G. David Felt

What is not to love about off-road rally races? Speed, dirt, crazy driving, spectacular occasional crashes, lots to love if you love the planet being outside. Now Ford has decided to go green with the latest rally auto to help the planet and that is the: As per Ford's press release, for the first time in six decades of Mustang history, the Mustang is leaving the tarmac and hitting the dirt road. Welcome to the road rally Mach-E. At this year's rally, Goodwood Festival of Speed 2023, enthusiasts and onlookers will get a look at the first rally-inspired electric SUV from Ford. The Ford Mach-E rally will be available to order starting fall 2023 in the U.S. and Europe, then later for other markets. Professional off-road rally driver Ott Tanak will drive this Mach-E rally edition at the Festival. Darren Palmer, VP for Electrical Vehicle Programs had this to say: “Mustang Mach-E took the freedom and fun of Mustang and made it free from emissions. Now with Mustang Mach-E Rally, we’re providing our customers the freedom to venture off the asphalt and beyond the beaten path,” Ford is ensuring right from the start that the Mach-E Rally will be ready to go from the factory to handle anything that comes your way. For those that want to stay up on the first-ever rally-inspired, five passenger Ford Mach-R, monitor the following link: MACH-E Rally From the inside to the outside, the MACH-E Rally is ready to tackle anything thrown at it. Rally your world in the Mach-E Rally Mustang-Mach-E-Rally-B-Roll.mp4

GMC has announced the full details of the Hummer EV 3X Pickup, with both standard and Extreme Off-Road packages. Standard features on the 3X Pickup trim include: 22-inch wheels and 35-inch All-Terrain tires 4-Wheel Steer with CrabWalk3 diagonal drive capability Air Ride Adaptive Suspension Extract Mode Watts to Freedom4 launch experience 0-60 mph in approximately 3.5 seconds with the standard 20-module battery 0-60 mph in approximately 3 seconds with the available 24-module battery Super Cruise hands-free driver assistance feature with more than 400,000 miles of compatible roads in the United States and Canada5 Up to 381 miles of GM-estimated driving range on a full charge1 with the available 24-module battery pack Building onto the truck’s capability, the available Extreme Off-Road Package on the 3X trim adds: 18-inch wheels and 35-inch Mud-Terrain tires Four additional underbody camera views6 for 18 total camera views Front e-locker and rear virtual locking differentials Heavy-duty ball-spline half-shafts Underbody armor consisting of five skid plates and rocker protection with built-in assist steps, as well as two underbody shields to protect the battery and drive units Up to 359 miles of GM-estimated driving range on a full charge2 with the available 24-module battery pack In standard mode of 381 estimated Miles, this is a 26-mile increase over the 2023 model. With Extreme Off-road Package, the Hummer EV Pickup is rated at 359 miles, a 30-mile increase over the 2023 model. The 2024 model goes on sale this fall 2023 to current reservation holders. The Hummer EV 3X standard will have a starting price of $106,945.

Sean Yoon, president and CEO, Kia North America and Kia America made the following statement: “Like Telluride, EV9 has the potential to be another ‘game changer’ for Kia, this will be the most sophisticated vehicle that we have ever built and will be a standout in the EV market and on the road. Best of all, it will be assembled in West Point, Georgia.” Kia has announced a $200 million expansion of their West Point, Georgia assembly plant allowing production of the 2024 EV9 three-row SUV in the second quarter of 2024. Kia has stated that this will create 200 additional jobs and will be the fifth model assembled at Kia Georgia joining the Telluride, Sorento, Sportage and K5 EV. Kia first manufacturing site in N.A. will have a annual capacity of 340,000 vehicles for their 2,200 acre campus located in West Point, GA. Kia Georgia began U.S. production on November 16th, 2009 and currently produces the Telluride, Sorento and Sportage models. They also produce the K5 mid-size EV sedan at the Georgia site with the expansion of adding the EV9 and others yet to come for U.S. production. All Kia models are assembled from locally and globally sourced parts including the EV product line. As required by the IRA act, as production comes online in the U.S. components will be changed from global suppliers to local suppliers.