Drew Dowdell

Yes, but they’re not unibody on frame like the GM big SUVs and soon the EV trucks

That's like selling phone cases before the phone is released. It's both. They have to come up with a new term for it. Technically, it's Unitized Body-on-Frame. The latest Suburbans and Tahoes are set up like this too. Everything from the front to back on the body is now one welded piece and it all sits on a traditional frame.

Fisker has announced that the Ocean Extreme has achieved an EPA rating of 360 miles, longer range than any SUV under $200k currently sold. The Extreme is the top range of the Ocean lineup, with Ultra and Sport offering 340 miles and 250 miles of range, respectively. There is also the Fisker Ocean One, a special edition of the Extreme, but unless you already hold a reservation for one, you're not able to buy it. The Ocean Extreme prices out at $68,999 base and features dual-motor AWD, boost mode, and a host of driving assist features. California Mode drops all windows aft of the windshield, including the tailgate and D-pillar windows, allowing for an open-air driving experience. Ocean Ultra has a base price of $49,999, which slightly undercuts the Tesla Model Y LR while offering 10 extra miles of range. Ocean Sport undercuts the Tesla Model Y base by about $10,000 but has 29 fewer miles of range. On a 350 kW DC-Fast Charger, the Fisker Ocean can gain 200 miles of range in just 30 minutes. Now with EPA certification in hand, Fisker says that the first Ocean deliveries will start the week of June 19th, with production rapidly expanding after that. View full article

I like the look, but I feel like the passenger side windows are a bit weird. I'll have to try out to see how effective they are.

General Motors has recently been in the habit of releasing vehicles in China before bringing them to the U.S. Buick released the Envista in China back in September of 2022 but waited until just a few weeks ago to announce the Envista for the U.S. Similar patterns have happened with the Cadillac XT4 and Buick Encore GX. We suspect the same thing is happening here with the Cadillac GT4 that debuted Monday in China. What is it? The Cadillac GT4 is essentially a slightly fastback version of the Cadillac XT4. While decidedly less "coupe" shaped than the Buick Envista, the GT4 stretches the vehicle's look and gives it a more low-slung side profile. The interior of the GT4 is essentially a direct carryover from the XT4 with a large, curved 33-inch-diagonal infotainment and gauge screen that sweeps two-thirds of the way across the dash. Other available features include a 15-speaker AKG Audio system, HD streaming mirror, heads-up display, haptic seats, and iKey wireless entry. For China, the GT4 is powered by either a 1.5-Liter turbo or a 2.0-liter turbo 4-cylinder, both with a 48V mild hybrid system. While power specs for the 1.5-liter are not discussed, the 2.0L is listed at 233 horsepower, roughly the same as the 235 horsepower in the U.S. version. Buyers can select front or all-wheel drive. What will we get? While the overall vehicles that are sold in both the U.S. and China by GM are essentially similar, the details and features often change. Don't expect the U.S. version of the GT4 to come with a mild-hybrid system, 1.5T, or iKey, but the AKG Audio system, HD Mirror, and heads-up display will probably make it over. A feature that the US may get that China does not is massaging seats. Cadillac has choices on where to build the GT4. The XT4 hasn't been selling in large volumes and it shares its U.S. production line with the Chevy Malibu in Kansas City, so GM could decide to build it there. Or, with the possibility of the GT4 being a low-volume model, they could just as easily ship it over from China. In China, and with the lower spec 1.5T, the GT4 will have a base price around the equivalent of $31,000, and we suspect that number will be higher in the U.S. as the 2024 XT4 has a base price of $39,090. While Cadillac has no official word yet, we expect to hear something soon about the GT4 for the U.S. market. View full article

Again. The payload rating is only for the sticker. Federally, the Silverado EV will be in the same class as the Silverado 1500. The Silverado EV is 233 inches long and the Cybertruck is 231 inches long. But that means because the Cybertruck has a 6.5 ft bed rather than the 5.5 (without midgate) the Silverado EV has, the Silverado EV will have a larger passenger compartment. While the Silverado EV has a larger "snout" like a conventional truck, look how far back from the windshield and front the driver sits in the Cybertruck. That's all wasted space. Giving me the same energy....

From Tesla themselves in a letter to CARB: There is no class "2b" in Pennsylvania. You get bumped into class 3. But you can also simply math it. A Model-X plaid is 5,390. Even if we assume the Cybertruck will be the same weight (it won't) 5,390 + 3,500 is 8,890. That's Class 2b Federally and Class 3 in Pennsylvania. But that would be just the 250-mile range model. Expect the 500-mile version to have double the battery of the Model-X Plaid, so an additional 1,200 lbs. Now it's firmly in Federal Class 3 territory (Silverado HD 3500) and PA Class 4. And those estimates are based on Model-X weights. Tesla themselves estimate a top curb weight of 6,500 lbs. (5,390+1,200= 6,590)

Duh. That's because it's a 3500-class truck. In Pennsylvania, that means $202 a year to register rather than $105 for a Silverado EV, along with higher insurance costs. And AGAIN, it is a paper rating. The Silverado EV is capable of more, but the sticker is only set where it is to let it slip in as a 1500 series truck. The fact that there will be an option that will exceed the Cybertruck's rating tells us this. It may get slighly heavier duty shocks and springs, but I expect the press release of the Silverado EV HD to be underwhelming in content. Bed size really doesn't matter in the 1500 class under 8 feet and in the 3500 class, the Cybertruck gets beat by true 350/3500 trucks in payload capacity and bed size. From a capability standpoint, the Cybertruck is the Nissan Titan HD of the truck world. Not quite a 3500, but priced like a high-end 2500. (Silverado 2500 HD High Country 6.6l Gas = $72,895). And the range and capability of the Cybertruck that you keep parroting is only going to be for the higher-end models. It's going to be a $110k+ vehicle to get the 500 mile range. The Silverado EV will get 450 for $30k less. You can buy 4 Hiluxes for the price of one 500-mile Cybertruck. The math isn't mathing. Edit: I forgot to add - the Silverado EV can accommodate an 8+ foot payload. The Cybertruck can't. So yea, the Silverado EV beats it there.

Volkswagen has been teasing us with the I.D. Buzz for 6-years when they made the announcement back in 2017 that they would bring the I.D. Buzz to market. The standard wheelbase model has been on sale in Europe since May of last year, and today, Volkswagen is officially announcing the long-wheelbase version for sale in the U.S. starting next year. The ID.Buzz will not, as previously reported, be built at VW's Chatanooga plant alongside the ID.4, instead being built in VW's Hanover Germany plant. Powering the LWB ID.Buzz is a new 210 kW (286 hp) electric drive motor and a newer, larger 85 kWh battery, an increase over the standard length model of 201 kW and 81 kWh, respectively. Later, there will be an all-wheel drive model called the ID.Buzz GXT with 250 kW (339 hp) that can get to 60 in 6.4 seconds. Helping to keep the range up is a new heat pump HVAC system in all versions. While the photos make it look small, at 195 inches long, it is two inches longer than a standard wheelbase Jeep Grand Cherokee and the same length as a VW Atlas Cross Sport. But with no internal combustion equipment to take up space, the ID.Buzz offers seating for up to seven people and a cavernous interior. It is likely that the ID.Buzz will offer more room than even full-size mini-vans from Chrysler, Honda, and Toyota. A panoramic smart-roof is offered that can adjust from transparent to opaque with the touch of a slider or a voice command. North American versions will also offer air-conditioned seats. The official reveal with more details will come later today. View full article