatible with the Apple Watch. Using the app, owners will be able to lock and unlock their car, check charging status or fuel level, locate their car, flash the lights, and honk the horn of their vehicle remotely from their wrist. E-Golf owners can begin or end charging or operate climate control through their Apple Watch. The app can also monitor other household drivers with speed and boundary alerts - perfect for the parent who lends their car to a teenager. Read more in the press release from Volkswagen. Chevrolet is launching the bi-fuel 2016 Silverado 3500HD Chassis Cab. The work truck will now offer a version that will run on both gasoline and compressed natural gas (CNG). "CNG burns cleaner and costs less at the pump than gasoline, making it an appealing option for fleets," says GM's Ed Peper. Companies like Southern California Gas Co. find that trucks like this meet their work needs and help them achieve their goals of greening up their fleets, GM says. Read more in the press release from GM. UPS has made a deal to buy renewable natural gas from Clean Energy Fuels. This make UPS the biggest user of natural gas in the shipping industry. Clean Energy Fuels, co-founded by T. Boone Pickens, will provide UPS with its Redeem brand natural gas, which uses methane captured from landfills. UPS hopes to log 1 billion miles with its alternative fuel and advanced technology fleet by 2020. "Our rolling laboratory approach provides a unique opportunity for UPS to test different fuels and technologies," says Mitch Nichols of UPS. "Today's RNG agreement will help mature the market for this promising alternative fuel." Read more in the press release below. UPS BECOMES NATION'S LARGEST USER OF RENEWABLE NATURAL GAS IN SHIPPING INDUSTRY New Agreement with Clean Energy Will Help Grow Market for Use of Methane Gas from Landfills as Fuel Atlanta, May 5, 2015 – UPS® (NYSE:UPS) today announced it has entered into an agreement to purchase renewable natural gas (RNG) for its delivery vehicle fleet from Clean Energy Fuels Corp. (NASDAQ: CLNE). The deal signifies UPS's plan to significantly expand its use of renewable natural gas for its alternative fuel and advanced technology fleet. The company has a goal of driving one billion miles using its alternative fuel and advanced technology fleet by the end of 2017. Clean Energy Fuels, co-founded by T.

GM earnings rise 1% as buyers pay more for popular pickups

DETROIT — General Motors said Thursday that higher prices for popular pickup trucks and SUVs helped overcome slowing global sales and profit rose by 1% in the second quarter. The Detroit automaker said it made $2.42 billion, or $1.66 per share, from April through June. Adjusting for restructuring costs, GM made $1.64 per share, blowing by analyst estimates of $1.44. Quarterly revenue fell 2% to $36.06 billion, but still beat estimates. Analysts polled by FactSet expected $35.97 billion. Global sales fell 6% to 1.94 million vehicles led by declines in North America and Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa. The company says sales in China were weak, and it expects that to continue through the year. In the United States, customers paid an average of $41,461 for a GM vehicle during the quarter, an increase of 2.2%, as buyers went for loaded-out pickups and SUVs, according to the Edmunds.com auto pricing site. The U.S. is GM's most profitable market. Chief Financial Officer Dhivya Suryadevara said she expects the strong pricing to continue, especially as GM rolls out a diesel pickup and new heavy-duty trucks in the second half of the year. "We think the fundamentals do remain strong, especially in the truck market," she said, adding that strength in the overall economy and aging trucks now on the road should help keep the trend going. Light trucks accounted for 83.1% of GM's sales in the quarter, and pickup truck sales rose 8.5% as GM transitioned to new models of the Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra, according to Edmunds, which provides content to The Associated Press. As usual, GM made most of its money in North America, reporting $3 billion in pretax earnings. International operations including China broke even, while the company spent $300 million on its GM Cruise automated vehicle unit. Its financial arm made $500 million in pretax income. Suryadevara said GM saw $700 million in savings during the quarter from restructuring actions announced late last year that included cutting about 8,000 white-collar workers through layoffs, buyouts and early retirements. The company also announced plans to close five North American factories, shedding another 6,000 jobs. About 3,000 factory workers in the U.S. whose jobs were eliminated at four plants will be placed at other factories, but they could have to relocate. GM expects the restructuring to generate $2 billion to $2.5 billion in annual cost savings by the end of this year.

CNG-powered Chevy Sonic, Cruze headed your way

The value proposition for a Crazy Diamond Performance CNG ride was a little bit better before gas prices took a dive in the past month. Still, the Michigan-based company, which converts some of Chevrolet's compact vehicles to run on compressed natural gas, received approval late last month from the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for two of its conversion models. And CNG is still pretty cheap. Crazy Diamond will start selling CNG versions of both the Chevrolet Cruze and Chevrolet Sonic. The startup will target fleet operators looking to cut both refueling costs and their carbon footprint. CNG can be found in much of the country in the low $2 range, while the average CO2 emissions are about 25 percent less than those of similar gas-powered vehicles. Average gas prices have tumbled by more than 30 cents a gallon in the last month, according to AAA, but they're still at close to $3. The two models will be able to go almost 300 miles on a full tank of CNG. Crazy Diamond said this summer that it would start selling converted a CNG-powered Cruze that delivers 130 horsepower for as low as $26,000. The turbocharged version goes for about $28,000. Take a look at Crazy Diamond Performance's celebratory press release below. Crazy Diamond Performance recieves EPA approval on its CNG Cruze and Sonic CDP receives EPA approval for its Mono-Fuel CNG Cruze and Sonic. Shelby Township, Michigan, October 30, 2014– Crazy Diamond Performance (CDP) receives EPA approval on its Mono-Fuel Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) Chevrolet Cruze and Chevrolet Sonic. Crazy Diamond Performance has received EPA approval on two new mono-fuel small passenger vehicles, the CNG Chevrolet Cruze and CNG Chevrolet Sonic. These new mono-fuel CNG platforms are the first of a series of small and fuel efficient vehicles coming from CDP, where cost, low emissions and reduced fuel consumption is important for not only fleet owners, but to the general public as well. "Soon to be available, are the 1.8L and 1.4L Cruze and Sonic CNG retrofit systems. These two vehicles represent a change in the status quo, with an OEM level integration of the fuel system and its components" states Michelle Fern, Executive Vice President CDP Inc. These vehicles provide flexibility for fleets looking to purchase a domestic small mono-fuel passenger sedan, but have not had an option until now. There are significant emissions benefits over its gasoline counterpart, with an average reduction in Carbon Dioxide (CO2) of 25%.