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Recharge Wrap-up: Batty battery covers, Mercedes at Silvretta, new Hyundai Sonata Hybrid available in 2015

Apparently, Chevrolet Volt battery covers make suitable homes for bats. As part of an Eagle Scout project, Matthew Netherland created 30 bat houses out of scrapped Volt battery covers donated by Chevy. 22 of the bat houses will be set up near hydroelectric dams in Michigan. Each bat house will accommodate 100 bats, and divert the scrapped materials from the landfill. The battery covers also make great nesting boxes for wood ducks, which General Motors has previously set up at its Milford, Michigan Proving Ground. Last weekend was the Silvretta E-Auto Rally, which saw emissions-free vehicles cross the Montafon Mountains in Austria, including cars from Mercedes-Benz. These cars included the B-Class Electric Drive, B-Class F-Cell, SLS AMG Electric Drive and even the Smart Fortwo Electric Drive. Also on hand for the Silvretta Classic Rally was a V8-powered C111, a 1978 Mercedes-Benz 450 SLC and 300 SL Roadster. Read more in the press release, below. BMW has finalized pricing for the i8 in the US at $135,700 (plus $925 in destination charges). In addition to the base price tag, which we've known for a while, BMW Blog has the complete pricing guide with options and packages. Most of the i8 orders were the Pure Impulse World package, which includes various aesthetic upgrades. It also provides membership to the BMW i Pure Impulse Program, which allows you to "to enjoy innovative ideas and trends in a variety of areas, including home styling, culture, gourmet gastronomy, design and many more." Head over to BMW Blog for more information. The new generation of the Hyundai Sonata Hybrid will arrive later than the rest of the model lineup, confirms Car and Driver. While the gas-powered Sonatas get updated now for the 2015 model year, the Hybrid remains unchanged until late this year or early 2015, when it will arrive as a 2016 model. Hyundai is offering a 2015 Sonata Eco edition, but with 28 miles per gallon in the city and 38 mpg highway (32 combined), it's not quite as appealing as the current Sonata Hybrid's 36/40/38 figures. Read more here. In June, average US fuel economy was 25.5 miles per gallon, making it the fifth straight month above 25 mpg, according to University of Michigan. The average window sticker ratings from vehicles sold in June dropped slightly from 25.6 mpg in May. The year started at 24.9 mpg in January, and hasn't dropped below 25 mpg since.

Mercedes updates G-Class including new 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 [UPDATE]

UPDATE: Information on US availability (including corrected output figures) added to the revised text below. Mercedes has been building (or having Magna Steyr build) the G-Class for an unfathomable 36 years now. Needless to say, the legendary off-roader wouldn't still be around if not for the occasional update here and there, and that's just what the German automaker announced today. The list of enhancements to the iconic Gelandewagen is almost as long as its lifespan, but the most salient point here is the introduction of a new engine. The revised G550 introduces a new 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8, based on the high-performance engine in the Mercedes-AMG GT and C63, but retuned: in this application, it produces 416 horsepower and 450 pound-feet of torque (compared to 453 hp and 440 lb-ft in the GT or 503 and 480 in the GT S). We'd expect that engine to gradually make its way into other models as well. Though the G500 is the only one with a completely new unit, the other engines in the lineup have also been updated. The G350d bumps from 211 hp and 398 lb-ft to 245 hp and 442 lb-ft, the AMG G63 jumps from 536 hp to 563 (torque remains constant at 560 lb-ft), and the top-of-the-line, twelve-cylinder G65 (which we'll be getting Stateside for the first time) now produces 621 hp and a massive 738 lb-ft. Those figures result in a 0-62 time of 8.9 seconds for the diesel, 5.9 for the G500, 5.4 for the G63 and 5.3 for the G65 – which are altogether might impressive for a vehicle as big and boxy as the G-Wagen. All but the G65 now feature stop/start systems to help reduce fuel consumption too. Benz also revised the suspension tuning (while offering optional active dampers) and reprogrammed the ESP, ASR and ABS systems. Inside there's a new instrument cluster, the non-AMG models get new bumpers and flared wheel arches, and there's a bright new array of colors available for the AMG models, which can also be ordered in a new special Edition 463 featuring unique trim inside and out. The revised models will be arriving at US dealers in November, however the diesel model will not be making the transatlantic journey to our shores. The data in the press release below (as well as the images in the gallery above) pertain to the European models, with the correct output figures for the US models amended in the text above. Related Video: Mercedes-Benz G-Class Makeover for an off-road icon Stuttgart.

Lots of new cars were unveiled in Munich this week. Here's what you might've missed

The 2021 Munich Auto Show is happening this week and due to ongoing corporate travel restrictions, we remained firmly planted on this continent. So, although we can't tell you exactly what it's like inside the futuristic new Mercedes EQE electric sedan or fully appreciate the funky Volkswagen ID.Life concept, there's no shortage of details and analysis to provide.  Obviously, as Germany's premier auto show in 2021, the cars unveiled were primarily from the German brands. We also focused mostly on the cars that might actually make their way to the United States, or at least inspire those that will.   2023 Mercedes-Benz EQE is an electric alternative to the E-Class While the EQS paved the way for Mercedes' electrified future, much like the S-Class before it, the EQE stands to be the car that will move in far greater numbers -- much like the E-Class before it. Mercedes-Benz EQE 350 View 12 Photos   Mercedes-Maybach EQS Concept shows SUV future of the flagship brand Opulence will still have a place in an electrified future, as Maybach gets into the EQ game with a grand electric SUV. Mercedes-Maybach EQS Concept View 4 Photos   Volkswagen ID.Life concept previews the city car's high-riding EV future Well, isn't this adorable? Though perhaps a tad derivative of the Honda E, Volkswagen's blocky little crossover EV nevertheless represents a handsome new direction for VW design. We like this better than the rounded looks of the current ID.3 and ID.4.  2021 Volkswagen ID.Life concept View 20 Photos   BMW i Vision Circular is a 100% recycled and recyclable hatch Behold, the next BMW 3 Series! Just kidding. Besides this, BMW displayed cars in person for the first time that it had previously only unveiled on the interwebs, including the new 2 Series and revised iX3. It also unveiled some bikes. BMW i Vision Circular Concept View 63 Photos   Audi's GrandSphere concept was designed as a road-going private jet Does Audi know what a sphere is? Cause this isn't anything like one. Still, it's quite a handsome thing, and as one of three Sphere-branded concepts, previews the next direction of Audi design (which is pleasantly reminiscent of two-decade-old Mazda design). No complaints here. 2021 Audi GrandSphere concept View 26 Photos   Porsche Mission R is a 1,000-horsepower electric monster Just like the Mission E previewed the Taycan, this apparently previews another future car.