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2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT

Jeep's Super 'Ute Is Fun Thrown In The Face Of Conventional Wisdom
Let's talk asses for a moment. What do they have to do with the 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT, you ask?
Well, we're here to tell you that this SRT can haul some. Lots of them, as a matter of fact: Jeep has increased the towing capacity of its most powerful SUV to 7,200 pounds. Assuming the average donkey weighs about 400 pounds, the Grand Cherokee SRT can haul ass to the tune of 18 burros, give or take a covered trailer or so, which is significantly more than it could in previous years. In 2013, the machine could manage 5,000 pounds, while the first generation was rated at just 3,500. The increase is mostly attributable to a new eight-speed automatic transmission and beefier rear axle, and it's a welcome update for those who'd like to use their SUV as, well, an SUV with an emphasis on utility.

FCA facing class-action lawsuit over Grand Cherokee shifters

Fiat Chrysler Automobiles is now facing a multi-million-dollar class-action lawsuit over the recalled shifter design in the 2014 and 2015 Jeep Grand Cherokee, and the 2012 to 2014 Dodge Charger and Chrysler 300. Grand Cherokee owners, galvanized by Star Trek actor Anton Yelchin's fatal accident, filed the suit. According to The Wall Street Journal, the owners allege that FCA concealed the shifter's problems. On top of restitution, the class action suit is demanding a court order force FCA to issue a do-not-drive warning to owners of affected vehicles until it fixes the problem. FCA started distributing a software fix to dealers last week – according to the WSJ, the update will add more warnings about the shifter's position and will automatically kick the vehicle into park if the driver steps out. FCA's shifter problems have been bubbling under the surface as part of the company's recall issues. The US government dinged FCA with a $105 million fine last year for its recall practices (or lack thereof) last year, but things have exploded this week after Yelchin's death. The 27-year-old, best known for playing Ensign Pavel Chekov in the rebooted Star Trek film series, was killed after his 2015 Grand Cherokee rolled down his driveway and pinned the actor against a security gate. According to Jeep CEO Mike Manley, the company will dispatch engineers to analyze Yelchin's vehicle. Related Video:

7 major automakers to build open EV charging network

A new joint venture established by BMW, GM, Honda, Hyundai, Kia, Mercedes-Benz and Stellantis will build a new North American electric vehicle charging network on a scale designed to compete with Tesla's industry-benchmark Supercharger network. The 30,000-plus planned new chargers will accommodate both Tesla's almost-standard North American Charging System (NACS) and existing automakers' Combined Charging System (CCS) options, effectively guaranteeing compatibility with the vast majority of current and upcoming electric models — whether they're from one of the involved automakers or not.  "With the generational investments in public charging being implemented on the Federal and State level, the joint venture will leverage public and private funds to accelerate the installation of high-powered charging for customers. The new charging stations will be accessible to all battery-powered electric vehicles from any automaker using Combined Charging System (CCS) or North American Charging Standard (NACS) and are expected to meet or exceed the spirit and requirements of the U.S. National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) program." Critically, the automakers involved will have a say in how the charging tech is implemented, guaranteeing that the hardware will play nicely with each automaker's in-house charging systems. Hyundai and Kia, for example, were hesitant to jump on board the Tesla NACS bandwagon earlier this year over concerns that the Supercharger network is insufficient for powering the two automakers' 800-volt charging systems; similar tech is used by Volkswagen and Porsche.  In addition to providing much-needed capacity and high-output charging for America's growing fleet of electric cars and trucks, the new network will integrate seamlessly with each automaker's in-app and in-vehicle features, rather than forcing customers to use third-party tools and payment systems, as is the case with some existing public charging infrastructure.  "The functions and services of the network will allow for seamless integration with participating automakersÂ’ in-vehicle and in-app experiences, including reservations, intelligent route planning and navigation, payment applications, transparent energy management and more. In addition, the network will leverage Plug & Charge technology to further enhance the customer experience," the announcement said.