Auto speed: August 2009

Wednesday, August 26, 2009

New Chevy Car 230 mpg EREV

Yesterday GM shocked the automotive world by announcing that their upcoming electric-drive new Chevy car named Chevrolet Volt will gain an EPA city mileage rating of 230 mpg. It's an astounding claim - one that would make the new Chevy car more than four times as efficient as Toyota Prius. And yet, even the federal government says it can't back up GM's math.

The new Chevy car is one of several so-called Extended-Range Electric Vehicles, or EREVs, in development. An EREV functions as an electric car until its batteries are depleted to a certain level; then it starts a small gasoline engine. That engine, however, doesn't drive the wheels - it merely acts as a generator to recharge the batteries. Chevrolet Volt, GM says, can travel about 40 miles at any speed before its onboard generator kicks in.

That number is significant, because Department of Transportation figures show that most Americans drive less than 40 miles per day. For most of us, owning the new Chevy car could mean rarely ever using gasoline.

New Buicks Comes with New Style and Technology

There was a time when Buick associated with something like your old man's car. Something an old-fashioned doctor might have. What's old is new again, and new Buicks will easily lure in new blood with this Buick LaCrosse.

The new Buicks LaCrosse 2010 is a dramatic departure in both style and technology. It may not be a sports sedan, but it's a very competent sedan that's out to change our perception of Buick from something old daddy owned, to something you yourself might want to own. At the Detroit auto show we lauded the global approach to styling and design. Having been jointly developed by GM in China, Europe and North America, the Buick Lacrosse is attractive. The car feels and looks classy enough to be a Cadillac. The two-tone interior is pleasantly sculpted. The steering has a good balance of feel, weighting and precision. The driver's controls give excellent feedback, making the Buick Lacrosse enjoyable to bend into a corner.