MotorTrend Deems 2020 Chevy Bolt Range Higher Than Tesla Model 3

It was not that long ago when severe anxiety over electric vehicle range was common. Motor Trend ran a story on their blog last week depicting the progress that has occurred with the range issue for electric vehicles, and the very solid rise in final range for the 2020 Chevy Bolt! The EPA-estimated range for this electric hatchback is now up to 259 miles, a 21-mile increase from last year's 238-mile peak. A 9-percent increase is a gain that will surely turn heads: considering the current state of public charging availability, EV drivers have to scrutinize every single mile during a trip.

We have all been in a situation where another 20 or so miles of driving range would be a game-changer, making or breaking your latest planned journey. Boosting the Bolt's range was much like a world-class barbecue joint's strategy that one would find right here in Knoxville, and involved a bit of “secret sauce”! Engineers went hard to work on altering the cell chemistry of the car's 60-kW-hr lithium-ion power source, making each electrode more energy-dense. The task was completed without any physical changes to the battery pack, so its not any larger or heavier in the long run.

The new model will also start at the exact same price as last year, and will include 200 horsepower, 266 lb-ft front-wheel-drive powertrain, with a 120-volt portable charge cord to provide the necessary juice. DC fast charging capability is also an option, and this range boost now gives the Bolt bragging rights of beating out the entry-level Tesla Model 3, which is situated at 240 miles. Year by year the range has been improving, and Chevy now also trumps the Volkswagen e-Golf, which still crosses the all-important range finish line at just 125 miles.

There are now Oasis Blue and Cayenne Orange Metallic exterior, as well as the All-weather floor liner. The HD Rear Vision Camera replaces the standard Rear Vision Camera, and HD Surround Vision replaces the UVH Surround Vision. What would all of us on staff here at West Chevy of Knoxville like to see for the future? One feature that Tesla provided that could work wonders is the ability to preheat the battery before heading to a DC fast charger in harsh winter conditions, helping in the long run during a time when you need juice in a hurry. One thing that is absolutely certain is that change is rapid and abundant in the electric vehicle marketplace right now, and as consumers will undeniably expect more and more, we will keep you posted about important updates as they come across our desk!

Chief C8 Corvette Engineer Ed Piatek Claims “More Powerful Variants to Come”

One mile north of Detroit in Ferndale, Michigan is where the world-famous Woodward Dream Cruise begins every year: It's all about cool cars, showing off, hanging out, being seen, and some of the best people-watching on the globe. It took place this entire past week in and around the Motor City, and is now the world's largest one-day automotive event, drawing 15 million people and 40,000 classic cars each year from around the globe. You can see many different types of Corvettes during this event, and the Motor Trend staff was able to catch up with Ed Piatek, the C8's chief engineer.

They questioned him about the potential of more powerful variants in the future, and he offered up some wisdom regarding just how excited he was about the mid-engined model's brand-new existence. The base Stingray has a pushrod 6.2-liter small-block V-8 engine. The updated LT2 makes 490 hp, and 465 lb-ft of torque and the performance exhaust with the Z51 package takes that up to 495 hp and 470 lb-ft of torque. He wasn't quite ready to talk specifics about future superchargers, Z06, ZR1s or topics as earthshaking, but all of us here at West Chevy of Knoxville know just how high-performance levels can get with a car this awesome. 

Ed began by laying out the fact that the seventh-generation C7 was tapped out and had reached its maximum potential, and that the physics of biasing an engine's weight towards the rear axle has been questioned for more than 6 decades. Horsepower can be used more efficiently with the configuration of the new C8, and there is the potential for more bandwidth. If you look at the current generation car with 460 hp and the 0-60 time, 300 horsepower can be added to that number and the 0-60 time barely moves. With the C8, you begin with a low 0-60 time, but with a wider wheel-tire package in the rear, and 20 percent more mass on the rear axle. 

When asked if he had concerns about the C8 completely “maxing out”, he said that he felt the new model definitely had lots of room to grow, and it was obvious he was really enjoying the abundance of ripe potential with the new model. The outgoing 2019 ZR1 with the LT5 supercharged 6.2-liter V8 was rated at 755 hp, and 715 lb-ft of torque and the Eaton Supercharger that took up prime real estate in the 2019 ZR1 is 2.9 inches taller than the blowers that were in the 2009 ZR1, or the 2015 Z06. This is the first Corvette to offer a dual-clutch automatic, which paves the way for truly hypercar status acceleration, and we are excited to keep you posted right here on the blog about how it will unleash the potential for more power, excitement, and track-ready stature very soon! 

2019 Chevy Camaro 1LE Ideal Shift Points Laid out in Detail by GM Authority

Every time we spot a Camaro on the road, it's long been a habit of ours here at West Chevy of Knoxville to slow down and check it out: the staff on duty at GM Authority just finished spending a solid week testing the 2019 Chevy Camaro 1LE Turbo, powered by the turbocharged 2.0-liter I-4 LTG engine and equipped with the 1LE track handling package. They first took it to the drag strip, where they executed a quarter-mile time of 14.1 seconds at 103 mph. These are fantastic numbers, especially for a car that was not originally meant for the drag strip but engineered for the standard handling course instead.

Reduced weight, upgraded suspension, stickier tires, and limited rear slip differential all boost the car's performance in the road and track realms, as well as a casual daily drive. While the team was on the drag strip incorporating the best ways to get the car off the line as fast as possible, they also were able to closely observe how and when the 2.0-liter inline-four LTG engine makes power and torque. During the first quarter-mile attempt, they kept holding on the gears, pushing the boosted 4-cylinder engine to its 7000 rpm redline, which they first didn't realize was quite correct!

Since it relies heavily on boost to make its power, the turbocharged LTG engine hits its peak 295 lb-ft of torque at 3,000 rpm. Meanwhile, its 275 horsepower tops out at 5,600 rpm. After that occurrence, the turbo drops out substantially, and the engine understandably runs out of steam a bit. Because of this, it is not needed to just keep revving high on the 1LE in hopes of extracting more raw power. Instead, the GM Authority crew recommends shifting just under the 6,000 rpm mark, which enables the engine to fall back into the most generous allotment of its powerband.

By using this technique, they were able to alleviate a full 0.3 seconds off the quarter-mile time, with a best time of 14.1 seconds at 103 mph. The 2019 Chevy Camaro 1LE Turbo is equipped with the same “no-lift shift” feature as the V6 and V8 powered Camaro 1LE models: this allows the driver to change gears without releasing the throttle, which really allows the driver to focus intently on the RPM gauge while careening down the straightaway. We love it when the most experienced of drivers get Chevy vehicles out into their best natural habitat and open them up, and this feature gives us the inside scoop on the pointers for added gusto in the acceleration department!

2019 Chevy Colorado Bison Deemed “Wonderfully Designed and Off-Road Capable” By New Atlas

Bison are definitely at home on the open prairie, running through tall grass and over hills. Clint Eastwood himself was one of the American icons that showed through his pictures just how beautiful the High Plains are, and the solitude as well as the struggle for survival than can encompass existing there. Chevy has partnered with AEV to create the Colorado mid-sized pickup truck that has the ability to wander in the same locations that a bison would, and those on staff at New Atlas were excited to test the ZR2 packaged AEV Bison in the crew cab with the diesel engine.

The parts are put on by Chevy, but the experts at AEV add the expertly-placed off-road gear, and it's now a fierce enough contender to compete against the likes of vehicles such as the Gladiator. A standard ZR2 is already well-stacked with off-road gear, but where AEV really shows their full-on expertise is with the duty of shielding. The Colorado receives boron skid plates that protect everything vital underneath the truck, including the transfer case, transmission, both differentials, and fuel tank. There is a more aggressive grille, new interior stitching and badges, wheel flares, and boron steel AEV bumpers.

This is the only Chevy truck that has both front and rear locking differentials, and you are already riding on larger 31-inch tires and a beefier suspension ideal for 4 x 4 setup. AEV claims that the use of boron steel is what enables the skid plates and bumpers to take a hefty amount of abuse and still bounce back relatively unscathed. They have a high amount of resistance for gouging, and also possess a high yield strength that allows them to return to shape after bending on top of low mass. The AEV boron plates actually aren't that much heavier than the aluminum-alloy plates they replace on the standard ZR2.

After you account for everything, you're adding about 200 pounds more weight to the vehicle, and the Bison's suspension spring rates are tuned to properly compensate for the extra weight. The New Atlas testing team chose a virtually impossible hill in the wilds of Wyoming that requires a lot of raw power, clearance, and ability to absorb shocks to conquer. The team realized that they had picked a hill that had a severe lack of breakover clearance, and although the Bison was able to get down with no problem, getting up was a different story.

As was the case with the Gladiator Rubicon, this location was simply so challenging in regards to wheelbase that “If you're stuck, you're stuck”. Many who have ran the Bison hard in areas such as Moab and the Sierras have professed just how capable and trail-dominating it is. It was still decided upon that this is a truck that lives up to its reputation and looks to the fullest when put to the test, and we hope you come to see the Bison along with the rest of our extensive truck lineup right here at West Chevy of Knoxville this back to school season!