GM’s Cruise Automation will expand its test pool, while keeping a focus on city driving, something it has said gives it an edge in the autonomous driving..
GM’s Cruise Automation will expand its test pool, while keeping a focus on city driving, something it has said gives it an edge in the autonomous driving space. What better city to use for testing, then, than New York, one of the densest and most hectic traffic nightmares in North America.
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Cruise will test its self-driving fleet in New York in a five-mile square section of Manhattan, the company announced led via the WSJ, in a move that will also make it the first automaker to test autonomous vehicles in the city. Each will have a safety driver on board, as they do in the current San Francisco test, but now they’ll be tackling inclement four-season weather, as well as other drivers and pedestrians who are less laid back than their west coast counterparts.
Alongside the pilot deployment, Cruise will also be operating a new research center in the city, likely because it doesn’t make much sense to round trip the data back to its offices in San Francisco. No word yet on timeframes for consumer-facing deployment, but as Cruise’s testing in NYC proceeds, it seems likely the GM subsidiary will replicate its staff-facing prototype on-demand autonomous pick up service in Manhattan, too.
Cruise recently explained that it believes its testing in city environments provides much more useful data in terms of helping teach its autonomous driving systems, vs. testing in suburban areas, like the Arizona pilot location for Waymo’s on-demand ride hailing trial. I’d expect more major cities to become testing targets for Cruise as capacity and local regulators allow, then, since it seems like GM will aim to deploy and future consumer self-driving services in those areas first.
The news came tucked away deep in a longer story regarding the Bowling Green factory’s imminent November 6th reopening, after a multi-month reset designed to retool the plant to build new models. The facility will go back to cranking out 2018 Corvettes for two and a half months until concluding that run on January 22nd, according to the paper, at which point the GM plant will begin the process of switching over to the new model.
The million-dollar question, though, is just what that 2019 Chevy Corvette will look like. The eventual arrival of a mid-engined Corvette is pretty much the worst-kept secret in the automotive universe these days, but it’s entirely unclear just when said mid-engined ‘Vette will make its grand entrance—especially seeing as how General Motors also presumably needs to roll out the C7-based Corvette ZR1 before the new eighth-generation sports car arrives. (Also unclear: Just where the new DOHC V-8 confirmed for the 2018 Corvette by internal GM paperwork plays into these future plans.)
Regardless of what sort of car it’ll be, if correct, that January 29th date—coincidentally or not—means the 2019 Chevy Corvette will enter production immediately after the Detroit Auto Show wraps. Could that be a sign that GM has big plans to reveal something very, very fast at the next installment of the North American International Auto Show? Guess we’ll have to wait until 2018 to find out for sure.
The next-generation Corvette is destined to do battle with exotic sports cars like McLarens, but first…McDonalds!
What is almost certainly a camouflaged prototype of the long rumored mid-engine Chevrolet Corvette was spotted pulling into the drive-through of a Michigan Mickey D’s, with two more and a current convertible Corvette parked in the lot nearby.
Despite the heavy cladding and dazzling wrap, the shape of the front of the vehicle exhibits the distinct style of a Corvette, while its long rear deck is a clear indication that its motor is in the middle.
Chevrolet hasn’t even yet acknowledged that it is working on such a vehicle, so details are scarce. Speculation is that it will feature a lightweight chassis, however, and may reintroduce an overhead cam engine to the Corvette lineup, along with a hybrid powertrain.
As for when we’ll know for sure, with the prototypes looking nearly complete, a debut at the Detroit Auto Show in January is looking likely, and sales should follow in 2019.
The real mystery is: what were they doing at McDonald’s? Were they just hungry, or making sure a Big Mac could fit through the Corvette’s window?
1st Gear: The CAMI AssemblyStrike Continues To Affect Chevy’s Precious Supply Of Chevy Equinoxes
The strike at the CAMI Assembly plant in Ingersoll, Ontario, has been going on for weeks now and Chevy is starting to feel the sting in the form of a diminishing stockpile of its popular SUV the Equinox.
From Automotive News:
Stockpiles of the Equinox, GM’s second-best-selling nameplate, are quickly drying up, despite the automaker’s attempts to ramp up Equinox production at two plants in Mexico to supplement Canadian output.
U.S. inventory dropped to 43,453 vehicles, or a 41-day supply, at the beginning of October, according to the Automotive News Data Center. Estimated inventory stood at an all-time high of 74,400 units, or a 66-day supply, in June.
“That’s going to be hard on Equinox to compete on such a limited quantity in such a hot segment,” said Edmunds analyst Jessica Caldwell.
Since the June peak, Equinox inventory has dropped on average about 10,300 units per month. If that pace continues, it would mark the lowest Equinox inventory level since 30,900 vehicles in August 2012.
There are still a lot of Equinoxes left, of course, so buy one while there’s still time. You can find the perfect one for you at Ron Westphal Chevrolet in Aurora, IL. Call our customer care team now at 630-898-9630.
Thanks for reading about Chevrolet Is Running Low On Equinoxes. You may also enjoy this article about 2018 Equinox styling.
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Read our most comprehensive review of the 2018 Chevrolet Traverse’s standard features, trim levels, and available options.
2018 Chevrolet Traverse In-Depth Model Review Overall Rating:
Based on size alone, the Traversehas always excelled at hauling both people and cargo. With its all-new-for-2018 redesign, Chevrolet addressed what might have been the Traverse’s biggest negative: its minivan-esque appearance. The new Traverse is square-jawed and trucklike and loses none of its usefulness in the makeover. It features a new and contemporary infotainment system, a more refined cabin, and available high-end goodies that push the big three-row crossover upmarket. Its V-6 engine proved to be both gutsy and fuel efficient in our testing. The Traverse’s suspension provides a compliant ride while maintaining its composure in corners. The second and third rows can accommodate adults comfortably, and there are plenty of cupholders and USB ports throughout the cabin. Unlike its predecessor, this latest-generation Traverse is more than just a minivan alternative.
HIGHS
Huge cargo capacity, excellent connectivity features, room for up to eight.
Whether navigating the burbs or hitting the open road, the Traverse is a family-friendly hauler with a long list of talents.
What’s New for 2018?
Chevrolet has completely redesigned the Traverse for 2018—and not a moment too soon—with new, more masculine styling, modern connectivity technology, nicer interior materials, more efficient powertrains, and additional safety features. It has retained the previous generation’s mammoth size, interior spaciousness, and family friendliness, all the while reducing the big crossover’s weight.
Trims and Options We’d Choose
The $35,495 midrange Traverse LT is the best place to start, as it adds features such as 18-inch aluminum wheels, fog lights, roof rails, second-row captain’s chairs, a power-adjustable driver’s seat, and more to the list of standard features. To this, we’d add the Convenience and Driver Confidence package for $1795, which includes:
• An 8.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system with a 4.2-inch gauge-cluster information display
• Heated front seats
• Remote start
• Blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert
• Rear parking sensors and power rear liftgate
All in, our front-wheel-drive Traverse LT would roll out of the Chevrolet showroom at $37,290. All-wheel drive is available, but it adds about $2000 to $3800, depending on trim.
Thanks for reading about the 2018 Chevrolet Traverse In-Depth Model Review. You may also enjoy this article about 2018 Traverse Pricing.
Want to test drive a new 2018 Chevrolet Traverse? Visit our dealership, Call our Customer Care Team at 630-598-1029 or stop by our websiteanytime.
With today’s energy costs, recouping the initial price premium the Chevy Bolt EV carries over its hybrid Volt brethren will take quite a bit of time.
is the Bolt the best green vehicle in a Chevy portfolio that also includes the second-generation Volt hybrid? The answer to that question depends on a number of variables, but there’s no denying that the Volt also possesses strong green credentials with 53 miles of all-electric driving range. When factoring in the gas engine, a total range of up to 420 miles is possible, according to the EPA.
Setting aside environmental factors, when it comes down purely to the dollars and cents, does the Volt or the Bolt make better financial sense?
Making up the difference
The technical advances in the Bolt are extraordinary, and the fact that Chevy is offering it at a base price of $37,495, which includes destination charges, seems reasonable. However, that’s still at a $3,400 premium over the Volt’s $34,095 MSRP. Since both cars qualify for the $7,500 federal tax credit, buying Chevy’s full electric vehicle over the hybrid will still cost you $3,400 more in most states, but final transaction prices can vary wildly with dealer discounts or mark ups depending on location.
How long will it take you to recoup the additional investment in the Bolt? For the sake of simplicity, we will forgo taking into account maintenance costs, where the Bolt holds an upper hand over the Volt, as those will differ from dealer to dealer. Instead, we’ll focus on cost per mile deduced from EPA estimated figures.
Based on the EPA’s combined estimates, which factor in 45 percent highway and 55 percent city driving, the Volt costs 4.3 cents per mile to operate with today’s average $2.42 per gallon price of gas and 13 cents per kilowatt hour of electricity. In the Bolt’s case, 3.7 cents of electricity is required to travel one mile, meaning the full electric car saves you 0.6 cent per mile over the Volt.
Taking that into account, the Bolt and Volt need to cover 566,667 miles before the $3,400 price premium is recouped with today’s energy prices. To put it another way, for folks who drive an average of 15,000 miles per year, the break-even point will take nearly 38 years to occur. After that, the energy cost savings is all gravy!
Chevy Bolt a stronger case in California
In states that offer tax incentives on electric and hybrid vehicles, the Bolt’s financial case can get a little more appealing. For example, in New York the Volt receives a $1,700 tax credit, while the Bolt gets a slightly more generous $2,000 incentive to bring the beginning cost difference to $3,100.
California helps the Bolt makes its strongest case against its gas/electric sibling with the EV getting a $2,500 incentive, while the hybrid only receives $1,500 to drop the initial price gulf to $2,400. Breaking even in the Golden State will take 400,000 miles, or about 27 years for those who drive 15,000 miles per year.
GM’s Cruise Automation will expand its test pool, while keeping a focus on city driving, something it has said gives it an edge in the autonomous driving..
New report claims the 2019 Corvette starts rolling off the line that date. But will that be the all-new model?
The next-generation Corvette is destined to do battle with exotic sports cars like McLarens, but first…McDonalds!
The real mystery is: what were they doing at McDonald’s? Were they just hungry, or making sure a Big Mac could fit through the Corvette’s window?
HIGHSWith today’s energy costs, recouping the initial price premium the Chevy Bolt EV carries over its hybrid Volt brethren will take quite a bit of time.
