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Chevy up to old EVs-equal-range-anxiety tricks in new Volt Olympics ad

General Motors is at it again with a new Chevrolet Volt TV commercial. Viewers of the Winter Olymics (at least in some markets) recently saw a TV ad in between the skating and the skiing that made no mention of the environmental benefits or freedom from the power of Big Oil that electric vehicles provide. No, this one was based on pure survival instinct. In the video, a father is driving down a highway, perhaps through the Mojave Desert. His young son is sitting in the Volt's backseat and asks what happens when the EV's battery runs out. "We'll have to cross that burning desert with snakes and cactus until we make it back to civilization," the dad tells his son as they pass the skeleton of a fallen bull. The fine print makes it clear that the actual maximum range is 342 miles. But there is hope. The father tells his son, with a beaming smile on his face, that the gas generator has kicked in and they're going to make it through the desert. As they wend their way to the horizon, a voice over says that Volt drivers who charge up regularly are making it 900 miles between fill ups. The fine print makes it clear that the actual official maximum range before you need to either plug in or fill up is 342 miles. This theme that emphasized range anxiety has been utilized by GM since the extended range Volt was launched in late 2010, despite the fact that Chevrolet now offers an all-electric vehicle in the Spark EV. Volt fans are praising the commercial, called The New Freedom, on the GM-Volt forum and you can see for yourself below. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. News Source: Cheverolet via CleanTechnica, YouTube Green Chevrolet GM Fuel Efficiency Green Culture Electric range anxiety extended range

2018 Autoblog Technology of the Year finalists

After months of prepping and several days of testing, we narrowed the field for Autoblog's 2018 Tech of the Year award to the Nissan Rogue with ProPilot Assist semi-autonomous driving system, the Lexus LC 500h and its new hybrid powertrain, and the Chevy Colorado ZR2 and its trick Multimatic spool-valve off-road shocks. Three very different cars with very different technologies duking it out for the award. Look for news of our winner at the 2018 Detroit Auto Show. We hand out this award every year to the technology or feature that we feel moves the bar forward for the automotive industry. Read more here on how our testing process works. We discuss, debate and count up score sheets, judging each vehicle and technology on a few different criteria. Is its purpose noteworthy? Does it work well? Does it advance the industry? The Nissan Rogue with ProPilot Assist was actually a prototype, as the technology will first debut in the 2018 Nissan Leaf. Still, we're here to test the tech and not the car. ProPilot Assist combines adaptive cruise control system combined with lane-keeping assistance. The system uses sonar, radar and a number of cameras for some light semi-autonomous driving and enhanced safety. While these systems aren't new individually, Nissan's system is affordable, intuitive, and coming to a mainstream product — democratizing the tech in a novel way, if you will. That's why it's here. The Lexus LC 500h uses a new powertrain that Lexus has dubbed the Multi-Stage Hybrid System. Basically it combines two types of transmissions — a CVT and a four-speed automatic — in a single unit mated to a naturally aspirated V6. That's complex and unorthodox technology, and Lexus engineered it to give drivers the efficiency of a CVT without sacrificing driving enjoyment. The package is subtle, working in the background to create a nearly seamless driving experience. It's engaging in a way most other hybrids can only dream of. The fact that it's wrapped in such gorgeous sheetmetal only makes things better. The Multimatic spool valve shocks in the Chevy Colorado ZR2 might seem low-tech compared to ProPilot Assist and the Lexus Multi-Stage Hybrid, but they represent a completely novel application of a technology that several years ago was so expensive that it was reserved for top-tier race cars. Like the LC 500h, these shocks really change your perception of how a vehicle like this should drive.

The 2014 Chevrolet SS sedan is for drivers who value performance above all else

The car you see above is the 2014 Chevrolet SS, and it's important both because it is the first rear-wheel-drive performance sedan from Chevy in 17 years, and because it will be the nameplate the brand uses on NASCAR tracks all across the country starting this year.
Though it wears a name as American as baseball and apple pie, the machine was actually designed and built in Australia, sharing most of its parts with the brand-new VF-model Holden Commodore. That said, the basic chassis bits are shared with other Chevrolet models like the Camaro and Caprice Police Patrol Vehicle.
While Chevrolet is happy to sell a Malibu or Impala to anyone looking for a mainstream family sedan, but the SS is reserved for buyers interested first and foremost in performance. Most sedans sold these days are front-wheel drive, which is great for everyday driving and when the weather goes bad, but the SS is instead a rear-wheel-drive vehicle aimed at enthusiasts who love to drive and who prefer speed and performance above all else.