1999 Cadillac Deville Delegance Gold Edetion (pearl White) on 2040-cars

Auto blog

GM, Pilot will build EVgo fast chargers at 500 truck stops across U.S.

All of our maps showing electric vehicle charging stations across the U.S. are going to need an update. Today, General Motors, Pilot and EVgo announced plans to work together on a nationwide DC fast charging network. The plan calls for 2,000 charging stalls that can deliver up to 350 kW to be installed at up to 500 Pilot and Flying J travel centers in the U.S. The goal is to have DC fast chargers available in 50-mile intervals across the country. The new charging stations will feature GM's "Ultium Charge 360" branding and "Pilot Flying J" logos but will not be limited to drivers of GM EVs. The plugs will use CCS connectors and be available to anyone. GM EV owners can take advantage of benefits, including the ability to make exclusive reservations, get discounts on charging costs and streamline the charging process with Plug and Charge and in-vehicle apps that can provide real-time charger availability. The first installation phase will take place in 2023, and "the bulk of the installations" should be completed by 2025, EVgo CEO Kathy Zoi said during a conference call with reporters announcing the plan. "We're gonna get going immediately and commence all of that engineering and planning stuff," she said. "We've got a pretty orderly plan." Pilot CEO Shameek Konar said the company expects the new EV charging stations to coexist with the current fuel infrastructure. "An average Pilot Flying J location is about 10 acres," Konar said. "This will be in addition to all of our gas pumps. The way I think about it is, this is a new source of energy that is going to coexist with gas for quite some time. We can debate how long, but we need to serve both groups of customers." Installing DC fast chargers at hundreds of Pilot's travel centers — aka truck stops — means there should be food, drinks, restrooms, WiFi and even showers available while you wait for an EV to charge. Pilot recently announced its “New Horizons” plan that will invest $1 billion in upgrading Pilot travel centers with more premium amenities, including expanded seating and lounge areas. While the exact amount of time it will take to charge an EV using these new stations will vary on the EV and its current state of charge, most EVs can refill from a low state of charge to around 80 percent in 20-30 minutes on a fast charger. The new stations are future-proofed to deliver up to 350 kW, a charge rate that few EVs today can handle.

Cadillac ELR production has stopped, Chevy Bolt coming in Oct.

It looks like General Motors' Cadillac ELR extended-range plug-in is out as the automaker prepares to go all in on the Chevrolet Bolt electric vehicle. The Caddy officially stopped production in February, Hybrid Cars says, citing Cadillac Product Communications Manager David Caldwell. There is still a "small quantity" of the coupe at dealerships, but this take on mashing up "luxury coupe" with "green vehicle" has about run its course. Caldwell and Johan de Nysschen, president of General Motors' Cadillac division, had already confirmed earlier this year that the ELR, which was first available as a 2014 model, wouldn't have any further generations, though weren't specific on when production would stop. The ELR uses an upgraded version of the first-generation Volt's powertrain to move the 4,000-pound beast, and while the Volt is now in its second generation (and this year's sales have more than doubled from a year earlier as a result), the ELR never received a similar upgrade. The ELR sold just 357 units through April. As a result, the ELR sold just 357 units through April, down almost nine percent from a year earlier. In all of last year, 1,024 ELRs were sold, compared to more than 15,000 units for the Chevy Volt, and that's after the ELR's price was cut by about $9,000 last April. The car also got about a 25-percent increase in power, but that didn't seem to do the trick when it came to boosting demand, even with the available $7,500 federal tax credit. Meanwhile, Hybrid Cars is reporting that the 2017 Bolt, which will feature a single-charge range of about 200 miles and is expected to retail for about $35,000, is likely to start production at GM's Orion Assembly Plant in October. While you wait, if you're already feeling nostalgic, check out our impressions of the ELR here. Related Video: Featured Gallery 2014 Cadillac ELR Review View 48 Photos News Source: Hybrid Cars Green Plants/Manufacturing Cadillac Coupe Hybrid Chevy Bolt cadillac elr elr extended-range plug-in bolt

GM puts e-commerce shopping in car dashboards

DETROIT — General Motors on Tuesday said it will equip newer cars with in-dash e-commerce technology, betting it can profit as drivers order food, find fuel or reserve hotel rooms by tapping icons on the dashboard screen, instead of using smartphones while driving. GM's Marketplace technology, developed with IBM, will be uploaded automatically to about 1.9 million model-year 2017 and later vehicles starting immediately, with about 4 million vehicles across the Chevrolet, Buick, GMC and Cadillac brands equipped with the capability in the United States by the end of 2018, GM said. GM will get an undisclosed amount of revenue from merchants featured on its in-dash Marketplace, Santiago Chamorro, GM vice president for global connected customer experience, said during a briefing for reporters. Customers will not be charged for using the service or the data transmitted to and from the car while making transactions, he said. "This platform is financed by the merchants," Chamorro said. GM will get paid for placing a merchant's application on its screens, and "there's some level of revenue sharing" based on each transaction, he said. It is too soon to say how much revenue GM could realize from the Marketplace system, he said. The GM Marketplace will compete for customer clicks and revenue with hand-held smartphones, which offer a far richer array of applications than the GM system will at the outset. Amazon.com is partnering with other automakers, including Ford, to offer in-car e-commerce capability through Amazon's Alexa personal assistant system. For example, GM will launch Marketplace with just Shell and Exxon Mobil icons in the fuel category. The only restaurant available for in-car table reservations at launch is the chain TGI Fridays, GM said. In addition, there will be apps for parking, and ordering ahead at coffee shops and restaurants such as Starbucks, Dunkin' Donuts and Applebee's. "We will be adding more vendors," with some coming in the first quarter of 2018, Chamorro said. In addition, he said GM plans to expand integration into its vehicles of music, news and other information services. GM also hopes to use its in-car Marketplace connections to expand purchases of products and services, such as additional access to in-car wifi, from its own replacement parts business and dealer network. Customers can "expect to see more service promotions coming through the platform," Chamorro said. Reporting by Joe WhiteRelated Video: