G. David Felt

Per a recent story on thestreet.com titled "Who Can Afford a Tesla, Ford or Chevy Electric Vehicle?" they state that the median salary of $51,480 before taxes for 2021 from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. This would tend to imply that of the 2 million EVs that Ford and Chevrolet both say they will build and sell by 2026 is going to be hard as the current math for a 2022 Chevy Bolt with a starting price of $32,495 based on a 72 month loan with a $2,500 down payment would require an income of $72,000 a year and has you paying a monthly $452 payment. A Ford Mach E with a base price of $44,995 requires an income of $101,000 a year with a monthly payment of $606 on a 72 month loan with a down payment of $4,500 Tesla is even more expensive when you look at the recent starting price of $47,690 which would require a yearly income of $111,000 with a 72 month loan, $4,500 down payment and a monthly payment of $652. With the recent spikes in gas prices, more people have been interested in electric vehicles, yet the current prices are out of reach of most people even on used EVs. Then take into account the spike in raw meterials such as nickel and that ends up boosting EV prices again. No entry level EV is priced under $30,000 that is equal to an ICE in range. The Chevrolet Bolt comes close, Nissan is selling Leaf's below $30,000 but with a battery range of just over 100 miles that many feel is not doable when compared to a equally priced ICE auto. Tesla CEO Musk promised a sub $30,000 EV and has FAILED to deliver. He now says auto driving is the future, not individual driving. Ford has promised an EV for all income levels, but at this time has not shown anything yet. GM has stated that the Chevrolet Equinox Electric will be a game-changer. This EV will be based on their flexible Ultium Platform that supports Ultium battery packs of 50 kWh to 200 kWh with a motor combination that runs from 235 HP to 1,000 hp depending on EV. GM has stated that this Electric Equinox will be available in FWD or AWD and will be available on the market starting Fall 2023 with a range per charge of 300 miles. We have only seen this computer-generated interior that GM released at the start of the 2022 year. The above video showing the exterior of the actual Chevrolet Equinox EV is exciting and proof that GM is moving forward to deliver on the promise of EVs for all. With war in Europe, parts shortages globally, Price increases across the board on everything, this brings up the very real question of "Can GM CEO Mary Barra deliver still on the race to electrification for all?" Many various OEMs and startups have announced EVs from entry level to luxury level. Can anyone deliver on that promise? Many here at Cheers and Gears have also debated the lack of Style and inspiration for autos in the 21st century over autos of past yore. What do YOU think of Chevrolet Equinox EV from a style standpoint? Chevrolet - YouTube Who Can Afford a Tesla, Ford or Chevy Electric Vehicle? - TheStreet

Press Release: First airing in the DRIVE block on The HISTORY® Channel on Sunday, March 27, at 11 a.m. ET, the 60-minute film follows the hand-selected group of General Motors team members that helped launch the company’s first all-electric pickup in record time – just over two years. Thanks to the documentary crew’s unfettered access, viewers will go behind the scenes of key moments in the development of the GMC HUMMER EV, from inception to start of production. “Our goal was to upend what an electric vehicle is capable of and push the boundaries from 100 years of vehicle development experience,” said Josh Tavel, executive chief engineer. “This documentary captures the soul of a team capable of incredible innovation and resilience. Their learnings are laying the foundation of vehicle development for decades to come.” GMC selected Detroit-based WTP Pictures and Hiatus to produce the film, and director Sean King O’Grady to bring the team’s journey to life. Join the team in the freezing temperatures of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula as they test the limits of the GMC HUMMER EV on snow and ice. Then, head to the scorching heat and steep red rocks of Moab, Utah, as the team fine-tunes the truck’s off-road capability. Along the way, viewers will dive deeper into GM’s testing and development facilities – previously unseen by the public – including the storied halls of the GM Design building at the Global Technical Center in Warren, Michigan, and the company’s rigorous proving grounds in Milford, Michigan, and Yuma, Arizona. Viewers will also go inside the massive undertaking to build out and retool GM’s Factory ZERO Detroit-Hamtramck assembly plant. The documentary also showcases the development of GM’s Ultium Platform, a dedicated EV architecture and propulsion system that provides flexible applications in nearly every type of vehicle. Alongside the 2022 GMC HUMMER EV, this trifecta reinforces GM’s commitment to an all-electric future. “The story we discovered while filming was far more fascinating than anything we could have hoped for,” said O’Grady. “We witnessed a bold and passionate team bring GM’s first major entry into this extraordinary transformation of the auto industry. This was an incredible opportunity to go deep behind the scenes of the development process to discover what it takes to bring a vehicle to life, and to capture this moment in automotive history as it happened.” “Throughout the film, we incorporated imagery of the team fine-tuning the GMC HUMMER EV and testing across a variety of rugged terrains and cutting-edge industrial settings,” said Jesse Ford, founder of WTP Pictures and producer of the film. “We’re excited to show audiences how hobbies and experiences inspired real world features like CrabWalk1.” Following the premiere on The HISTORY® Channel, there will be an encore showing of the film on FYI™ on Thursday, March 31, at 9 p.m. ET. The documentary will also be available for streaming via History on Hulu and History.com on Sunday, March 27 as well as on GMC’s YouTube channel starting Sunday, April 3. “A+E Networks is proud to collaborate with GMC to bring car enthusiasts behind the scenes of the making of the 2022 GMC HUMMER EV, GMC’s first all-electric vehicle,” said Mike Buccella, vice president, Enthusiast Ad Sales, A+E Networks. “DRIVE viewers on The HISTORY Channel and FYI have an incredible passion for automotive innovation and adventure and this documentary delivers those in spades.” The 2022 GMC HUMMER EV Pickup2 is the first all-electric vehicle in GMC’s portfolio and features revolutionary architecture that delivers off-road capability and on-road performance. Throughout the documentary, see how the team developed industry-leading innovations, including the available CrabWalk1 and the revolutionary Watts to Freedom3 launch control mode. Production4 of the 2022 GMC HUMMER EV Pickup began in late 2021 at GM’s Factory ZERO Detroit-Hamtramck Assembly Center – a 40-year-old facility revamped with a $2.2 billion investment to support GM’s all-electric future. The first customer deliveries began in December of last year and will continue throughout this year. GMC’s electric lineup will expand with the 2024 GMC HUMMER EV SUV5, which will go into production at Factory ZERO in early 2023, and the all-electric Sierra Denali6. Reservations for available models are currently accepted at GMC.com/HummerEV.       All-Access, All-Electric: Feature-Length Documentary Chronicles the GMC HUMMER EV’s Origin Story GMC Pressroom - United States - Images

Honda Press Release: The new $124 million Honda Automotive Laboratories of Ohio (HALO) facility, located at the independent Transportation Research Center Inc. (TRC) in Central Ohio, is the world's most advanced wind tunnel, with three separate state-of-the art testing functions — aerodynamics, aeroacoustics, and racing — in one location. Honda created the multifunctional HALO facility to reinforce its commitment to developing fuel-efficient and fun-to-drive vehicles. One of the most advanced of its kind anywhere, the wind tunnel uses a unique interchangeable modular ground plane system capable of aerodynamic vehicle testing of production vehicles and race machines. With a five-belt rolling road system designed for production vehicle development and a second single wide-belt system for testing both high-performance sports cars and purpose-built race vehicles, the tunnel can generate wind speeds of more than 190 miles per hour. Even more, the wind tunnel can quickly enable a sophisticated acoustic test system for an aeroacoustic testing mode that utilizes a powerful system of acoustic arrays, made up of microphones and cameras, able to collect real-time data and precision measurement. This becomes even more important as an element of vehicle design as Honda moves toward its electrified future. As Honda continues to move toward its electrified future, noise reduction becomes an even more important element in vehicle design. Absent engine and exhaust sounds, wind noise will be more noticeable inside the cabin of an electric vehicle. Using the acoustic test system, Honda engineers will be able to identify the precise locations of both interior and exterior noise issues more quickly than ever before. "Honda's product development capabilities will advance to new heights thanks to this investment in our Ohio research operations," said Jim Keller, executive vice president of Honda Development & Manufacturing of America, LLC (HDMA), and leader of the company's North American Auto Development Center. "With this new facility, Honda is not simply investing in an advanced technology facility but in the future of the Honda engineers and other researchers who will work here." The new wind tunnel, coupled with the company's advanced safety research center, provides Honda's R&D engineers with two world-class facilities in Ohio; both supporting the design and development of products built in America using domestic and globally sourced parts. This also is an opportunity for Honda engineers to build relationships with other companies interested in aerodynamic and aeroacoustic research, support STEM activities, and sustain the general aerodynamic community's testing needs. Additionally, the wind tunnel's aerodynamic test capabilities will help increase the range and performance of the company's future full-electric vehicles, supporting Honda's efforts to continually advance its current position as America's most fuel efficient and lowest CO2 full-line automaker. The HALO wind tunnel is Honda's latest major investment in Ohio, where the company has been advancing its ability to develop and build products for over 40 years – now totaling $14 billion. Many talk about how quiet BEVs are, many do not realize the noise current auto's make and how much noise is drowned out by the ICE and Exhaust. As the auto industry moves forward, it will be interesting to see how each auto company addresses noises that are currently not noticeable or do not gain owner/passenger attention due to sounds that are currently produced by the engine and exhaust. Dialing in an EV in the wind tunnel will become critical to the success of how these autos are accepted.   Honda Opens New World-Class Wind Tunnel in Ohio (hondanews.com)  

F-150 Lighting customers will have some benefiting from an increase in range for the spring launch showing Ford's continuous efforts to improve over time. Fleet customers have the option of purchasing the extended range battery on the Lighting Pro which now has an EPA-estimated range of 320 miles. Quote Ford: “We are laser focused on continually improving our energy consumption efficiency for Lightning and the team is really happy to deliver these results for our customers,” said Linda Zhang, chief program engineer, F-150 Lightning. F-150-Lightning-EPA-estimated-range.mp4     Ford Confirms F-150 Lightning Final EPA-Estimated Range for All Models Ahead of Customer Deliveries in the Spring | Ford Media Center

GM is a global company focused on advancing an all-electric future that is inclusive and accessible to all. The heart of their strategy is their Ultium Battery Platform, powering everything from mass-market to high-performance and Luxury vehicles. GM is rolling out EVs under its various subsidiaries of Chevrolet, Buick, GMC, Cadillac, Baojun and Wuling brands. Yet the focus here is Cadillac. GM President Mark Reuss, Cadillac Vice President Rory Harvey, Tennessee Governor Bill Lee, UAW representatives, plant employees and other officials will hold a live stream event on Monday March 21st 2022 at 11am CT available: HERE As expected, March 21st is the start of the Cadillac LYRIQ production at Spring Hill, Tennesse. GM CEO Mary Barra had stated in the past that Cadillac would originally only produce 3,200 for 2022 of the Cadillac LYRIQ. Since then Cadillac has announced that due to demand, Cadillac will now build 25,000 LYRIQ for calendar year 2022. Cadillac has confirmed that they have received 216,000 customer inquires while not confirming how many confirmed pre-orders. Cadillac will open for regular customer orders on May 19th for regular, series production versions of the battery-electric crossover. The 25,000 LYRIQ to be built in 2022 will feature a single motor, rear-wheel-drive powertrain, rated at 340 horsepower and 324 pound-feet of torque with a 100.4 kWh Ultium Battery Pack rated for an estimated 300 miles of range on a full charge. All-wheel-drive versions will enter production starting in 2023 The live stream is expected to cover this production start and a more detailed plan on the commitment to Cadillac's all-electric future. GM has invested $2 billion in the Spring Hill Assembly plant to support production of Cadillac EVs. The facility is also expected to build under contract for Honda Motor Corporation their first luxury Electric Acura Crossover also on the Ultium platform. Cadillac to Celebrate Major Milestone at Spring Hill, Tennessee, Assembly Plant (gm.com) Honda and General Motors Sign MoU Toward Establishing a Strategic Alliance in North America (gm.com) Q1 2021 Letter to Shareholders (gm.com)