G. David Felt

Chevrolet is proud to announce the Silverado EV ZR2 off-road race truck as part of the Hall Racing Team lineup. This truck will take part in the notorious Mint 400 off-road race event. This truck will join the existing race teams Silverado ZR2 and Colorado ZR2 race trucks as a three-truck race team and the EV ZR2 will compete in the Open Production EV Class. Chevrolet has state that there is no better testing ground than the unlimited outdoor race events such as the Mint 400. The Silverado EV ZR2 race truck concept uses 98% GM Production parts showcasing the incredible capabilities of GM trucks. This concept race truck follows the same ZR2 winning formula of the Hall Race Teams ICE trucks. Lifted, front and rear suspension with specific off-road tuning that continues to deliver on the pavement Multimatic damper technology Locking differentials Underbody skid protection The Silverado EV ZR2 Race truck concept came together in five months of development. The EV ZR2 take the Silverado to a new level of performance in that the truck has 37-inch BF Goodrich KM3 Mud-Terrain tires, tri-motor electric propulsion system that creates 1,100 horsepower and 11,500 lb-ft of torque more than earning it's right to wear the ZR2 badge. Racing of the EV ZR2 has already help develop more than 44 off-road performance parts that owners can buy from the dealerships parts department to enhance their truck.  The Silverado EV ZR2 reveal starts the launch of a summer of fun with Chevrolet introducing the first off-road EV Silverado in the form of the 2026 Silverado EV Trail Boss edition. This truck will come with an OEM factory installed lift, 18-inch wheels, 35-inch all-terrain tires and red tow hooks. This allows the truck to have 13-inches of front and rear wheel travel. The truck will also come with a new Terrain mod giving the truck increased maneuverability in tight spaces. Pricing and further information will be released soon leading up to the summer on sale date. View full article

Cadillac continues to deliver on their move to being the standard of the world again in luxury autos and their move to an electric product line supported by an ICE product line. Cadillac had originally set a timeline of all ICE autos to be ended by 2030 but due to slow global sales, has taken the end date of ICE luxury autos off the table and will instead stop production with EVs clearly outsell ICE. With their recent delivery of the OPTIQ, Vistiq, and LYRIQ V EV's to the Cadillac family, Cadillac has moved forward with expanding the Escalade family having equal standard and extended length SUVs with the 2026 Escalade IQL. The IQL edition takes the best part of the Escalade IQ and adds additional passenger and cargo capacity for those that need extra space. Cadillac has had the bestselling full-size luxury SUV in North America since 2014 and the Escalade IQL will further that lead. The Escalade IQL has been engineered to have a unique character while maximizing spaciousness for passengers in a three row configuration with ample storage throughout the cabin and in the rear. The Escalade IQL offers class leading cargo space with a eTrunk (frunk) that holds 12.2 cubic feet of cargo and behind the 3rd row seat an additional 24.2 cubic feet. With the third row folded into the floor you then have 75.4 cubic feet of cargo and once the second row is folded a total of 125.2 cubic feet of cargo capacity. Cargo capacity is not the only thing as the Escalade IQL has a Max Trailering capacity of 7,500 lbs. The Escalade IQL delivers interior space where it counts as the EV version gains four inches of additional legroom for the third-row seat passengers from 32.3" in the ICE version to 36.7" in the EV version. The third-row seat also gains an inch of headroom, 38.2" versus 37.2" in the ice model. Carrying the tech-forward luxurious accommodations, the Escalade IQL has an available Executive second row package that  features the following: 12.6-inch-diagonal personal screens Stowable tray tables Dual wireless phone charging pads Massage seats Heated and Cooled seats 14-way power adjustable seats Rear command center screen Cadillac continues to deliver on class leading technology with an enhanced in-cabin experience: A curved pillar-to-pillar 55-inch total diagonal display for an immersive and personalized infotainment experience with voice control, navigation, an app store and dedicated ESCALADE IQL graphics. Seating available for up to seven total passengers, with a power folding third-row, which folds flat for more storage Standard AKG 4 Studio 21-speaker audio system, with available AKG Studio Reference 38-speaker system, which increases to 42 speakers with available Executive Second Row package. The AKG audio system also features custom-tuned speakers and amplifier content. Dolby Atmos® for deeper depth, clarity, and detail when listening to music and entertainment Standard Super Cruise5 driver assistance technology on all trims (3 years OnStar Super Cruise plan6) Available 5G Wi-Fi® hotspot capability7 connected by OnStar, along with a comprehensive suite of OnStar safety and connected services that enhances each journey and delivers extra peace of mind Ample passenger entertainment options, including HD streaming and browser compatibility, so customers can log into any streaming app and watch The Escalade IQL also comes equipped with vehicle-to-home (V2H) bidirectional charging capabilities, which when paired with the GM Energy V2H Bundle, allows for the transfer of energy between the vehicle and a properly equipped home during times of need. Performance is another area that Cadillac delivers on with the Escalade IQL. Cadillac-estimated 460 miles of range on a full charge and recovery of range of 116 miles per 10 minutes on a public DC Fast Charging Station. The ESCALADE IQL enables a lifestyle with no compromise – customers can expect more space but the same iconic performance, including: 750 hp and 785 lb-ft of torque (with driver-selectable Velocity Max Cadillac estimate) 0-60 mph in 4.7 seconds (with driver-selectable Velocity Max Cadillac estimate) A Cadillac-estimated max towing capacity of 7500 lbs 205 kWh battery pack Magnetic Ride Control 4.0 and Air Ride Adaptive suspension isolate passengers from undesirable road surfaces while providing precise steering and feel Isolated Precision, Cadillac’s ride and handling philosophy – quiet, smooth and effortless with a strong connection to the road Independent front and rear suspension 24-inch wheels and 35-inch tires Suite of standard active safety and driver assistance features Standard Super Cruise the industry's first truly hand-free driver assistance technology (with three years of OnStar connected service) The ESCALADE IQL will be offered in four trims – Luxury, Sport, Premium Luxury, and Premium Sport. MSRP starts at $132,695 including destination freight charge, and excluding tax, title and dealer fees. Dealer sets final price. Get the latest updated info from Cadillac web site here: All-New 2026 ESCALADE IQL | Large Electric SUV | Cadillac View full article

As @smk4565 states, sales of select EVs are way up in comparison to ICE sales way down, so over all Ford is down, but their EV sales are up. While lighting sales were down 15%, the e-Transit line being up and the huge Mach-E sales of 62% up gave Ford a 15% gain in overall EV sales at a time that ICE were down. Those were the numbers Ford reported.

Honda also just announced that they will bring the Hybrid Civic form Mexico and add it to the plant that builds the regular Civic, Accord, CR-V, and Passport. Totally agree flexible assembly is a must and Tesla is also a company that is not flexible with their assembly yet. Mercedes is a joke, just on electrical alone they have four platforms: MMA, MB.EA, AMG.EA, and VAN.EA. ICE they have multiple but I cannot seem to find a clear answer even on their website about ICE platforms. The main thing is Mercedes has announced that they plan to get to only two platforms that will be used for ICE/EV by 2028 and have a single global platform by 2030 for all versions of autos.

This is the year that a ton of EVs come off lease, as such, an expected surge in low-cost low mileage EVs will hit the market. Might be a good way to go for a commuter auto.

The U.S. and Japan are on a verge of being blocked out as China finances African and South/Central America counteries move to green energy via solar and wind with this adding electricity to many places that did not have it before and thus then allowing BYD to sell EVs into these places that many had previously said would not ever buy EVs as they did not have the electrical grid. Seeing that Narobi has added GW of power from green energy sources, it has expanded in a nation where gas runs 13 to 15 a gallon as I stated to running cheap EVs. So I see Tesla as having reached their peak and falling behind other auto companies, Tesla saving grace will be their charging network in Europe, Asia and North America. Korea will be a leader with their wide assortment of 800V EVs being sold globally.

I agree that once more low cost options are on the market and people who cannot afford a 50k to 100k EV drive a 20k to 30k ev they will change over due to less maintenance and far superior interior space and driving experience. Every person who has driven an ev has pretty much told me they would not go back to ICE except for those that drive allot due to their job, they are not wanting to change habits in how one charges over fueling or as the news has blown up, those living where it is hard to charge. The driving experience was not the problem, it was the ability to charge and idiot landlords that are missing out to charging fees that they could make due to being stupid. FYI China auto association that reports registrations have confirmed that Tesla sales were down 49% for the month of February in China.

If this happens, I doubt anyone except the 1% will be able to afford any auto. Trump might consider tariffs on copper to blunt China's growing sector | AP News

To say that 2025 is business as usual is an understatement in that it is anything but usual. As the new administration attempts to destroy society moving forward with Electric Vehicles and return to a 1970's or 60's way of thinking with inefficient ICE or internal combustion engines this begs the question: How are EVs doing in the marketplace right now? According to ARENAEV.COM website dedicated to tracking sales globally, EV sales globally are expected to increase by 30% at a time that the industry is expecting a contraction in ICE sales of less than 1% for 2025. Specific to regions, the industry is looking to sales to be as follows: The BEV market share is for the end of the year 2025 by region. So specifically, the projection is that the U.S. will have an 11.2% market share of new auto sales standing at 11.2% come December 31st, 2025. Europe's race for market share is interesting as while car sales declined 2.6% overall, BEV grew 34% and HEV grew 18.4%. The looser was in ICE auto production / sales. Latin America is another interesting auto Market where auto sales are peanuts compared to the U.S. market, yet EV sales have taken off going from 2% in 2023 to standing at 6% in 2024 and yet for January / February 2025 EV sales have hit 16% of new auto sales as BYD from China and other asian EV auto companies expand offering inexpensive EVs in the market. Isreal is another interesting market where EVs stood at 18% in 2023, grew to 24.5% in 2024 and while overall auto sales are down 21% in 2025, EVs have continued to outpace ICE sales with an interesting leader, BYD. Africa is another place that many would not have thought about as due to the lack of consistent infrastructure EVs are something that folks would tend to think would not sell. Nigeria has seen the ICE industry crash in sales as people struggle to fuel their autos when it takes approximately 18,000 to 20,000 naira a day to run an auto compared to 4,000 naira a day to fuel an EV. Nigeria and other African countries are taking advantage of moving to Solar power by the gigawatts to spread electricity across the continent faster than the ability to build gas stations. With this has come an explosive expansion of EV sales brought by two countries. China and Vietnam are leading the EV revolution with inexpensive EVs. With this information about the world around us, it brings us to the U.S. as we have two months under our belts and the U.S. stands as follows: January saw EV sales in the U.S. 30% higher than a year ago with EVs making up 9.1% of all new auto purchases coast to coast at 102,243 EVs sold. An interesting highlight of auto sales is that American's bought 30.5% of used auto's as EVs with 40% of them having an average price under $25,000 and the overall average price of used EVs stood at $37,476. Used EV sales are up 3.5% over December 2024. February saw EV sales in the U.S. of all new auto sales make up 10% of new auto purchases coast to coast. Many auto companies blend their ICE/Hybrid/EV sales. Specifically, over all new auto sales fell in February 2.7% over the same time last year. There were clearly winners and losers in the industry and the list of winners is much easier to list: Kia, Hyundai, Genesis led with sales up 7%, 3% and 20%. Eking out small gains of 1% or less were Mazda, Subaru, and Lexus. Everyone else has negative sales compared to the same period a year ago. Fleet deliveries were also down 18.8% for the month. As the U.S. economy takes a roller coaster ride, Cox Automotive has reported that for the first time, all auto companies have a 94-day average supply of unsold new vehicles. This is 2% higher than at the start of the year, 15% higher than at this same time last year compared to having a desired 60-day supply. The following auto companies are running from 100 to 160 days inventory supplies are Ford, Lincoln, Buick, Ram, Jeep and Dodge. Ford is the rare auto company that saw a 12.7% drop in ICE sales while Hybrid sales jumped 27.5% and a 15% gain in EV sales. Tesla that does not report numbers monthly but quarterly is projected to have a massive drop in sales globally as registrations are showing huge declines as Germany showed a 60% drop, France was a 63% drop and China showed a 22% drop in new registrations. In the U.S. till they report the numbers for the quarter, Tesla has had the majority of the EV market to themselves with California being their largest market. California market share for Tesla stood at 60% in 2023, dropped to 52.5% in 2024, and with looking at EV registrations in California at the end of February / January, Tesla is showing only a 11.6 percent market share of the California EV market based on new EV registrations. Depending on the report you read, Tesla is looking at only having a 44% market share of EVs at this time in the U.S as other auto companies grow their market share of EVs. While overall auto sales have been down, EV sales have continued to go up with 222,589 EVs sold for the first two months of 2025 based on total new autos reported sold. In some states that have high gas taxes such as the west coast, fuel cost compared to electric rates have played into people buying EVs along with their lower cost of maintenance. Sales are expected to continue to grow as lower priced models come on the market such as the Kia EV2, 3 & 4 car and SUVs that have much more interior space over a traditional ICE auto. In asking the questions at the start of "How are EVs doing in the marketplace right now?" One could say they are doing much better than expected, especially with the headwinds of the current administration. View full article

Idiots are making me very nervous about flying this May for the company's tradeshow. Musk is an Idiot and his Satellite company will not make things better over what Verizon has been doing in slowly modernizing the system.

Cadillac Lyriq V AWD - 5,810 lbs - 650hp - 615 lb-ft of torque - 285 miles of range - Top speed 130 mph - 0-60 in 3.3 seconds - starting price $79,990 BMW BMW iX M60 AWD - 5,862 lbs - 532 hp - 749 lb-ft of torque - 274 miles of range - top speed 155mph - 0-60 in 3.2 seconds - starting price $106,095 Mercedes EQE SUV AMG AWD - 5,768 lbs - 617hp - 701 lb-ft of torque - 230 miles of range - Top Speed 137 mph - 0-60 in 3.1 seconds - starting price $110,750 @Drew Dowdell @ccap41 Cadillac has delivered an outstanding value with performance.

9s would have been a great badge for the car.

I have noticed a very disturbing trend. Be it light rail to work at 5am or at the dealership in the waiting room, I am seeing more folks just ignore who is around them, put their phone on speaker and chat away with whoever is on the other end. Was at Kia to get my Kia Connect app on my phone connected as they had a major outage, and it disconnected the phone app from the app that required going to the dealership to get it re-connected. Bummer, but as I sat in the waiting room, there was an old couple talking to I think their grand kids and I get on speaker phone then both can hear the other person, but then you need to use an inside voice but understandable. The one that is not is the individual person that is there on speaker phone with another talking away on high volume disturbing the rest of the folks sitting around waiting. Really need to remind folks of better etiquette when out and about, no need to hear the other person. Seems to be a growing trend as Washington state has grown big time over the last few years and now, I constantly have kids with their auto's radio system loud and booming so that it interrupts my listening to my own music inside my auto. Wish parents would raise their kids better.

Happy Birthday @oldshurst442 I hope you have a Hurst of a Day!!!

@trinacriabob This is way too funny what folks here are doing with their Tesla's. https://www.news.com.au/technology/motoring/motoring-news/why-do-tesla-owners-rchange-their-badges/news-story/36f97d5ade14e330524af4024dd7ed7 At least the person was complete in making sure all details were there. SkyActiv -Check, CXs - Check, Logo - Check, Mazda name across trunk lid - check Excellent attention to details. Wonder what the front looks like, big Mazda Logo too? Built out of a Prius: 🤣 No Suprise that the companies might have to die again as they cut employees and funding from the parent owners is cut off. https://electrek.co/2025/02/27/another-luxury-automaker-cuts-jobs-after-failing-to-keep-up-with-evs/ https://www.carscoops.com/2025/02/stellantis-pulls-1-5-billion-investment-from-struggling-maserati/

Very interesting GM patent on their tailgate, but one does have to wonder if the added weight is worth changing from cable / chain support for the tailgate to a beefy hinged tailgate. GM’s New Tailgate Patent Makes Loading Easier (If It’s Strong Enough)

Interesting Read on the Auto Industry. U.S. Car Stocks Get Hit by Coming Tariffs. Ford and GM Could Benefit Down the Road. 85% of people now feel the U.S. will go into a recession with some seeing a Depression. Stock analyst delivers blunt words on recession risk Another interesting read. America First? Not when it comes to stock markets worldwide this year Business Insider interviewed federal workers, and I am glad many are going to fight for their jobs. Incompetent leadership put in place by an incompetent administration with a Narcissistic wealthy man who is clearly only looking out to make himself wealthier needs to be kicked out and his citizen ship revoked which can be done for those that came here on a tourist visa and illegally overstayed their visit. Federal workers react to Trump administration's new plan for restructuring, staff cuts: 'They'll have to fire me' Interesting read from the Irish Star News of Ireland. Startling moment British PM Starmer becomes visibly crestfallen as Trump interrupts during tariff discussion

R.I.P. Will be interesting to know what the cause of death is since they both died in different areas as did the dog. Deaths of Gene Hackman and his wife called ‘suspicious’ by investigators I would say it will be a combo of both now. Pathetic that we have idiot leadership that is too stupid to not see how Musk is manipulating Idiot47 as well as the rest of the Lemming GOP. Europe, China and Japan are growing double digits this year compared to the 1% gain in the S&P 500 here. Warren Buffett has sunk almost 138 billion into Japan last year and now and so clearly see's value there.

Idiot47 is clueless about markets and how demands are driven. The days of Drill baby Drill are in the past as China like many European countries have gone down the EV path too far to return to ICE, as such a glut is coming of cheap oil and production cuts I forsee. Cheapest oil prices in years. https://www.yahoo.com/finance/news/us-oil-steadies-60s-dour-233311987.html

I understand how history buffs love to hold onto everything, but then everything does live a life and then dies. In this case, repurpose as a cool Diving reef, I think scuba divers will enjoy diving on the ship and seeing how things change over the years in regard to the marine life. I am very interested in how they will sink her. ANSWERED LOL SS United States moving: Ship sinking expert explains how the historic ocean liner will be prepped for its underwater grave - 6abc Philadelphia

Hard to revoke citizenship if they were born to a parent of that citizenship, but if they emigrated here or as Musk did come here, overstay his welcome and then found someone to sponsor him to become a U.S. citizen, we can revoke and deport them. Under the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, the government cannot revoke the citizenship of a natural-born U.S. citizen. However, denaturalized U.S. citizens are subject to removal (deportation) from the United States. The federal government can pursue a civil or criminal proceeding in federal court to denaturalize a citizen. If a citizen loses their citizenship, this does not necessarily mean that they will be required to leave the U.S.. Instead, they will revert to their previous legal status in the U.S., unless they are subject to grounds for removal.

Agree with you on the Chinese versus Tesla. Toyota has cash, but like European, has FAILED in China and with Chinese exporting to Africa, South America, and Europe are falling behind in the sales. They are behind in EVs due to the idiot Chairman who says Hydrogen is the future. Japan economy is mostly Auto Driven with Exports to the U.S., Europe and other places on the planet. Japan is begging to be excluded from the Tariffs that take effect next week. I honestly do not see the Japan Auto Companies surviving in their current State, Toyota could end up like GM in only very Select markets with minimal products.

Kia, Hyundai and Genesis build their EVs now in the U.S. and many ICE models, they have already stated they will move the rest of their production to the U.S. over the next 18 months. They want the business and market share and I think they will hurt the Japanese, European, Ford and GM on top of taking away the market from Tesla. Hyundai only makes the Tucson and Accent in Mexico, everything else in the U.S. Kia make Reo and Forte in Mexico for North American Market. Genesis makes all their auto's in Korea and the U.S. for global markets.