Next-Generation Chevy Models May Roll in on Airless Tires

Through the years, there have been some beautiful rims spinning on Silverados, Camaros, and Blazers rolling down the street in style. Michelin has announced they are working with GM to develop airless tires for a next-generation Chevy Bolt electric model, expected to be available to the public in just a few years.

While this could potentially mark the end of over 130 years of traditional tires, it also could also mark the end of deflated or punctured tires. GM is working on a wide variety of electric vehicles, including ones in an affordable price range like the Bolt. Both Michelin and GM have tested the airless tire on current-generation Bolt cars.

The disadvantages of filling tires with pressurized air have been evident for quite some time: air can leak, and every tire can be punctured by harsh elements on the road. Tire makers have spent over a century coming up with ways to minimize punctures and keep air inside tires, and Michelin’s airless tire design poses the natural reliance of flexible ribs for spring action. 

There are a few reasons why tires without air haven’t been used on passenger cars much during the last century, as pressurized air is good for off-roading. As these masters of their sport navigate the trail, they reduce the air pressure in the tires, which allows the tire to flatten out and create a larger footprint on the terrain they have set out to conquer. Michelin is trying to make sure that these new tires behave with many of the same properties as traditional air-filled tires.

Lawnmowers and other off-road vehicles such as ATVs use what is known as the X Tweel, which is said to have a longer lifespan than regular tires and wheels and offer a ride without as much additional bounce. How will consumers accept all this drastic change? We think that they will love avoiding the hassle and time-consuming mess of a flat tire! 

Car and Driver Ranks Chevy Silverado EV As Coming out Ahead Against the Ford F-150 Lightning

Electrification has long been an incoming element at Chuck Hutton of Memphis as all of the nation’s major brands prepare their unique models to live up to the modernized expectation. Why is this such a high demand spectacle? Every consumer needs to be aware if the charge specs will be up to par and if this “new phenomenon” is permanently here to stay.

The staff at Car and Driver ran a feature last week that was focused on how these new models will find their various forms of success and how they match up in terms of stats and benchmark praise. The Chevy Silverado is targeting up to 400 miles of range from the available 200-kWh Ultium battery pack, with the Ford F-150 Lightning crossing the finish line brandishing 100 miles less. The Silverado weighs in at 10.2 kilowatts of output, while the F-150 Lightning provides 9.6 kilowatts of available power for other EV’s.

Both the Silverado and F-150 Lightning can tow up to 10,000 pounds, with our prized Silverado working on a future model that will be able to tow up to 20,000 lbs. This is where the highly anticipated “heavy-duty territory” sees its first integral notch. This particular blog was also impressed with the 60/40 split on deck courtesy of the midgate to lengthen the bed. The Work Truck trims will offer 510 horsepower and 615 lb-ft of torque. The Silverado’s brand-new RST model providing the “Wide Open Watt” feature enabling 664 horsepower and 780 lb-ft of torque.

Here is where it must be fully admitted that some traits take a slow, gradual formation at hand to fully embrace greatness. This will NOT be the case with electric models: these bad boys have been researched and developed and designed from the ground up with the everyday user’s needs in mind. The SIlverado EV shares the architecture from the GMC Hummer EV and bears similarity to the Ford’s with its independent front and rear suspension. 

One of the currently pressing names of the game as far as trucks are larger screens. The Silverado EV will offer a 17-inch touchscreen and 11-inch digital gauge cluster, trumping what the F-150 offers by nearly two inches. One of the final decision-makers regarding the capability of these two trucks will be made by those who already have a heavy dose of tech-savvy desire for their brand-new rig. The Silverado’s hands-free Super Cruise gives you intelligent backup for the drive on 200,000 miles of pre-mapped highways, while Ford’s Blue Cruise adaption offers only half that under its slightly guarded belt!

Chevy Bolt Production to Resume During January 2022

Electrification has been in many automotive headlines over the past year, as the final blueprints for energy-saving vehicles nationwide are becoming an exciting reality. The Chevy Bolt EV and EUV are now scheduled to resume production during the final week of January after the auto industry experienced a chip shortage which led to a slight pause in production.

This affordable and fun electric commuter has good range, L1 and L2 charge cords, and the convenience of level 2 charging installed for the user at no cost. When the Bolt first hit the market, it was named the 2017 Motor Trend Car of the Year. Now, it is mostly popular as a commuter car with a 259-mile range from its 65-kWh battery. 

The finely-tuned chassis along with a comfortable and controlled drive allow it to stand out among other available choices. You’ll be sitting in high-quality seats in a spacious interior along with a push-button gear shift that allows for more room. The 10.2-inch touchscreen features completely refreshed graphics while fitting perfectly in the dashboard. The EV also enjoys the convenience of one-pedal-driving mode, with regenerative braking ensuring you don’t need to use the brakes to slow down.

The Bolt EV is now available with a dual-level charging cord that is compatible with both Level 1 and Level 2 outlets with the Level 2 charging speed increasing to 11 kw. The driver faces a new 8.0-inch fully digital gauge cluster, and the hatchback’s rear cargo space will still offer up 17 cubic feet and up to 57 cubic feet with the seatbacks flat. Along with standard automatic high-beams and front pedestrian detection, the hatchback also can be outfitted with rear cross-traffic alert and a 360-degree camera system to provide a watchful eye. 

The models of the future will be offering the best in clean-sourced power perfect for the daily driver. During the efficient drive, you’ll enjoy the protective features of standard lane-departure warning and lane-keeping assist, forward collision warning and automated emergency braking, and available adaptive cruise control. 

Coming Silverado Electric Pickup To Feature Exceptional Agility Via Four-Wheel Steer

The coming electric Chevy Silverado is now surely destined to drive circles around the competition, and with four-wheel steer and 24-inch wheels, will dominate in even more ways. Four-Wheel Steer is a feature within the chassis that provides the ability to steer all four wheels, which gives you a tighter turning radius at low speeds, along with greater stability at high speed. 

This brand-new design has the makings of an EV from the ground up and uses the best of the Ultium Platform’s benefits and capability of the Silverado to usher in an amazing new model that gives truck buyers the durability and versatility they need while fully embracing the benefits of electric power. Both the retail and fleet versions of the electric Silverado will offer a variety of useful options, and we expect to see high demand on the lot when it proudly arrives.

Slated to be built at the same factory as the GMC Hummer EV truck and SUV models, the incoming Chevy EV will be pitted head-to-head daily against the electric Ford F-150 and many other electric models arriving within the next two years. The truck is expected to have a 400-mile range capability on each charge, and GM Authority had some renderings that display classic Silverado DNA as far as styling goes. The front end features signature two-tiered lighting, with bright LED strips that provide illumination. 

This rendering shown to the public on the internet back in April also depicted a blocked-off front end that gives the entire package a more aerodynamic vibe and has a texture that resembles what is found on the 2022 Chevy Bolt EV. The rear end has the appearance that any long time Chevy fan would expect, but has a few minor changes. There is a horizontal lighting strip across the rear tailgate and a Silverado E badge proudly proclaiming its newfound eco-friendly status. 

We are confident that the true Silverado spirit will still shine through in the new electric version, and the rich technology features Chevy users expect are becoming more user-friendly and productive by the day. Although going electric is a big change, the might and muster you can always count on from a truck aren’t going anywhere!

Electric Chevy Silverado Future Truck Plans Revealed by Automobile.com

Even though many people who closely watch the auto industry did not know that it would occur so rapidly, all of the main automakers in Detroit are now fully engaged in an electric pickup war. Last year Ford made it public that their namesake will eventually have an electric powered F-series in its arsenal, although they have not specified whether or not the Super Duty will be included in the plan. There are also plans to offer a hybrid F-150, which in itself is a step in the environmentally-friendly direction that many truck-loving types right here at Chuck Hutton could potentially shudder at, but the writing is on the wall, and there's actually reason to be excited!

During the fourth quarter and full-year 2018 earnings call to CEO Mary Barra, analysts took advantage of the opportunity to pop a few pressing questions regarding work on an electric Chevy Silverado. She then stated astutely that “We believe in an all-EV future, so you'll have to stay tuned,” and added that she believes the profit potential for this type of vehicle will really be unleashed early next decade. It's true that someday, just about every vehicle will have motors AND batteries, and aside from the potential Ford model on the drawing board, competition for the likes of an EV Silverado would include electric pickups from front-running experts such as Tesla and Rivian.

For now, the brand-new GMC Sierra light-duty and Silverado trucks are in full-production status. Last year, the heavy-duty truck changeover began, and will hit full production during the third quarter. What needs to be understood as the various elements of the future seem to come careening towards us at breakneck speed, we understand that no product really embodies classic Detroit ethics and prowess more than a heavy duty truck. They are popular among those who work hard at their trade, haul various pieces of equipment, and they can live on for literally hundreds of thousands of miles.

These days, the business of manufacturing top-level electric cars involves the intricate job of scaling up battery technology, doing everything possible to drive down cost, and making preparations for the multiple demands of tomorrow. When many large cities experience the impending rise of autonomous ride services, the drivers of trucks have needs that aren't easily replaced, and this is one of the reasons why all-electric power makes much more sense then some think at first glance. Since trucks in America's heartland will be one of the categories last disrupted by this oncoming advance, it makes the most sense that much time will be put into research and development to assure that they will soon derive power from cleaner sources.

Between 1996 and 1999, over 1,100 GM EV1 trucks were produced: they could actually hit 70 mph, and came with a lead acid battery that had a range in between 33 and 43 miles. Whatever prototypes for the Sliverado may come about in the future, they will probably have a lot more technical and abundantly useful stance than this primitive model! One look at the antics of the high-powered and futuristic eCopo here give us just a brief glimpse of just how much power can be packed into a rechargeable and much more Earth-friendly vehicle. With every year that passes, Evs will simply become more and more efficient, and mileage ranges that keep rising are going to turn heads massively!