2019 Gmc Sierra 1500 Denali on 2040-cars

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GMC Hummer EV EarthCruiser upfit finally here, for going out there

The GMC Hummer EV EarthCruiser upfit can now be seen in the wide open bright light, the battery-electric overlanding rig soon available to Hummer EV pickup owners to head back into the bush for extended stays. The camper's made of carbon fiber and features EarthCruiser's hallmark pop-top roof. When closed, the camper takes the Hummer EV's 79-inch stock roof height up to 90 inches. Springing the three-layer, insulated roof to bivouac increases height to 117 inches. The upfit keeps the Hummer EV's 217-inch length, and it appears the side storage bins don't extend beyond the 87-inch width of the electric pickup's wheel arches. The driver's side exterior bin holds recovery gear, the passenger's side storage holds tanks for filtered water.  Sized to sleep two people, there's a full-sized RV bed with 35 inches of headroom under the raised top. Tall outdoorsy types are well served by the 76 inches of headroom standing in the hallway, and 80 inches at the rear entrance. Power comes from 605 watts of solar panels on the roof, energy stored in a 12-volt lithium battery array that adds up to 6 kilowatt-hours or 460 amp-hours of energy, running through a 1,500-watt inverter. EarthCruiser says the batteries will be enough to juice hungry appliances like the refrigerator/freezer combo for about a week. That means owners would need to be more careful with water than with power, there being a 13.5-gallon freshwater tank — which the sun can't refill — and a seven-gallon gray water hold. Other amenities include an induction cooktop, sink, filtered and unfiltered water taps, flat-pack toilet, indoor and outdoor showers and 12-volt water heater, 120-volt and 12-volt outlets, and lots of dimmable lighting. Liveaboards control the interior through a seven-inch touchpad. Outside, an exterior keypad manages exterior lighting and systems. No mention of an indoor heater, but there's plenty of storage in the galley drawers and cabinets, and under the bed for a portable unit.   The GMC Hummer EV EarthCruiser upfit greets the public at this weekend's Overland Expo Mountain West in Loveland, Colorado, welcoming all gawkers from August 25-27. Pricing should come later this year, before EarthCruiser begins offering the unit to owners next year. Related video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

GM recalls over 323,000 HD pickups because tailgates can open unexpectedly

General Motors is recalling more than 323,000 heavy-duty pickup trucks in the U.S. because the electronic tailgate release switches can short circuit and open the gates while the vehicles are in park. The recall covers certain Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra 2500 and 3500 trucks from the 2020 through 2024 model years. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says in documents posted on its website Tuesday that water can get into the switches and cause the tailgates to open when in park gear. The agency says that can result in unsecured cargo falling out of the beds, creating a road hazard and increasing the risk of a crash. GM is advising owners to check that the tailgate is closed and latched before they drive the trucks. Dealers will replace an exterior touchpad switch. Owners are to be notified by letter starting March 18. GM dealers also have been told to stop selling affected vehicles until repairs are made. The company says in documents that it has 136 complaints about the tailgates opening unexpectedly. GM reported one complaint of a minor injury and three complaints of minor property damage. Recalls Chevrolet GM GMC Truck

2023 J.D. Power APEAL Study shows new-car customer satisfaction scores slip

J.D. Power survey results have been slightly up but mostly down for automakers this year, literally. In February, the 2023 Vehicle Dependability Study showed an overall decline compared the 2022 a month before the Customer Service Index Study did the same. The trend reversed in June with a better overall score on the 2023 U.S. Electric Vehicle Consideration Study than in 2022, then declined again the same month on with a lower overall score on the 2023 Initial Quality Study. The declines continue with the 2023 J.D. Power U.S. Automotive Performance, Execution and Layout (APEAL) Study, overall satisfaction among the 84,555 respondents down two points overall compared to 2022, to 845 out of 1,000 points. Because last year's score dropped compared to 2021, this year marks the first consecutive decline in the study's 28-year history. The study tries to "[measure] owners' emotional attachment and level of excitement with new vehicle" after 90 days of ownership by asking new owners to rate 37 attributes in 10 areas around the vehicle, such as the feeling they get when they hit the accelerator. Satisfaction with nine of the attributes is down this year versus last, fuel economy the only segment to show better results with 15 points more satisfaction. Styling and infotainment are big drags on satisfaction. Responses to new car exterior looks tallied 888 points, down from 894 last year, the largest drop in this year's study. On the digital side, less than half of those surveyed this year said they prefer using a manufacturer's built-in infotainment. From 70% of respondents in 2020 preferring to use a manufacturer's in-house software to play audio instead of Android Auto or Apple CarPlay, that's 56% in 2023. Going all-in on Google appears to have the best effect. J.D. Power said that vehicles with both Google's Android Automotive Operating System (AAOS) and Google Automotive Services (GAS) "score higher in the infotainment category than those with no AAOS whatsoever. AAOS without GAS receives the lowest scores for infotainment of the three categories."  Frank Hanley, senior director of auto benchmarking at J.D. Power, said, "Despite the technology and design innovations that manufacturers put into new vehicles, owners are lukewarm about them. While innovations like charging pads, vehicle apps and advanced audio features should enhance an owner’s experience, this is not the case when problems are experienced.