2012 Chevrolet Impala Ltz on 2040-cars

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Hertz and GM team up to put 175,000 rental EVs on the road

Hertz and General Motors have announced a significant partnership that will send up to 175,000 electric vehicles into rental fleets across the country. The deal will unfold over the next five years and include vehicles from all GM brands.   The partnership will run through 2027. Hertz estimates that the electric fleet can save as many as 8 billion gasoline-powered miles, removing 1.8 million metric tons of carbon dioxide-equivalent emissions from the air. Hertz says it will invest in becoming the largest renter of EVs in North America and notes that it already has tens of thousands available at 500 locations in 38 states. By the end of 2024, it plans to electrify a quarter of its fleet. Electric rental cars are a great way for travelers wanting to avoid gas, and they make excellent urban commuter cars. Hertz will also likely save a few dollars by avoiding oil changes and other routine maintenance that gas engines need. However, a hidden societal benefit of this deal may come when Hertz’s EV rental customers begin shopping for new cars. Many people are skeptical of EVs for various reasons, including range, charging, ease of operation, and cost. Giving people a low-risk introduction to EVs and the ability to test-drive one without a pressuring salesperson could drive more people to electrics. At the same time, there's also the risk that renters wanting to take their Hertz-GM EV on a road trip into sparsely populated areas may return with charging and range-related horror stories. Hertz currently doesnÂ’t ask what youÂ’re planning to do with your rental, but it does offer a chat service for questions, and range information is presented clearly on each vehicle. Related video: 2023 Cadillac Lyriq walkaround

Should Chevrolet continue the SS for another generation?

It is no shocker to say that Chevy kinda messed up with the SS. Now before everyone gets their facts and figures out, lets be real. The SS probably shouldn't have happened in the first place. Chevy hardly promoted the car when it released. It quietly came to our shores (the SS is really a Holden VF Commodore). It was the same with the Pontiac G8 before GM axed the brand. With the G8 however, it got more attention due to the heavy marketing Pontiac did with the car despite the low sales numbers. The SS fills the void of a performance sedan for Chevrolet mainly because there isn't a Impala SS sedan anymore. The SS also shares the same platform with the Chevrolet Caprice PPV, a fleet vehicle only available for your local police station since again the Impala doesn't fill that void any longer. But should the SS continue on in a future life? My answer: No! It was great for Chevy to do this little experiment, and I am sure they learned a lot from releasing the SS and the Caprice as well. But why not take the essence of both of those vehicles and combine them into a new next generation Impala. The Impala SS can return once again in a proper way, and a PPV version of the Impala can go into production. Kinda like what Ford and Dodge did with their performance and police versions of the Taurus and Charger. There really isn't a need to have 2 extra models in the line up when the Impala can fill all 3 voids. With the Holden VF Commodore going out of production in 2017, the Chevrolet SS may not be around much longer. There are rumors that the Commodore will live on in a new global vehicle, so if that is true it could mean the end of the RWD V8 sedans from Australia. But Chevrolet could continue the formula of the SS in the Impala, and it may turn out to be very successful for them. Image Credit: Chevrolet Chevrolet open road

2.0-liter turbo four reportedly returning to Chevrolet Equinox line-up for 2022

Chevrolet's popular Equinox crossover will enter the 2021 model year with comprehensive updates and a turbocharged, 1.5-liter four-cylinder as its only available engine. The 2.0-liter turbo four offered through 2020 is allegedly leaving the line-up, but it will be replaced for 2022 with a newer engine that produces slightly less power while returning better fuel economy, according to a recent report. Called LSY internally, the new 2.0-liter turbo four already powers the Cadillac XT4, among other models in the General Motors portfolio. Enthusiast website GM Authority learned it will deliver 237 horsepower at 5,000 rpm and 258 pound-feet of torque from 1,500 to 4,000 rpm. For context, the 2.0-liter available through 2020 (known as LTG) made 252 horses and 260 pound-feet of twist, and the 1.5-liter posts figures of 170 and 203, respectively. As a trade-off for the slight drop in horsepower and torque, the LSY is smoother, quieter and cleaner than the LTG it replaces. Transmission options remain unconfirmed, but the four-cylinder will likely shift through a nine-speed automatic. Front-wheel drive will come standard, and all-wheel drive will be offered at an extra cost. Chevrolet hasn't commented on the report; it hasn't even confirmed the Equinox is losing the LTG engine for 2021. If the rumor is accurate, details about the 2022 Equinox should be released during the first half of 2021. GM Authority added the GMC Terrain, which is closely related to the Equinox, will receive the new engine for 2022 as well. Both should have gotten it for 2021, but the on-going global pandemic delayed its launch. Related Video: