News

Getting hands on a Ford Maverick is tough. Order books have been backed up for months, with many customers waiting over a year to get their trucks. I have some firsthand experience—my dad ordered a Maverick when the truck was first announced back in 2021, and after nearly a year of waiting he canceled his order. Yet somehow, Mavericks are already starting to show up on rental lots, specifically U-Haul.This U-Haul liveried Maverick was spotted in Florida by a user on the MaverickTruckClub.com forum. According to the company’s website, you can book one right now in Miami for $19.95 a day plus fees—pretty wild considering there are countless people out there right now waiting for months for their trucks to show up. U-HaulNo matter your feelings on the matter, it’s easy to see why U-Haul is starting to stock Mavericks in their fleet. While they’re not any cheaper per day than the larger truck offerings, their compact size and better fuel economy mean renters can fit them in more places while spending less money on gas. If you’re a current or prospective Maverick order-holder, we suggest using these U-Haul trucks as an opportunity to take an extended test drive to see if you actually like the thing before you buy. And maybe even use it to get some work done around the house. Specs, DetailsThis content is imported from OpenWeb. 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. More

This content is imported from youTube. 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.Sorting out whether a Nineties Toyota Pickup or a Lamborghini Huracán is faster doesn’t sound like hard work. But most Toyota Pickups don’t have 900 horsepower. The one in this new video from Hoonigan does. It also has a two-speed racing transmission, drag radials, a bed-mounted fuel cell, a 6.0-liter V-8, and 300 fewer pounds to lug around than its competition. But as the 3800-pound weight figure betrays, the Huracán isn’t stock, either. Its 5.2-liter V-10 has been fitted with twin turbos and custom ECUs, boosting maximum output to 1500 hp. And given that it’s mid-engine with all-wheel drive, the Huracán has some considerable advantages over the Pickup. Huracán SeasonUnfortunately, it isn’t fully sorted. In the first run, the Huracán goes into “Fuel Safety” mode, cutting power and giving the Pickup a chance to catch up and run past it. On the second run, the Pickup driver has to lift to avoid spinning out. In fact, throughout the video he’s fighting the constant side-to-side motions of the Pickup as it searches for grip. Eventually, they both get good runs, but there’s never a perfect race between them.Even still, it’s fun to watch as the Huracán rockets off down the runway and then abruptly cuts fuel. The Toyota, sliding down the runway at insane speeds, is hilarious to look at on every run. And both are good examples of the ultimate truth of modifying a car: Big power is a lot less useful if the car isn’t set up to handle it. This content is imported from OpenWeb. 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. More

Hyundai uses the vehicle-to-load capability of the Ioniq 5 to power a pop-up hotel in Essex, UK.The luxury cabin features a cinema and a restaurant with a bar, all powered by the crossover’s battery.V2L technology promises to make camping easier in the future, without requiring a bidirectional charger that vehicle-to-home (V2H) capabilities require. You’ve heard of electric vehicles’ batteries taking on charging duties beyond just making the EV move. That’s the premise behind Hotel Hyundai—an off-grid pop-up hotel where a Hyundai Ioniq 5 brings the power for all the electrical devices in a luxury cabin via its vehicle-to-load (V2L) feature. The hotel is located in Essex, England, about an hour from central London, and features a guest suite, a restaurant with a bar, and even a cinema.V2L differs from V2H, or vehicle-to-home, in that it does not require a bidirectional charger to operate, making this concept far less reliant on special hardware. In fact, all it needs is an adapter from the car.The idea for the pop-up hotel was sparked by Hyundai’s own research that showed 46 percent of respondents say that the environment and sustainability are more important to them than they were five years ago when choosing hotels, with 25 percent also indicating that they are choosing staycations instead of flying overseas in order to reduce their own carbon footprints.”Two fifths (40 percent) say they are also looking for cheaper travel options this year and over half (55 percent) admit this decision is due to the current cost of living crisis,” the automaker noted. “As a result, over half (53 percent) say they would like to invest their holiday spend in local U.K. economies rather than abroad.”This vision of sustainable vacationing includes bringing one’s own electricity.HyundaiThe luxury cabin, built by Colemans Farm, relies on V2L to power everything inside, down to the espresso machine in the small bar and the projector in the cinema. The Ioniq 5 supplies AC power (230V/50Hz) up to a maximum of 3.6 kW (15 amps).The hotel will be open for 14 nights from October 19 through November 5. “Our award winning Ioniq 5 is able to power Hotel Hyundai using its V2L feature, where an adapter from the car provides a socket which domestic appliances can be plugged into,” said Ashley Andrew, managing director of Hyundai Motor UK. “The whole experience demonstrates the practicality of this pioneering technology, and we hope the concept inspires more people to go off grid.”V2L technology received a timely introduction stateside when owners of the Ford F-150 Lightning were able to power essential appliances in their homes during prolonged power outages. But outside of emergencies, V2L technology in cars such as the Hyundai Ioniq 5 and the Kia EV6 promises to redefine the camping or glamping experience, with Hyundai’s pop-up hotel being an apt demonstration of sustainable vacation stays.This content is imported from OpenWeb. 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. More

The 2024 GMC Sierra EV arrives as a traditional alternative to the more extreme GMC Hummer EV.The electric Sierra debuts as the fully loaded Denali Edition 1, with 754 horsepower and a claimed 400-mile range.The Sierra EV Denali Edition 1 costs $108,695 and will go on sale in early 2024; less expensive models will join the lineup the following year. Let’s be honest. The GMC Hummer EV pickup truck is a beast. It’s humongous, it has 1000 horsepower, and its very name conjures up images of war machines and ’90s Arnold Schwarzenegger. That’s where the 2024 GMC Sierra EV comes in. Sure, it’s still a big, bold, and powerful full-size truck, but it’s less extreme than its Hummer sibling, and the Sierra is tailored more for folks who want a traditional truck with a nontraditional powertrain.GMC’s First Electric Sierra and DenaliThe first electric Sierra makes its debut as the Denali Edition 1, which is a fully loaded model in the same vein as the Hummer EV Edition 1 that was offered at that truck’s launch. The Sierra Edition 1 represents the first electric Denali, and it carries a sizable $108,695 price tag. It’s only available as a crew cab with all-wheel drive, which is derived from dual electric motors that combine for 754 horsepower and 785 pound-feet of torque. The only way to unlock that full power is the appropriately named Max Power mode that GMC claims will shoot the Sierra EV to 60 mph in 4.5 seconds.GM’s Other Electric TrucksFor those who don’t already know or who can’t connect the dots, the electric Sierra is essentially a resized and reskinned version of the Hummer EV (the same goes for the Chevy Silverado EV). All three pickups use GM’s Ultium batteries and share other components and content. GMC hasn’t said how big the Sierra’s battery is, but we’d bet the house it’s the same 200.0-kWh pack found under the floors of the Silverado and Hummer. Plus, its 400-mile estimated range is identical to Chevy’s figure. Thanks to its 800-volt electrical architecture, the Sierra is capable of charging at speeds of up to 350 kW; GMC says this can add 100 miles of range in 10 minutes.Future Sierra EV models will be available with different ranges and tow ratings. For now, the Denali Edition 1 comes standard with trailering equipment, and it’s rated to pull up to 9500 pounds. The truck’s Super Cruise hands-free driving system is able to operate while towing, and there are currently 400,000 miles of roads in the U.S. and Canada that Super Cruise works on. The Edition 1 can also carry 1300 pounds of payload in its cargo bed. With an adjustable air suspension, the Sierra EV can raise or lower its ride height by about two inches. The Denali Edition 1 rolls on 24-inch wheels, but a GMC spokesperson told Car and Driver the set of aggressive-looking Nitto Terra Grapplers on the version shown in these photos will not make it to production. What will make it is the rear-wheel-steering system that enables Crab Walk—a feature that was introduced on the Hummer EV and allows the truck to move diagonally at low speeds. A Transforming Electric TruckAs with the regular gas-fed Sierra, GMC has finally put in an effort to visually distinguish it inside and out from its corporate counterpart. The Sierra EV looks more handsome than the Silverado EV to our eyes. Its closed-face grille is distinctive and the front lighting elements are futuristic without being over the top. The three little light bars double as indicators of the battery’s level during charging. The actual headlights are positioned low on the bumper. The hood also opens to reveal a large front trunk with a 120-volt outlet and two drains.The Sierra EV debuts with a 5-foot-11-inch cargo bed. However, not only does it have GMC’s multifunction tailgate, but it also benefits from a foldaway wall on the back of the cab (called the MultiPro Midgate) that dates back to the original Chevy Avalanche. Open the Sierra’s Midgate to unlock nine feet of space for extra-long items (that length increases to 11 feet with the tailgate down). There are also smaller sections of the Midgate that allow part of the 60/40-split-folding rear seat to remain in place. The cargo bed’s other neat option is the built-in charging station that can provide 10.2 kW to up 10 outlets. With the proper equipment, GMC claims the Sierra EV can power a home for up to 21 days. Inside, the Sierra EV Denali Edition 1 is finished with attractive materials. The wood and metal trim are real, the dashboard design is simple yet sophisticated, and the giant center touchscreen looks slick. It has a 16.8-inch display that can be reconfigured, and there’s a physical volume knob as well as toggle switches for different functions on the lower edge. The driver faces an 11.0-inch digital gauge cluster and a head-up display, and above all the passengers is a fixed panoramic sunroof that’s designed to limit exposure to ultraviolet rays.GMC plans to release a regular Sierra EV Denali shortly after the Edition 1 becomes available in early 2024, but we don’t yet know how much it’ll cost. We do know that the company will add an off-road-oriented AT4 model as well as a more affordable Elevation trim that’ll start around $52k. However, those won’t join the lineup until the 2025 model year. Reservations to order the Sierra EV Denali Edition 1 are now open.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.This content is imported from OpenWeb. 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. More