G. David Felt

Seems Diesel gate is far from over as Porsche HQ is raided to collect evidence. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-volkswagen-emissions-porsche/porsches-offices-searched-as-part-of-ongoing-diesel-probe-der-spiegel-idUSKCN20M1HR Swiss bans ALL events with people gathering in size of 1,000 or more. Why is this important? https://www.reuters.com/article/us-china-health-swiss/swiss-anti-viral-ban-on-large-events-hits-geneva-car-show-head-on-idUSKCN20M18O Geneva Auto Show canceled just days before it is scheduled to open. They list how some of the auto companies are going to deal with new auto or concept introductions in the story. Last year 660,000 attended the show, those that bought tickets in advanced will get refunds, but since the Health Department canceled the show, the OEM Auto companies will NOT get a refund. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-autoshow-geneva-cancellation/axing-of-geneva-car-show-forces-manufacturers-to-rethink-car-launches-idUSKCN20M1NH In what is called a Squeeze out offer, VW has made a tender offer to buy out all minority stock holders of Audi. VW owns 99.64% of the stock. They want the last .36%. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-volkswagen-audi-buyout/vw-offers-to-buy-out-minority-shareholders-in-audi-idUSKCN20M2XJ

Just like right up to the point you have to refill the empty tank!

Chevrolet Bolt is probably faster too than this auto.

Chevrolet has put up a nice 2020 Corvett Stingray gallery. https://www.chevrolet.com/performance/corvette?evar36=eml_chev_adhoc_corvettebarrettjackson_0220_16293324474#gallery

Thank you Robert, I truly did not make that connection till now and now I understand. Got it, Thank you again.

Great write up. Thank you @William Maley I also find this very much a weird body style that is more hatchback than CUV tradition. If one did not want an Asian CUV, which would you best compare this to from America and German?

That is a Forgetable Car. Meh

I sold my very first auto, a Chevrolet 1976 Series 5 Luv Truck that I restored to New like condition for double what my dad paid for it new and still came out ahead as I used the money for college. My 2nd auto which was my very first new car purchase was a 1991 Ford Escort GT that was built for Ford by Mazda and my wife was seriously injured when rear ended in it totaling the auto. I still have my 3rd ever purchased car. 1994 GMC SLE Suburban. Love it still!

This is what is all the use on the west coast since it is all compostable. https://greenpaperproducts.com/biodegradable-hot-cups.aspx Lids are awesome from this company.

Good read and I have to say the writer hits a number of valid points. Chevrolet Impala is worth Eulogizing according to this writer. https://www.thedrive.com/news/32351/the-last-car-why-the-chevy-impala-is-worth-eulogizing

WOW, Go GO GO Hyundai!!!! Sonata Hybrid for the US gets EPA numbers of 52 MPG with a range of up to 686 miles per tank. https://www.carsdirect.com/automotive-news/2020-hyundai-sonata-hybrid-fuel-economy-rated-at-52-mpg This matches the Toyota Camry Hybrid and beats the Honda Accord Hybrid which is 48 mpg. Per the story, this is a huge jump over the 2019 model which was only rated at 42 mpg. Starting price is expected to be $26,680

Since @ocnblu does not like anything not pure ICE in the Random Thread posting this here: VW Touareg PHEV will also come in a VW Touareg R PHEV with a combined 456 HP / 516 lb-ft of torque. A R first for VW division of performance and a first for the CUV line. https://www.autoblog.com/2020/02/26/vw-touareg-r-phev-geneva-motor-show/ 456 HP / 516 lb-ft torque - 3.0-liter turbocharged TFSI V6 gas engine with 335 horsepower, with electric assistance provided by an e-motor producing 134 hp - 8sp transmission with standard 4motion AWD. Max Towing 7,716 lbs Pure e-mode allows 30 miles of pure EV up to 87 mph then ICE kicks in to a top speed of 155 mph. Have to say this is a Sharp looking CUV.

According to the Incoming COO, Ford is in Dire straights as it was back when it put everything up for loans to survive compared to the bankruptcy by the cross town rivals. https://www.autonews.com/executives/farley-says-ford-faces-sense-urgency-similar-financial-crisis

Seems Tesla according to various stories such as this one is confirming shipping to customers Tesla Y CUVs. https://electrek.co/2020/02/25/tesla-model-y-deliveries-customers-confirmation/ Where as Tesla on their own News site says deliveries will begin in Fall 2020. https://www.tesla.com/presskit#modely If the news of actual delivery's to customers is true, this really could help Tesla get into a consistent profitable quarter after quarter business model. Seems since no clear info has been released from Tesla on the Model Y, a fan used his water bottle to measure ground clearance. Seems to be about 8 inches. Twitter post on Tesla Y ground clearance Tesla Model Y ground clearance measured, well kinda. Didn’t have a tape measure with me, so used the next best thing ? [tire size: 255/40/20] https://electrek.co/2020/02/27/tesla-model-y-ships-in-weeks-yet-were-measuring-ground-clearance-with-water-bottles/

Back in 2016 I wrote a piece about in-wheel hub motors and listed options of this technology that would cover medium duty commercial auto's. The start up company was doing great work here in the US yet no one seemed to really notice or pay any attention to the possible performance options with an AWD auto that would have 800 hp / 4,000 lb-ft of torque where they had proven the technology in a Ford F-150 pickup converted. Fast forward two years and I highlighted another startup that was building an in-wheel hub motor size on par with traditional drum brake units that had great possibility also for efficient fast EV torque monsters. Since that time both companies have merged with Chinese backed companies to survive and have seen success in China building EVs with their motor tech. Elaphe has gathered increased interest with building BMW prototypes off their in-wheel motor tech. 2020 showing their latest testing efforts in a BMW CUV. In this time ProTean has also continued their development showing off their Tank mode in a SAAB after NEVS (National Electric Vehicle Sweden) bought them in 2019 and they they built this prototype of what can be done. Protean Electric elaphe Why am I bringing this up again since we have had 5 years since Protean hit the market and 3 for elaphe? Lordstown Motors, Bollinger and Nikola have all recently announced trucks or expansion of a truck to an SUV and stated they will be using in-wheel hub motors. Lordstown has been very vocal about being the first mass produced pickup truck in the US and many wonder just how close they are to production as we have Rivian starting production at the end of this year. Lordstown Motors story To quote a familiar statement, We Live in Interesting Times! It will be interesting to see who gets to market first with in-wheel hub motors as well as who gets to market first with a truck full size pickup truck.

Totally agree with you on the Blackwing and the over complicated Turbo mess these engines are. Love your Microblock family idea. That I would sell to GM, Go Go Dwight!

Yet Feature function of the Rivian pickup is on par with ICE Pickups. Audi e-tron is highly priced for the new tech, but then all new things are.

Sadly that same ignorance is what got us the First and Third Reich. Blindly following ignorant Narcissistic idiots is what leads to the downfall of Society. We have to continue to push via discussions otherwise we are doomed our selves. Change is never easy for those that are lazy, yet change is what allows Humanity to thrive and improve. Only You are Fooling yourself. As I have stated, when they have EVs that fit me, I will happily change out my Full size SUV for one and Rivian just might be it. Awaiting the coming EVs to decide what to get once I can actually sit in one and drive it. As far as the Wife, if you actually had a life partner who you cared about and wanted to be happy, you would understand making sure she has options to pick from. As is, cheaper right now to fill the gas tank till the option she likes comes about. This is called putting others before yourself! The facts if YOU ACTUALLY READ show over time the life of EVs sales has grown and will continue to grow. No short period and no this is not the first time cars have been sold. Amazing your flimsy excuses with no facts or discussion, just static status quo. Humanity dies with this type of thinking. Enjoy your life.

Weird that in all the years GM owned Opel and Vauxhall they said they could never make it profitable. Yet PSA Group within the first year after buying them have them as profitable divisions. https://abcnews.go.com/Health/wireStory/peugeot-maker-sees-record-profit-virus-clouds-horizon-69225919 Something is sure crooked in GM House.

In Seattle George town district we had a very cool Hat's n Boots gas station that I grew up around. The Cowboy Boots were the bath rooms. This was it 5 years or so ago as it got landmark status. It was a Texaco gas station last when it finally closed down. Now it is a restored park for everyone.

You said "China's 2018 percentage of plug-in vehicles "on the road" is still under 1%.". According to the statistics, sales would equal on the road as I cannot fathom why one would buy an auto and never drive it.sales show that 4.2% of auto sales in 2018 were EVs / plug-in hybrids. Does that not make them on the road? ? Just wanting to understand your thinking. Thank you

@oldshurst442 Well said, @ocnblu hates EVs but never discusses them or offers alternatives. https://afdc.energy.gov/vehicles/electric.html The tools on the home page allows you to put in todays modern EPA mileage for an EV and ICE and compare costs and Emissions and even in a Coal \ Natural gas electrical supplied area, EVs are cheaper and cleaner than ICE. Outstanding data on the real sales numbers of EV's / Hybrids http://www.ev-volumes.com/country/total-world-plug-in-vehicle-volumes/ While this was the projection published in May 2019 about 2019 EV sales, we will get a solid look at 2019 and projections for 2020 around May 2020. https://www.iea.org/reports/global-ev-outlook-2019 ACCORDING TO THE DATA China sales of EVs is greater than under 1% as you quote. https://insideevs.com/news/394229/plugin-electric-car-sales-china-2019/ 6.8% of all auto sales in China in 2019 were EV's or plug in Hybrids where it was 4.2% in 2018. This holds true across multiple sites using Statistica Data and Government supplied registration data. https://wattev2buy.com/global-ev-sales/china-ev-sales/ So with almost 7% of Auto's sold in China being EVs, that would imply that even with a down economy, we are looking at more EVs / plug in Hybrids sold than people realize. I actually think that people are wanting to go with less maintenance EVs, but due to the lack of style / size options people are holding off and for those that cannot hold off, they are buying new ICE or Leasing ICE to get around for now. Solid State batteries where you have 4 to 10 times the power density of Li batteries is the key to light weight and longer range. Once you have full size Pickups / SUVs out we will see more people change leaving behind ICE and trips to the gas station over plugging in over night to top off their battery pack. Change is Scary for some while other embrace it. LA had Terrible Air Quality almost year round. Having relative in the Greater LA area, summer trips were done each year and the haze was terrible compared to now with clear sky's that allow one to see the mountains again. As such, alternatives such as Hydrogen and EVs / Plugin Hybrids is the answer.

Yea, Right Bucko, just like the Gov trying to force men to marry woman when they are already wired for men to men. The same could be said for the Woman side of the fence. End result is the GOV is NOT forcing you to buy an EV, but they are giving incentives up to a point to help those that WANT TO take care of the Planet for Themselves, Their Children, Grand Children, etc. There is that old saying that you do not get something for nothing. Been proven, Humans are consuming and hurting the planet. As such we have to change our habits. Some places (CHINA) will force the issue fast, Some places (EUROPE) will phase it in and then you have ignorant incompetent leadership that allows us to fall behind the rest of the world. Not looking good for the US in regards to Technology leadership, Alternative Energy, Stewardship of the resources / planet we live on. We need competent youthful leadership looking down the road to Rebuild America and not Static Boomer Incompetence. Go Ahead, Down Vote me. Fact is, some of US care about you and everyone else and know we need to change habits with recycling, cleaner air, alternative ways to move about. Change is Hard Change is Good Change is the Future

Never say Never, ya know auto girls and guys love to play!

Seems NTSB has found Tesla AT FAULT for the death in 2018 of a Tesla X owner who was playing games while the autopilot was engaged. With little oversight and a complete disregard for safety warnings / safe guards, Tesla is at fault for the death of the man. The chairman points to how the rest of the auto industry had incorporated safety features, but Tesla ignored them. It has been 881 days since NTSB told Tesla to incorporate safety measures into their Autopilot system and they have still ignored the NTSB. https://www.autoblog.com/2020/02/25/tesla-autopilot-walter-huang-crash-ntsb-hearing/