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Recharge Wrap-up: Chevy Volt class action suit proposed, Tesla stock could outperform in 2015

A class action suit has been proposed against General Motors for a steering problem in the Chevrolet Volt. The plaintiffs claim that a defect can cause the steering to freeze intermittently, and that General Motors either knows or should have known about the problem. The case, filed in New Jersey, also claims that defective parts are replaced with the same or similar parts, which are also defective. The plaintiffs say that claims for the 100-plus-member class exceed $5 million. Read more at Law360 or at BigClassAction. Tesla Motors stock (TSLA) has risen after weeks of losses. It gained 5.4 percent during the week ending December 19, when it closed at $219.29 per share. Since then, it rose slightly more, closing at $222.26 on December 24. Morgan Stanley lowered its target price on Tesla stock from $320 to $290, predicting lower sales on the upcoming Model III than expected before, but still called Tesla a good long-term investment. Analysts at CNBC predicted Tesla to be the best performing stock of 2015. Read more at ETF Daily News. Oslo- and New York-based architecture firm Snohetta has designed a zero-emissions house that also charges an electric car. The ZEB Pilot House, built in Larvik, Norway, uses a solar panel on the roof to power the house, which also provides enough excess energy to charge an EV. To make the most of energy most efficiently, the house uses smart technology to use as much energy as it can once it's harvested. This means one can turn on appliances like the washing machine remotely while the sun is at the optimum angle in the sky - perhaps during mid-day when the residents are at work. The house also uses organic materials and is designed to save as much energy as possible. Read more at Wired.

Weekly Recap: GM plans massive new paint shop at Chevy Corvette factory

General Motors is laying out some serious green to maintain the Chevy Corvette's expansive color palette. The automaker is breaking ground on a new paint shop this summer that's part of a $439-million investment to upgrade the 34-year-old Bowling Green, KY, factory that builds the Stingray. The massive new structure will total 450,000 square feet, nearly half the size of the current 1-million square-foot facility. Construction is expected to take two years and won't impact Corvette production. The upgrades include new robots that save paint and create a better finish, longer, more efficient ovens to bake in the finish, and LED lighting. There's also a dry scrubbing booth technology with a limestone handling system that eliminates waste. GM has invested $135 million in the factory in last four years for the changeover to build the C7 and to relocate its Performance Build Center to Bowling Green. The improvements continue to modernize the Kentucky factory, which has become a tourist attraction in its own right, as more than 56,000 enthusiasts visited it last year. The upgrades are part of a $5.4-billion investment GM confirmed in April that will remake its US footprint in the next three years. The Bowling Green expansion underscores GM's continued commitment to the Corvette, which sold nearly 38,000 copies around the world last year, an eight-year high. "With this major technology investment, we can continue to exceed the expectations of sports car buyers for years to come," North American manufacturing manager Arvin Jones said in a statement. OTHER NEWS & NOTES Takata recall hits 34 million vehicles The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration expanded the Takata airbag recall to an almost unthinkable 34 million vehicles on Tuesday. The recall is part of an agreement reached by the two sides where Takata admitted some of its airbag inflators have a defect, and the deal compels the company to comply with all future regulatory actions and investigations. Takata's airbag inflators were produced with "a propellant that can degrade over time" and lead to ruptures, NHTSA said. Six deaths have been attributed to the flaw worldwide. Investigations conducted by Takata, automakers, and others have not determined the exact cause of the inflator problem, but NHTSA said moisture appears to alter the propellant's chemical structure. It then ignites too rapidly, creates too much pressure that ruptures the inflator, and blasts shards of metal at passengers.

Pure Vision Design TT Camaro has 1,400 reasons to want it

We've talked about Pure Vision Design before, a California-based company that made waves at last year's SEMA show with its Martini-liveried, Indy-car-powered Ford Mustang. That same car later starred in a Petrolicious video we showed you just a few weeks back. The company's latest creation is a menacing car it calls the Pure Vision Design TT Camaro. Based on a 1972 model, this car shares the Martini Mustang's clean styling and obsession with details.
Unlike the Mustang, which draws its power from a mid-60s Lotus-Ford Indycar engine, the "TT" in this Camaro's name implies something far more potent. The Nelson Racing Engines 427-cubic-inch V8 has been fitted with a pair of turbochargers, with a claimed output of 1,400 horsepower. That's almost 1,000 more than the Martini Mustang.
A six-speed Magnum transmission dispatches that power to the ground, while Pirelli PZero tires are tasked with (somehow) trying to grip the road. Baer brakes hide behind those HRE rims, while JRI coilovers and HyperTech springs bless the Camaro with some degree of competency in the bends.