Motor News

The 2023 Chevy Bolt EV and its EUV counterpart will end production after this year, GM today announced in an investor call.The factory where the Bolt is built will switch to producing electric trucks, with the Chevy Silverado EV set to arrive at the end of 2023.The Bolt recovered from its battery fire recall to hit a new sales record last year at 38,120 and is off to a strong start in 2023, with 19,700 units delivered through the first quarter.The Chevy Bolt EV and EUV are living on borrowed time. General Motors today announced plans to end production of the electric hatchbacks by the end of 2023. CEO Mary Barra revealed the Bolt’s planned demise during an investor call, explaining the Orion Assembly plant in Michigan where it is built will begin retooling in order to start churning out the company’s electric pickup trucks next year.ChevroletWhen the Bolt arrived for the 2017 model year, it was one of few EVs with respectable range, returning a 238-mile EPA estimate from its 60.0-kWh battery. An upgrade to a 66.0-kWh pack brought a 259-mile rating for 2020, while a styling update for 2022 also saw the introduction of the EUV—an attempt to tap into the surging market for SUVs. Bolt sales never took off quite as much as GM hoped, lagging far behind Tesla, although Chevy still shifted around 20,000 units each year.Fires caused by defective batteries resulted in a controversial recall in 2021, which saw sales briefly dwindle, but price cuts to under $30,000 for the 2023 model year helped the Bolt bounce back with its best year yet, with 38,120 deliveries in 2022. The Bolt duo is off to a hot start in 2023 as well, with 19,700 Bolts finding homes in the first quarter. More on Electric ChevysDespite the recent surge in sales, the Bolt’s older LG battery technology has been surpassed as GM launches a new electric lineup based on the Ultium platform, first introduced on the GMC Hummer EV. The Bolt EV and EUV don’t have direct replacements waiting in the wings, but the Equinox EV going on sale this year will take over the role of GM’s entry-level EV, albeit with a starting price over the $30,000 mark. Barra predicted that the Orion factory will, at full capacity, be capable of constructing 600K electric trucks each year. The Chevy Silverado EV is set to go on sale this year, with the GMC Sierra EV following in early 2024.This content is imported from poll. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.Associate News EditorCaleb Miller began blogging about cars at 13 years old, and he realized his dream of writing for a car magazine after graduating from Carnegie Mellon University and joining the Car and Driver team. He loves quirky and obscure autos, aiming to one day own something bizarre like a Nissan S-Cargo, and is an avid motorsports fan. More

The 2024 Mercedes-Benz E-class sedan debuts with hybrid power, with the E350’s four-cylinder and E450’s inline-six paired to a 23-hp electric motor.The cabin can be decked out with a screen in front of the passenger’s seat and a camera that allows for video calls while stationary. Mercedes also integrates several third-party apps into the infotainment system, with the central screen granting access to Zoom, TikTok, and Angry Birds.Mercedes-Benz is leaping into the future with avant-garde EVs like the EQE and EQS, but the automaker hasn’t forgotten the models that built its legacy. It is now breathing fresh life into the long-running E-class sedan for 2024. The new generation brings a lineup of hybridized powertrains and a futuristic interior that can be optioned with three screens and a selfie camera.Unlike Mercedes’s soap-bar-shaped EVs, the 2024 E-class retains more traditional three-box sedan proportions, with a set-back cabin and long dash-to-axle ratio. Still, the E-class is visually linked to the EQE by the black trim between the headlights and grille. The taillights feature two star-shaped elements on either side of the full-width housing. The smooth bodywork grows a few inches wider than the outgoing sedan, and Mercedes touts improved interior space thanks to a slightly longer wheelbase.Interior Tech FeaturesAlthough the 2024 E-class will come standard with two displays, the high-tech interior seen here shows off an optional third screen in front of the passenger which results in a large pane of glass stretching across the rest of the dashboard. The EQS’s similar setup is dubbed “Hyperscreen,” but Mercedes downgraded the E-class screen’s status to merely “Superscreen.” Mercedes says E-class models equipped with two screens have a large trim piece on the right side of the dashboard but didn’t provide any images showing that setup.The rest of the cabin features rich-looking leather and metal switchgear, and ambient lighting wraps around the dashboard. An optional package allows the lighting to pulse with the beat of whatever music is playing on the Burmester surround sound system. The light strip can also display visual alerts from the driver assistance systems.More on the New E-ClassMercedes is proud of the new entertainment options, with the infotainment system now drawing from a single onboard computer. If properly equipped, the passenger can stream videos and games while on the move, thanks to a system that blocks the content if a dashboard-mounted camera senses the driver’s eyes wandering from the road towards the screen. Mercedes also installed several third-party apps on the central display, including TikTok, web browser Vivaldi, and Angry Birds, while the built-in entertainment system allows for streaming as part of a subscription program.Zoom is also available, making use of the optional selfie and video camera that comes with the Superscreen. It sits atop the dashboard and allows for recording or video calls when the vehicle is stationary. The E-class also features augmented reality for navigation, overlaying arrows onto live images from the car’s myriad cameras. The voice assistant can now listen for commands at all times, provided the driver is alone, thanks to the new “Just Talk” function. The infotainment system will also suggest applications based on situation, saving drivers the time of searching through submenus.Four- and Six-Cylinder Hybrid EnginesTwo hybridized powertrains will be offered in the United States. Both engines feature an integrated starter-generator running off of a 48-volt electrical system, with the electric motor contributing a boost of 23 horsepower and 148 pound-feet of torque that can be used to reduce turbo lag and smooth out the start/stop system. The E350 uses a 255-hp turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-four making 295 pound-feet, up 22 pound-feet over the outgoing four-cylinder. Stepping up to the E450 brings a turbo 3.0-liter inline-six producing 375 horsepower and 369 pound-feet, an increase of 13 horses over the previous E450. All E-classes are all-wheel drive, and both powertrains hook up to a nine-speed automatic transmission.More Mercedes NewsThe 2024 E-class features a multilink suspension at each corner, with an optional air suspension replacing the base steel-spring setup as part of the Technology package. There are adaptive dampers and a load-leveling function that can adjust based on the road surface. The Technology package also adds rear-wheel steering, helping make the E-class nimbler at lower speeds by reducing the turning circle by nearly three feet. The E-class has many standard driver-assistance features but packages some upgrades—such as active steering with lane-centering and automatic lane changes—into an optional Driver Assistance Plus package. Mercedes hasn’t said when the E-class will go on sale in the United States, but we expect the new sedan to hit dealerships by the end of the year. Pricing also remains a mystery, but the 2024 E-class should start around $60,000, a slight bump over the 2023 model.This content is imported from poll. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.Associate News EditorCaleb Miller began blogging about cars at 13 years old, and he realized his dream of writing for a car magazine after graduating from Carnegie Mellon University and joining the Car and Driver team. He loves quirky and obscure autos, aiming to one day own something bizarre like a Nissan S-Cargo, and is an avid motorsports fan. More

The 2023 Mercedes-Benz EQS580 sedan City Edition is a specially curated model that’s extremely limited.Mercedes will only sell 150 copies of the EQS580 sedan City Edition, which is also only available in Southern California.The City Edition comes with charging-related credits and a one-year subscription to an electric scooter.There won’t be many people driving around Southern California in the 2023 Mercedes-Benz EQS580 sedan City Edition. That’s because the company only plans to sell 150 of these specially curated models, all of which will only be offered in SoCal.SoCal SpecialWhat might make someone covet one of these extremely limited City Editions? Well, for one, Mercedes says it will donate an unspecified amount of the proceeds to local Safe Kids California coalition. The non-profit organization is aimed at helping prevent family injuries.The most interesting thing to us about the City Edition is the Unagi Model One Voyager electric scooter that’s part of the deal. It’s free for the first year, as Mercedes pays for an all-access subscription for 12 months. Customers can pick from four color choices: Cool Mist, Deep Cobalt, Latte, and matte black.Look how happy this person is on their electric scooter. Mercedes-BenzMercedes also partnered with ChargePoint on the City Edition. As a result, people who buy one get a free ChargePoint Home Flex charger, along with a $1000 credit for the installation through Qmerit. There’s also a concierge service that provides support and professional guidance to help customers with the install. Plus, there’s a $250 credit that can be used through Mercedes me Charge when charging the EQS580 at public ChargePoint stations.City Edition EquipmentAlong with those exclusive extras, every City Edition has unique exterior badges as well as a numbered plaque on the center console. Other standard equipment includes a dash cam, AMG-style wheels, and a three-stage air-filtration system with a HEPA filter (normally a $450 standalone option).Mercedes-BenzOf the 150 copies that will be made, customers can choose between two metallic paint colors: Manufaktur Diamond White or Twilight Blue. All models have striped walnut wood interior trim, while the former exterior color pairs with Macchiato Beige and Space Grey leather upholstery and the latter pairs with Neva Grey and Sable Brown leather.Mercedes hasn’t said how much the 2023 EQS580 sedan City Edition will cost. The 516-hp all-wheel-drive model has a base price of $127,100, so obviously it’ll be more expensive than that. And how can anyone put a price on the fun that can be had on that electric scooter?More on the Mercedes EQS SedanThis content is imported from poll. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.Senior EditorEric Stafford’s automobile addiction began before he could walk, and it has fueled his passion to write news, reviews, and more for Car and Driver since 2016. His aspiration growing up was to become a millionaire with a Jay Leno–like car collection. Apparently, getting rich is harder than social-media influencers make it seem, so he avoided financial success entirely to become an automotive journalist and drive new cars for a living. After earning a degree at Central Michigan University and working at a daily newspaper, the years of basically burning money on failed project cars and lemon-flavored jalopies finally paid off when Car and Driver hired him. His garage currently includes a 2010 Acura RDX, a manual ’97 Chevy Camaro Z/28, and a ’90 Honda CRX Si. More

McLaren will soon reveal the 720S’s successor to the world. To get people pumped up for the global reveal—which is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET tomorrow, April 25—the British supercar-maker has posted a short teaser video on its Twitter page.This content is imported from twitter. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.The 10-second clip not only lets us briefly hear what the new car sounds like at startup, but it also gives us a glimpse of its rear end. From the video we see a set of curved taillights that sit above mesh rear vents, which are further illuminated when the lights turn on. The video closes with the words “Benchmark. Beaten.” followed by details about tomorrow’s global premiere.While McLaren has yet to officially announce the name of the 720S’s replacement, earlier this year Automotive News reported that it’ll be called the 750S. That report also claimed the follow-up will gain 30 horsepower and be a “little more aggressive” than the outgoing 720S. That model featured a 710-hp twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter V-8 and was available as a coupe and spider (a.k.a. convertible).Those details and more about the new McLaren supercar should be known tomorrow night. So stay tuned in to find out.New McLaren NewsThis content is imported from twitter. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.Senior EditorEric Stafford’s automobile addiction began before he could walk, and it has fueled his passion to write news, reviews, and more for Car and Driver since 2016. His aspiration growing up was to become a millionaire with a Jay Leno–like car collection. Apparently, getting rich is harder than social-media influencers make it seem, so he avoided financial success entirely to become an automotive journalist and drive new cars for a living. After earning a degree at Central Michigan University and working at a daily newspaper, the years of basically burning money on failed project cars and lemon-flavored jalopies finally paid off when Car and Driver hired him. His garage currently includes a 2010 Acura RDX, a manual ’97 Chevy Camaro Z/28, and a ’90 Honda CRX Si. More

Starting in 1957, engineer-turned-executive Lloyd Reuss was tied to General Motors for decades and served as its president from 1990 to 1992. His son, Mark, is the current president of GM. During his time at GM, Reuss helped develop GM’s passenger-car models and supported the company’s early electric vehicle project that eventually released the EV1.After leaving GM in 1993, Reuss spent a second career as a champion for various charities, including Focus: Hope in Detroit, which helps local students earn associate and bachelor of engineering degrees. We once called him a visionary. He was “the man who saved the Riviera from oblivion.” He planned to turn Buick from a company that made cushy “doctors’ cars” into a more youthful and exciting brand in the early 1980s. He used money from the then-nascent C5 Corvette development program on a full-size sedan platform that birthed the Pontiac Bonneville, Buick LeSabre, and Oldsmobile 88 in the 1990s. Lloyd Reuss died this weekend at 86. He was the president of General Motors from 1990–1992. Reuss as VisionaryReuss saw something happening in the company back then that made him an early champion of electric vehicles. He supported the GM Impact, the famously poorly named all-electric concept car that debuted at the 1990 Los Angeles Auto Show and later became the GM EV1.Reuss started work at GM in 1957 and became chief engineer at both Buick and Chevrolet before moving up to the role of Buick general manager in 1980. He kept moving up the ranks: becoming head of GM’s passenger-car groups in North America, then the leader of GM’s North American operations and worldwide automotive components. After his short stint as GM president, Reuss retired from GM in 1993.After leaving the auto industry, Reuss focused on charity work, including Focus: Hope in Detroit, which works to overcome racism, poverty, and injustice. He was inducted into the Automotive Hall of Fame, which notes that Reuss helped establish the Center for Advanced Technologies (CAT) at Focus: Hope in 1993 and volunteered there for over 20 years. Then and now, CAT’s mission is to teach local students so they can get a college degree in manufacturing engineering tuition-free. In part because of Reuss’s work there, Focus: Hope said GM had given the group over $14 million since 1986. The GM Foundation and the SAE gave the CAT a $500,000 grant. The CAT has awarded more than 300 associate and bachelor of engineering degrees.This content is imported from twitter. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.We are saddened to share the passing of longtime Focus: HOPE Advisory Board Chairman and former Dean of Workforce Development program Lloyd Reuss. pic.twitter.com/CaeBjO8CYq— Focus: HOPE (@Focus_HOPE) April 24, 2023Reuss was married to his wife, Maurcine, for 63 years before her death in 2020. They had two children, Charlene and Mark, who is the current GM president. Funeral service information has not been announced. The funeral home suggests donating to groups Reuss supported in lieu of flowers.Contributing EditorSebastian Blanco has been writing about electric vehicles, hybrids, and hydrogen cars since 2006. His articles and car reviews have appeared in the New York Times, Automotive News, Reuters, SAE, Autoblog, InsideEVs, Trucks.com, Car Talk, and other outlets. His first green-car media event was the launch of the Tesla Roadster, and since then he has been tracking the shift away from gasoline-powered vehicles and discovering the new technology’s importance not just for the auto industry, but for the world as a whole. Throw in the recent shift to autonomous vehicles, and there are more interesting changes happening now than most people can wrap their heads around. You can find him on Twitter or, on good days, behind the wheel of a new EV.  More

From the May 2023 Issue of Car and Driver.WHAT IT ISReports of the Maxima’s death are greatly exaggerated. While the internal-combustion Maxima is set to conclude this year, we won’t have to wait long for its electric successor. We expect it to carry some of the sharp styling from the 2019 IMs concept, a car Nissan referred to as an “elevated sports sedan.” To our ears, that sounds pretty close to “Toyota Crown.”WHY IT MATTERSNissan remains dedicated to sedans even as automakers are abandoning the segment in favor of SUV-ing everything. Putting a genuinely futuristic electric sedan at the top of its lineup would help solidify the notion that sedans are here to stay.PLATFORMThe Maxima EV will ride on Nissan’s CMF-EV platform, which underpins the Ariya electric SUV and is shared with partners Renault and Mitsubishi. It’ll serve as the base for more than a dozen EVs by 2030.POWERTRAINThe base Ariya makes 214 horsepower and 221 pound-feet of torque, and an entry-level Maxima wouldn’t be unsurprising with a similar setup. In keeping with the Maxima’s sporting intent, it’d be nice to see the IMs concept’s figures—483 horsepower and 590 poundfeet—make an appearance.COMPETITIONBMW i4, Hyundai Ioniq 6, Sony/Honda Afeela EV sedan, Tesla Model 3. WHAT MIGHT GO WRONGIt could very well end up a watered-down Bud Light, like the last three generations of gas-powered Maximas.ESTIMATED ARRIVAL AND PRICEProduction is due to kick off in Canton, Mississippi, in 2025. Pricing should be close to that of the Ariya, which starts in the mid-$40,000s.More in 2024Senior EditorCars are Andrew Krok’s jam, along with boysenberry. After graduating with a degree in English from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 2009, Andrew cut his teeth writing freelance magazine features, and now he has a decade of full-time review experience under his belt. A Chicagoan by birth, he has been a Detroit resident since 2015. Maybe one day he’ll do something about that half-finished engineering degree. More

Hyundai sold just under 4 million vehicles in 2022, but big changes are looming as the parent company aims high in the EV world.Hyundai wants to be a “top three EV manufacturer” in 2030, but exactly how the company is defining that list is vague.What we can say is that if the Hyundai Motor Group wants to sell 3.6 million EVs in 2030, it’s going to have to put in the work. The competition will not be resting.The Hyundai Motor Group wants to move on up in the world. The Korean company is objectively winning the “How ’bout these cool electric vehicles?” challenge all the automakers are playing these days, but it wants more. Hyundai Motor Group (HMG) announced earlier this month that it wants to be a “Top 3 EV manufacturer” by 2030. Exactly what that means is a bit difficult to define, and even Hyundai isn’t willing to say publicly which companies it is targeting. Tesla is obviously the world’s number-one EV company, but they’re not alone. Will Hyundai include China-only domestic brands, especially companies like the Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation (SAIC Motors) that sell their fair share of city EVs? Or does Hyundai want to be considered in the top three, no matter which companies you look at? Who Even Are the Top Three?We asked whom Hyundai considers its competition here, but HMG spokesperson Seoyong Choi told Car and Driver, “We do not comment on other automakers.” Choi did say that the company will measure the “global top three” EV sales company goal as including both passenger cars and commercial vehicles from HMG’s three brands: Hyundai, Kia, and Genesis. HMG will offer more than 30 EV models in 2030.So, instead, let’s look at the overall EV sales numbers. To put them in perspective and appreciate the magnitude of Hyundai’s plans, let’s take stock of where things are today. Globally, sales of plug-in vehicles dramatically increased in 2021, with total sales of EVs and PHEVs roughly doubling from their 2020 numbers. Despite the start of the pandemic, annual EV sales in 2020 were relatively stable compared with the preceding years, according to International Energy Agency data. Roughly 2.7 million EVs were sold in China in 2021, almost half a million in the U.S., and 1.2 million in Europe. Choi said that HMG plans to produce and sell 3.6 million EVs around the world in 2030. The Hyundai brand sold 3.9 million vehicles, of all powertrain types, in 2022 and expects to sell 4.3 million vehicles in 2023.2023 Tesla Model 3.TeslaTesla Is Still on TopWhat about Hyundai’s competition? The global EV leader, Tesla, sold 1.3 million vehicles in 2022, and despite the continued news surrounding CEO Elon Musk’s actions over at Twitter, Tesla sales remain strong. Given Musk’s behaviors, we won’t predict where things will stand in 2030, but no one should expect Tesla to fade away. Ford, GM, and Volkswagen have all made big strides in their EV game in recent years, with VW saying it wants half of its sales to be electric by 2030. VW sold 4.5 million vehicles in 2022. We’re also still waiting to see where Chinese companies with international ambitions like BYD might land between now and the end of the decade. 2023 Kia Niro EV.Marc Urbano|Car and DriverMade in Korea—and in U.S.Selling more EVs will require building new EV plants or expanding those operating today, but Choi wouldn’t say how many new plants could still be announced and constructed in time for the 2030 deadline. HMG did say it will spend $18 billion to expand the EV sector in Korea, including money for new plants, and that it expects 1.5 million of the 3.6 million EVs HMG will build and sell in 2030 will be made in Korea. In 2022, HMG announced a new plant dedicated to building purpose-built EVs like the Niro Plus, an electric model that will be used as both a general model and a zero-emission taxi in Korea.Gearing UpIn the U.S., Hyundai broke ground on a new EV plant in Georgia last October and said it would be able to produce up to 500,000 EVs a year. It seems like HMG will need to expand capacity somewhere to hit the “Top 3” target, but all Choi would say is, “We are reviewing various scenarios to respond flexibly to the market situation.” Hyundai will also be a bit more flexible when it comes to vehicle design thanks to a next-generation, dedicated passenger EV platform called eM, which will be introduced in 2025, that fits inside Hyundai’s Integrated Modular Architecture (IMA) system. Vehicles built on platforms that use IMA will be able to use standardized batteries and motors “to increase product development speed and efficiency,” Hyundai said.This content is imported from poll. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.Contributing EditorSebastian Blanco has been writing about electric vehicles, hybrids, and hydrogen cars since 2006. His articles and car reviews have appeared in the New York Times, Automotive News, Reuters, SAE, Autoblog, InsideEVs, Trucks.com, Car Talk, and other outlets. His first green-car media event was the launch of the Tesla Roadster, and since then he has been tracking the shift away from gasoline-powered vehicles and discovering the new technology’s importance not just for the auto industry, but for the world as a whole. Throw in the recent shift to autonomous vehicles, and there are more interesting changes happening now than most people can wrap their heads around. You can find him on Twitter or, on good days, behind the wheel of a new EV.  More

From the May 2023 issue of Car and Driver.WHAT IT ISAside from the follow-up to one of Porsche’s best models, it will be Porsche’s first electric sports car. Not a big deal, right?WHY IT MATTERSAn established Porsche model going electric will send shock waves through the industry. The 911 may be Porsche’s gold standard, but the 718 is a high-visibility car, and its success or failure could dictate the market direction of electric sports cars.PLATFORMThis will be the first Porsche on the Volkswagen Group’s PPE platform. That means almost nothing will carry over from the current 718. Chassis balance will remain, well, balanced because the battery will occupy most of the space aft of the firewall where the engine is today, to ensure that the current car’s mid-engine handling will remain intact. A 900-volt electrical architecture will ensure the fastest DC charging.POWERTRAINPorsche is targeting a curb weight of 3650 pounds. At that weight, the car won’t need massive energy capacity to deliver strong acceleration. Expect the base model to have a single motor with at least 450 horsepower driving the rear wheels. Later, a second motor driving the front wheels will bring all-wheel drive to the 718, and eventually, there will be a model with upward of 1000 horses.COMPETITIONLate-model used Boxsters and Caymans; Tesla Roadster (if that ever gets off the ground); Lotus Emira.WHAT MIGHT GO WRONGGetting the emotion right will make or break the 718 EV. If the car is too clinical, as many EVs are, the enthusiasm to own one will wane. There is a good chance no one wants their toy car to be an EV. At least not yet.ESTIMATED ARRIVAL AND PRICEExpect to see the 718 EV early next year, with a fall 2024 on-sale date. The Porsche hierarchy will remain, but the 718 EV will cost about $15K more than the current base 718. Look for pricing to start near $80,000 and, as usual, near-endless factory options.More Cars Worth Waiting ForExecutive EditorK.C. Colwell is Car and Driver’s executive editor, who covers new cars and technology with a keen eye for automotive nonsense and with what he considers to be great car sense, which is a humblebrag. On his first day at C/D in 2004, he was given the keys to a Porsche 911 by someone who didn’t even know if he had a driver’s license. He also is one of the drivers who set fast laps at C/D’s annual Lightning Lap track test. More