2008 Volvo Xc90 3.2 Sport Utility 4-door 3.2l on 2040-cars

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Electric Hummer is official, and Tesla's got momentum | Autoblog Podcast #612

In this week's Autoblog Podcast, Editor-in-Chief Greg Migliore is joined by Senior Editor Alex Kierstein and Senior Editor, Green, John Beltz Snyder. They start things off with a discussion of the week's news: GMC is launching an electric Hummer truck with a Super Bowl ad, and Tesla was profitable in Q4, sending its stock soaring. Then they talk about what they've been driving, including a super badass Mercedes-Benz Sprinter, the Kia Telluride and their long-term Volvo S60 PHEV. There's no "Spend My Money" segment this week, so send in your questions for future podcast episodes. Autoblog Podcast #612 Get The Podcast iTunes – Subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes RSS – Add the Autoblog Podcast feed to your RSS aggregator MP3 – Download the MP3 directly Rundown Hummer returns as electric GMC truck Further reading: Grappling with the dark side of EVs Tesla profitable for second straight quarter Cars we're driving: Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 3500XD Kia Telluride (whose safety tech won Autoblog's 2020 Technology of the Year Award) Long-term Volvo S60 T8 update Feedback Email – Podcast@Autoblog.com Review the show on iTunes Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

Embrace one-pedal driving in EVs and PHEVs

I just came back from a trip out to California, where I was able to drive the new 2022 Volvo XC60 Recharge in its new extended-range form (you’ll find that review on Autoblog tomorrow). One of the newly-added headline features for this plug-in hybrid SUV is true one-pedal driving. This is one-pedal driving in a PHEV, not a full battery electric vehicle, and as of now, one-pedal driving in PHEVs is exceedingly rare. Other plug-ins may offer levels of braking regeneration, but one-pedal driving is typically a feature reserved for full EVs. Adding the feature to the Volvo is a huge boost to the driving experience for me, and I sincerely hope we see it in even more PHEVs soon. In case youÂ’re new to the one-pedal driving game, hereÂ’s a quick explainer. ItÂ’s called “one-pedal” because most of the time, youÂ’re only using one pedal to accelerate and decelerate. Press in to accelerate; let off evenly and gently to decelerate via regenerative braking. The trick at the end is in slowing down the final few mph and bringing the car to a stop smoothly, which typically requires some practice and time spent figuring out how best to modulate the throttle pedal. Once youÂ’re stopped in a car with one-pedal driving, it should hold itself in place when you have your foot off the throttle, allowing you to relax your legs at lights. Applying pressure to the brake pedal would be unnecessary so long as traffic doesnÂ’t necessitate quicker deceleration than what the car is capable of via letting off on the throttle. The point, of all of the above, is that one-pedal driving in an EV or PHEV simply makes driving easier. Once you learn the car, not having to swap back and forth between the throttle and brake pedals makes stop-and-go traffic (or any kind of driving) a lot more relaxing to manage. The point of this story is to call out the lack of this feature in some EVs and nearly all PHEVs. Some of you may have already hit the comments to voice your disdain for one-pedal driving, but do note, while IÂ’m advocating for the feature to be present in all EVs, IÂ’m not advocating for it to be a required always-on feature. In fact, you should be able to turn it off and on at your whimsy. Many car manufacturers already offer one-pedal driving in their EVs, but companies like VW, Audi, Porsche and to a certain extent, Mercedes, do not. This is slightly irritating, mostly because those companies make some of the most desirable EVs on the market today.

Weekly Recap: Toyota, Mazda team up to 'make cars better'

Toyota and Mazda are teaming for a noble purpose: to "make cars better." That's how the two Japanese automakers termed their partnership, which was announced this week. So what does this actually mean? The companies said they will set up a joint committee to look for areas of cooperation and named safety and the environment as issues they plan to tackle. From a product perspective, it's believed that Toyota is interested in Mazda's Skyactive engine portfolio. In turn, Mazda has its eye on Toyota's fuel-cell and plug-in hybrid technology. While more specifics were not confirmed, the companies said the "agreement will go beyond the traditional framework of cooperation," and it has the potential to be a long-range partnership. "The main purpose of this initiative is to enhance the appeal of our cars," Toyota president Akio Toyoda said at the announcement. Previously, Mazda has licensed Toyota's hybrid tech and assembled compact cars for Toyota in Mexico. Akio Toyoda said these projects "triggered" the automakers to explore further collaboration. Dave Sullivan, product analysis manager for AutoPacific, said the tie-up echoes Daimler's wide-ranging work with the Renault-Nissan alliance. "This could be a well-groomed match due to each having very unique skill sets," he said. OTHER NEWS & NOTES Volvo selects South Carolina for US factory Volvo confirmed this week that it will build its first US factory in South Carolina, with construction set to begin this fall. The company first revealed plans in March, though it didn't announce a site. The plant will have initial annual production of 100,000 units, though the vehicle or vehicles to be assembled were not specified. The factory, located near Charleston, will open in 2018 and ultimately employ 4,000 people. The facility will help Volvo continue its growth strategy, which includes strengthening its presence in the US market, where it wants to sell more than 100,000 cars per year. "Building a plant in the US is a reflection of Volvo Cars' commitment to the US and the key role the US plays in our growth objectives," Lex Kerssemakers, senior vice president, Americas, said in a statement. Ford GT spied on the road The 2017 Ford GT was spotted testing around the Blue Oval's headquarters in Dearborn, MI, this week. The raw body panels were exposed, and they lacked paint or camouflage. It's the first time the GT has been captured on the street after a spring of auto show reveals.