1965 Eldorado Convertible, A/c, Bucket Seats, Loaded With All The Options on 2040-cars

Auto blog

GM executive chief EV engineer says reducing cost of plug-in vehicles is 'huge priority'

As we know, another major automaker investing heavily in electrified vehicles is General Motors, and it's doing things much differently than rivals BMW, Ford or Nissan. The Chevrolet Volt extended-range EV is a modest seller at its $35,000 sticker price but a huge hit with owners. The Chevy Spark BEV, still in limited availability, puts smiley faces on its owners and drivers. The just-introduced Cadillac ELR, a sharp-looking, fun-driving $76,000 luxocoupe take on the Volt's EREV mechanicals, has admittedly low sales expectations. With this interesting trio in showrooms and much more in the works, the third vehicle electrification leader I collared for an interview at Detroit's North American International Auto Show (see #1 and #2) was Pam Fletcher, GM's executive chief engineer, Electrified Vehicles. ABG: Why do your EREVs need four-cylinder power to extend their range when BMW's i3 makes do with an optional 650 cc two-banger? "We designed [the Volt and the ELR] to go anywhere, any time" - Pam Fletcher PF: I get that question all the time: why not something smaller? You don't really need that much. You use the electric to its ability, then you just need to limp. But we designed those cars to go anywhere, any time, and we don't want their performance to be compromised. If you're driving through the mountains, we don't want you to be crawling up grades, or to be limited on any terrain. So it's optimized to be able to travel literally the biggest grades and mountain roads around the globe at posted speeds. Because what if you can't? Another good reason: when the engine is on, you have to run it wide open throttle, max speed, most of the time. And while we can do a lot with acoustics, and the ELR has active noise cancelation, a small-displacement, low cylinder-count engine at high speed, high load all the time isn't something you want to live with. That's how we came up with the balance we did among the key factors of performance, NVH [noise, vibration and harshness] and range. ABG: Where you go from here? Is the range-extender engine due for an update? PF: We know and love the current Volt, and there is still a lot of acclaim about it, so we think it's a good recipe. But we are heavily in the midst of engineering the next-generation car, which I think everyone will love and be excited about.

Cadillac prices 410-hp XTS Vsport from $63,020*

Cadillac has officially released pricing for the 2014 XTS Vsport. Buyers can expect to pay $63,020 for the fleet four-door, including destination and handling fees. That kind of coin will snag you a twin-turbocharged 3.6-liter V6 good for 410 horsepower and 369 pound-feet of torque. As you likely already know, engineers have done a lot more than simply bolt a pair of turbos onto the company's tried and true naturally aspirated 3.6-liter V6. The engine uses an all-new block, strengthened connecting rods and domed aluminum pistons and is fed through a revised direct-injection fuel system. Combined, the tweaks allow the V6 to suck down 12 psi of boost.
The price tag puts the 2014 Cadillac XTS Vsport well under potential (if ambitious) competitors like the Audi S6 at $71,900, plus destination fees. A base BMW 550i will set you back $62,700, excluding destination charges, but throwing options at the German sedan will quickly see that number climb higher. You can check out the full press release below for more information.

Cadillac ELR next EV to get Plugless Power wireless charging tech

Evatran has been testing its Plugless Power wireless charging systems for electric vehicles in the Chevy Volt and Nissan Leaf for years now and made the tech commercially available early this year. With the growth of the EV market, Evatran is getting ready to expand as well. The company announced today that it will add three premium EVs to the Plugless Power system by the end of the year, with the first (and so far only) named model being the Cadillac ELR. We expect it was not difficult for Evatran to adapt the Plugless Power system to the ELR, since the vehicle's powertrain is so similar to the one in the Volt. The main problem we see is that Cadillac has only sold 390 ELRs (as of the end of June), so this first Plugless Power expansion isn't exactly going to ignite sales, even if every ELR owner opts for the cool tech. If one of the next two announcement is for the Tesla Model S, though, then you're talking numbers. Speaking of the future, what models do you think will be next? The Plugless Power L2 wireless systems were recently declared safe by the Intertek and start at $2,470, not including installation or government incentives. All the online/smartphone connectivity features that work with the car when it's got a cord stuck in it work with the L2 system, Evatran says. Orders start today, and the ELR package will be available September 1. There's more, including a local news report on the technology, below. WSLS 10 NBC in Roanoke/Lynchburg Va Wireless Vehicle Charging available to Cadillac ELR owners starting September 1st The Cadillac ELR Joins the Growing List of Compatible Electric Vehicle ("EV") Models from Evatran, the World Leader in High-Power Wireless Charging RICHMOND, VA July 28, 2014 – In an exciting statement today, Evatran Group, Inc. ("Evatran"), announced that its PLUGLESS wireless charging technology would soon be available on the Cadillac ELR. Evatran, the first Company in the world to make wireless charging available to individual EV drivers, currently has systems that are compatible with the Nissan LEAF and Chevrolet Volt. The Cadillac ELR is the first model to be announced in what is intended to be three new premium model announcements by the end of 2014. Evatran will begin accepting advanced orders today for deliveries as soon as September 1st. "The launch of the Cadillac ELR system is an important milestone for us," commented Rebecca Hough, Evatran CEO and Co-Founder.