G. David Felt

Inspired by the 120-year heritage of Cadillac, the design and engineering teams have conceived what Cadillac's electric future will lead with in the CELESTIQ flagship sedan. Reveal-Cadillac-CELESTIQ-Show-Car.mp4 Magalie Debellis, Manager for Cadillac Advanced Design had this to say about the CELESTIQ: “The CELESTIQ show car is the purest expression of Cadillac,” “It brings to life the most integrated expressions of design and innovation in the brand’s history, coalescing in a defining statement of a true Cadillac flagship.” The Teams at Cadillac immersed themselves in the artisanship and customization as defined by early Cadillac sedans such as the bespoke V-16 powered coaches of the prewar era, the hand-built 1957 Eldorado Brougham, thus bring us to the culmination of heritage in the CELESTIQ with innovative production methods and the newest cutting edge technologies. Inspiration was further pulled from what Cadillac considers a mid-century masterpieces of architect Eero Saarinen and other iconic American designs that made era-defining statements upon introduction and endured with distinctive timelessness. Combining function and form in a beautiful package allows the Cadillac CELESTIQ to immerse the customer using all of their senses as they connect with the vehicle through the finest genuine materials, exceptional detailing and advanced technology. This starts with high-definition, advanced LED interactive displays from the dash 55" diagonal display to the four other HD Displays in the auto. Attention to details is what the CELESTIQ is all about. Hand-crafted attention to detail is what harnesses the Cadillac vision for the future tied to innovative technologies such as an industry first variabl-transmission Smart Glass Roof and Ultra Cruise, General Motors next evolution of available hands-free driver assistance technology which Cadillac plans to offer on the CELESTIQ. To quote the press release: The Smart Glass Roof features Suspended Particle Device (SPD) technology that allows for four zones of variable lighting, enabling passengers to fine-tune their cabin experience for completely personalized comfort and visibility. Additionally, the 55-inch-diagonal advanced LED display introduces a passenger display with electronic digital blinds, an active privacy technology, which is designed to allow passengers to enjoy video content while blocking it from the view of the driver. This advanced technology with exceptional detailing and the finest materials available is what will lead Cadillac into the next century. Additional CELESTIQ details on the production model will be announced later in 2022. View full article

Because I missed the date too, washing sharing it to remind people that infections are happening and with the souther states have thousands of new infections and re-infections a day, Be careful.

Getting the ugly out of the way is that up to 8,000 jobs in the coming weeks will be eliminated from Ford Motor Company as Jim Farley CEO of Ford plans to slash $3 Billion in costs by 2026 and he says this comes from having too many people in the newly created Ford Blue unit that produces gasoline powered vehicles. The bulk of these cuts will come from the white-collar workforce and mostly in the U.S. where Ford employs more than 31,000 salaried workers. The cuts will come in phases beginning this summer. Operational phases where duplication in jobs and jobs that will no longer be needed due to the shift to EVs will happen as Ford modernizes their automotive business units as well as the entire company. Ford has stated that their Ford+ transformation will lead a exciting and disruptive new era of electric and connected vehicles, reshaping the way Ford employees work. Farley is on record as saying both the ICE and BEV portfolios are under-earning due to too many people and workforce reduction is key to boosting profits. On the flip side of job losses is that Ford has secured Batteries to Build 600,000 EVs a year by the end of 2023 and 2 million a year by the end of 2026. Ford sees EV demand growing at more than 90% annually. Ford has broken down their EV production by the end of 2023 as follows in the slide above. and with that come two types of battery packs, the LFP and current NCM batteries. Here you will find the LFP as the standard battery packs and in performance and long distance you will find the NCM. Ford is using Contemporary Amperex Technology Company LTD. (CATL) from China as the global supplier of LFP battery cells. LFP or Lithium Iron phosphate will give long life with minimal range loss, much like Tesla has done with their standard battery pack where the NCM or Nickel Cobalt Manganese lithium-ion battery cells will be used in the Long Range and performance battery packs. Ford has stated that the LFP batteries not using rare earth elements will reduce the cost of the battery packs by up to 15%. Ford-EV-Battery-Animation.mp4 Press Release bullet list: Ford has added battery chemistries and secured contracts delivering 60 gigawatt hours (GWh) of annual battery capacity to deliver global 600,000 EV run rate by late 2023 Lithium iron phosphate battery packs coming for Mustang Mach-Es sold in North America next year and F-150 Lightnings in early 2024, creating more capacity for high-demand products Ford already has sourced 70% of battery capacity to support 2 million+ annual EV global run rate by 2026; plans to localize 40 GWh per year of lithium iron phosphate capacity in N.A. in 2026; new deal with CATL on strategic cooperation for global battery supply; and direct-sourcing battery raw materials in U.S., Australia, Indonesia – and more Company expects compound annual growth rate for EVs to top 90% through 2026; more than double forecasted global industry EV growth Ford also has announced that their long-standing agreement with LG Energy Solutions and SK On has ramped up much earlier than planned to ensure that globally Ford can deliver on pre-orders for Mach-e and Ford F150 Lighting demand as well as the e-Transit vans that are seeing high pre-orders in Europe and North America. Ford also announced non-binding MOUs with major mining collaborators sourcing most of the nickel needs for batteries through 2026 and beyond. Vale Canada Ltd.: To explore potential opportunities across the EV value chain. PT Vale Indonesia and Huayou Cobalt: For exploring a three-way nickel processing project and, separately, an off-take agreement with Huayou that collectively will provide Ford with rights to the equivalent of 84 kilotons per annum (ktpa) of nickel. BHP: For nickel supply from BHP's Nickel West operations in Australia. The targeted multi-year agreement could start as early as 2025 and may involve additional commodities over time. Ford has also announced key lithium contracts that are locked in and additional MOU contracts for Aluminum and copper. To this end, Ford is pleased to announce localize processing of key battery materials in North America with the following: EcoPro BM and SK On: Have signed a non-binding Letter of Intent with Ford to establish a cathode production facility in North America. ioneer: Has signed a binding off-take agreement with Ford for lithium carbonate from ioneer’s Rhyolite Ridge project in Nevada to support EV production beyond 2025. Compass Minerals: Has signed a non-binding MOU for lithium hydroxide and lithium carbonate from its Utah operations on the Great Salt Lake. Syrah Resources and SK On: Have signed a non-binding MOU to secure off-take for natural graphite from its processing site in Vidalia, Louisiana. Ford cautions on future sales, but is happy to state for the first time, a majority of customers have stated they will buy EV or Hybrid vehicles, up 11% from last year and 22% from 2020. 60% of commercial customers who do not have EVs deployed yet in the latest Ford Pro Survey indicated that they are ready to buy EVs in the next 24 months to add to their fleets. Ford Model e Chief Customer Officer Marin Gjaja has this to say: “This is our opportunity to win a whole new group of customers, building their loyalty and advocacy as we grow our market share," "We're developing the digital and physical services and experiences those new customers expect when they purchase a product that to them is a new technology purchase. Our aim is to combine the convenience of digital shopping with Ford’s expertise, scale and the physical presence of our dealers to create the best possible experience for tomorrow’s EV owners.” View full article

Go any place you want, just use common sense and protection. AKA - Mask, Hand sanitizer, do not touch eyes, nose or mouth. Just use some common sense on being clean in regard to your personal hygiene.

Cool to see more about the Blazer EV on LinkedIn as posted by General Motors executives. https://www.linkedin.com/posts/mark-reuss_all-electric-2024-chevrolet-blazer-ev-reimagines-activity-6955186211116257280-NsC3?utm_source=linkedin_share&utm_medium=member_desktop_web https://www.linkedin.com/embed/feed/update/urn:li:share:6955123549804134400

Very Cool that Cadillac is doing a program like this. I think they are wanting to see not only how people use their auto, but my gut tells me they could do like Tesla and go with GM Auto Insurance as another avenue of revenue generation plus other types of services that they believe customers would want. Cadillac LYRIQ Has A $5,500 Hidden Discount [Updated] - CarsDirect The above on top of I think they are looking to see what features are most heavily used versus those that are not, with the Ultium Platform, I can see a far more customizable auto experience for buyers/Leasor's.

I would say this is intentional to try and keep EVs looking like normal autos rather than weird specialty autos. I think the Leaf was a winner for standing out when it came out, but now even in the most current form is just weird looking and I think as has been stated here by others including the owner @Drew Dowdell if memory serves me correct, people will not care what the power train is as long as it is a normal looking auto to them and they like it. Personally, I think the Blazer EV is way better looking than the Blazer ICE.

Interesting list of places to avoid due to Covid. 35 Places You're Most Likely to Catch COVID — Eat This Not That

Seems that either the Web Master slipped or Chevrolet is intentionally building excitement for the Reveal of additional EVs later this year as this week we saw the Reveal and details on the Blazer EV and now with the latest update to the www.cheverolet.com web site you have an Equinox EV option too. Updated video at the site for this starting around $30,000 EV. Future & Upcoming Chevy EVs | Chevrolet Seems to have the same interior/exterior and updated video as when I posted the original story.

Excited as I am truly hoping it really delivers on interior space as EVs should.

Seems Tesla has a V4 charging system coming.

Actually, you have that wrong as Coal Powered cars is not that common now. Coal power generation continues to drop of the total U.S. power generation. Coal generated about 22% of the electricity at utility-scale facilities in the United States in 2021, down from 39% in 2014. Coal supplied 9.5 quadrillion British thermal units (2,800 TWh) of primary energy to electric power plants in 2021, which made up 90% of coal's contribution to U.S. energy supply. Utilities buy more than 90% of the coal consumed in the United States. In 2019 there were 241 coal powered units across the United States. Coal plants have been closing since the 2010s due to cheaper and cleaner natural gas and renewables. • U.S. coal power generation by state 2021 | Statista Coal power in the United States - Wikipedia Electricity in the U.S. - U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA)

Cool to see comparisons based on the stated info to date for this EV compared to Tesla and Ford. The Chevy Blazer EV SS Compared to the Tesla Model Y Performance and Ford Mustang Mach-E GT (thedrive.com) Have to say that to me, both the Ford and GM look way better than the Tesla. Base info from the story: Ford Mach-e GT Base price: $63,095 | $67,995 for GT Performance Edition Powertrain: 88 kWh battery | 1-speed transmission | all-wheel drive Horsepower: 480 Torque: 600 lb-ft | 634 lb-ft for GT Performance Edition 0-60: 3.8 seconds | 3.5 GT seconds for GT Performance Edition Seating capacity: 5 Range (EPA-certified): 270 miles | 260 miles for GT Performance Edition Tesla Model Y Performance Base price: $71,190 Powertrain: 75 kWh battery | 1-speed transmission | all-wheel drive Horsepower: 460-500 (see note below specs) Torque: N/A 0-60: 3.5 seconds Seating capacity: 5 (7 with third row installed) Range (EPA-certified): 303 miles Chevrolet Blazer SS Base price: $65,995 Powertrain: Battery size TBA | 1-speed transmission | all-wheel drive Horsepower: 557 Torque: 648 lb-ft 0-60: "Under 4 seconds" Seating capacity: 5 Range (manufacturer estimate): 290 miles

Found an accurate answer as the updated Shell Gas Station search feature now shows EV Charging and there is a total of 18 in North America right now. Gas Station Near Me | Shell United States

I wish the Feds would make Rolling Coal Illegal nationwide, the toxic mess coming out of the tailpipe is just terrible and needs to be stopped. Here's Why Rolling Coal Has Been Banned In 6 States (msn.com)

I have posted plenty of pictures of Shell Stations in the U.K. and Europe where they have chargers but until now, have not seen or heard of any in the U.S. Seems the first are at the Shell Station at Boston Logan Airport. Shell Installs Its First U.S. EV Charging Stations (cspdailynews.com)

According to GM as they release EV versions, their ICE version will be phased out. The question I have which GM has not provided is how long of a phase out period will it be on the ICE?

Shell seems to be adding charging stations throughout Europe, Asia and supposedly started installations here in North America, but have not seen any recently. Weird how there seems to be the big retailers and now only the rare chevron, Shell and Exxon/Mobile.

Yes, in this regard, GM has been very clear on how the Software control of FWD/AWD/RWD is very simple to enable or disable as the code base is one. ? This does make me wonder how easy it might be down the road once they are very common to pick up a wrecked Blazer SS, buy a cheap 1LT Blazer and add the additional motor and anything else off the SS to your 1LT and then update the software on the control board. SLEEPER BLAZER ?

Agree that it seems weird, but then I think @Robert Hall nailed it as a Marketing move and I will say that many dinge the Chevrolet Bolt due to being FWD only when there is room in the rear area for another motor for AWD or RWD.

While there is no answer in the press release or the reveal last night, I also was asking myself on this and the only thing that made sense to me was geographical location and cost. In the south, a RWD might be more preferred where a FWD in the North with occasional snow would make more sense for those that could not afford AWD. The Ultium system seems to be very flexible in regard to which end of the auto the motor is on.

An available GM-estimated range of up to 320 miles on a full charge, the 2024 Blazer EV offers multiple distinct trims, multiple range options and a choice of FWD, RWD or AWD configurations giving customers more choices with a seamless EV experience designed to complement virtually any lifestyle. This was one very interesting press release as Chevrolet chose to use Inforgraphics to highlight the details of this affordable Mid-Size EV. Blazer EV highlights include: Driving range options up to an available GM-estimated 320 miles on a full charge (depending on the trim) 11.5 kW level 2 (AC) charging and standard DC public fast-charging capability of up to 190 kW, depending on the model, which enables approximately 78 miles of range to be added in 10 minutes, per GM estimates Large, intuitive 17.7-inch-diagonal customizable infotainment touchscreen Full LED exterior lighting, with choreographed walk-up/walk-away animation on RS and SS models Beautiful, spacious and sustainably crafted cabin made with soft-touch materials Available Super Cruise hands-free driving technology for compatible roads Advanced safety features intended to inspire confidence, including Reverse Automatic Braking6 and Advanced Park Assist One interesting way of conveying information is in the Chevrolet B-Roll videos that they post on the Chevrolet Media center and that most news sources never show or point too. Here is the 12 minute and 55 second details on the Blazer EV. B-roll--2024-Chevrolet-Blazer-EV.mp4 On top of this is the various images that Chevrolet released. Clearly, Chevrolet is planning on this Blazer to be used in far more ways than most might think about as just a consumer. The 2024 Blazer EV Police Pursuit Vehicle in Sterling Gray Metallic Interiors seem to be a decent focus for Chevrolet, while the all black is still available, they do have a few two-tone interiors with a red/black two-tone at initial release. There has been much discussion on the balance of buttons versus all touch screen and here Chevrolet seems to have listened to the market in offering a balance of buttons for basic items from the steering wheel to the immediate dash so that one does not have to hunt into the menus to find how to turn on basic AC or Heat, etc. One thing that this writer has come to dislike in various cheap ICE auto's and especially in Tesla is the center stack only screen. GM from Cadillac down to Cheverolet seems to feel safety of a screen right in front of the driver is still the safest way to get instant info rather than looking down and to the right. 17.7-inch-diagonal color touchscreen is the focal point of the cabin and the command center for the vehicle’s infotainment system and additional features. A large 11-inch-diagonal color Driver Information Center in the instrument cluster complements the central touchscreen. Additional interior highlights include: Two-row layout with ample spaciousness and storage options, thanks to a flat floor enabled by packaging of the Ultium Platform Standard ambient lighting with personalization function on RS and SS trims Unique RS and SS trim and design cues, including blue and red contrasting stitching on the RS, and sueded microfiber seating on the SS, with Adrenaline Red seating surfaces and available Argon Orange accents Heated and ventilated front seats on RS and SS, along with heated rear outboard seating positions that are standard on SS and available on RS Till today, we have only seen hints of the Blazer EV in the Radiant Red Tintcoat and now we have seen the Sterling Gray Metallic on the Police Pursuit vehicle so one can assume a solid white and black version will also be colors for the Blazer EV as well as another color they announced Iridescent Pearl Tricoat for the Blazer EV RS. The Chevrolet Blaser EV 2LT will have a Galaxy Gray Metallic paint color. Chevrolet seems to want to let the world in via their sky roof and also still keep decent space in the rear. The Blazer EV is based on the Ultium Platform with performance cues inspired by the Camaro and Corvette. Where Cheverolet has in the past let folks down with their SS (Super Sport) badged autos, here the inspiration has come through as the AWD Blazer SS will live up to the performance of a legendary SS with 557 HP, 648 lb-ft of torque with the WOW (Wide Open Watts) mode engaged, delivering a 6-60 sprint of less than 4 seconds. As Scott Bell, VP of Chevrolet has stated: “Along with the all-new Silverado EV and Equinox EV coming next year, we are making great strides in offering more choices for zero tailpipe-emissions vehicles — choices that make switching to an EV easier than ever.” “The Blazer EV SS has the soul of a true sports car,” “And while it represents the pinnacle of performance for Chevy’s EV lineup, all models offer stirring capabilities that will surprise and delight true performance devotees.” Lifestyle Technology The 2024 Blazer EV brings in things that many have only dreamed about in watching the Jetson cartoon show. From the latest technology in charging, infotainment and driver-assistance technology, these work together holistically according to Chevrolet offering greater convenience, comfort and confidence to the customer as they transition to an all-electric future. Many have come to enjoy the push button start in GM auto's, with the Chevrolet Blazer EV, push button start is a thing of the past as driving starts with hands-free start. With the key fob in the auto with you via your pocket, purse, etc. all one has to do to start driving is push the brake pedal after closing the door, the 2024 Blazer EV is ready to go. Technology highlights include: Powered-opening charge port door: It features a powered opening when the door is pushed Navigation to charging stations and route planning: Through the MyChevy app, this feature helps locate and plot routes to charging stations Regen Braking: This feature can convert the kinetic energy of the vehicle’s forward momentum into electricity that’s stored in the battery pack to maximize the driving range. It also includes One-Pedal Driving, which can slow the vehicle to a full stop, using only the accelerator pedal Available presence-based liftgate: For convenience, the tailgate can open hands-free when the key fob is recognized by the sensors at the rear of the vehicle Available Super Cruise: The industry’s first true hands-free driver-assistance technology, allowing drivers to travel hands-free on compatible roads across the U.S. and Canada Safety Features: Reverse Automatic Braking and Advanced Park Assist are part of the standard Chevrolet Safety Assist suite that also include Automatic Emergency Braking, Forward Collision Alert, Front Pedestrian Braking, Following Distance Indicator, Lane Keep Assist with Lan Departure Warning and IntelliBeam. GM EV strategy is to keep your auto current from end to end with OTA updates on all hardware and software allowing owners to continue to upgrade and personalize their autos like never before. This technology continues with the Ultium Charge 360 system that starts by having an onboard 11.5 kW AC charging module for home charging and the ability to support public high-speed DC charging. Pricing Yes, the one thing many folks have stated over the last few years is that EVs are for the Rich, most cannot afford them. Here Chevrolet has placed the Mid-size Blazer EV to have a starting price of $47,595 for the 2LT and $51,995 for the RS. Both will go on sale at the start of summer of 2023. The SS will follow later in 2023 with a starting price of $65,995 followed by the lowest price version, the 1LT and the PPV fleet model both on sale Q1 of 2024. The 1LT will have a starting price of $44,995 View full article

Did my weekly shopping run, saw a brand new R1T Rivian Pickup, really liking the tweener size, bigger than a mid and not a large. Sharp looking truck. Also saw an old 1994 to 1996 era I believe Buick Roadmaster Station wagon, white with fake wood grain in amazing shape, being driven by a senior who was pulling into Panera Bread company.