January 2022

The pickup reimagined — Introducing the 2024 all-electric Chevrolet Silverado



(January 7, 2022) DETROIT — Chevrolet has introduced the 2024 Silverado EV — the reimagining of the brand’s best-selling nameplate, packed with the power and capability expected of Chevy Truck. Developed from the ground up as a fully-electric truck on GM’s advanced Ultium EV Platform, the Silverado EV offers a boundary-breaking combination of capability, performance and versatility, along with advanced technologies that can evolve the vehicle over time.

Chevrolet previews Equinox EV option; expected in fall 2023



(January 8, 2022) DETROIT — Chevrolet has confirmed that its best-selling crossover SUV, the Equinox, will be built with an electric only option coming in the fall of 2023. And the larger Chevy Blazer will get electrified arriving in the spring of 2023. No details have been revealed yet about the pair of crossover EVs, but General Motors said that the Equinox EV will start at around $30,000.

BrightDrop announces Walmart as new EV customer



(January 7, 2022) DETROIT — BrightDrop has announced it is adding Walmart to its growing roster of customers, and expanding its relationship with FedEx. Walmart signed an agreement to reserve 5,000 of BrightDrop’s EV600 and smaller EV410 electric delivery vans to support the retail giant’s growing last mile delivery network and goal of operating a zero-emissions logistics fleet by 2040.

Bentley charges to record sales year



(January 7, 2022) CREWE, England — Bentley Motors has announced total sales of 14,659 in 2021, an increase of 31 per cent over the previous record year (11,206) in 2020. This significant achievement was driven by new model introductions, a fresh product portfolio and increasing demand for Bentley’s new hybridized models, introduced under Bentley’s Beyond100 strategic path to full electrification by 2030.  
 



Door-to-door hands-free driving with Ultra Cruise



(January 7, 2022) DETROIT  — GM announced this week that its next-generation hands-free driver assist system, Ultra Cruise, will be powered by a scalable compute architecture featuring system-on-chips developed by American semiconductor company Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. GM will be the first company to use the Qualcomm Technologies’ Snapdragon Ride Platform for advanced driver assistance technology, which features an industry-leading 5-nanometer  Snapdragon  artificial intelligence accelerator.

Chrysler unveils Airflow Concept; plans all-electric lineup by 2028



(January 6, 2022) LAS VEGAS — The Chrysler brand has revealed the Chrysler Airflow Concept at CES 2022, giving a glimpse at the leading-edge drive-system technology, fully connected customer experiences and advanced mobility features, wrapped in inspiring, dynamic design, which will fuel the Chrysler brand’s future. Chrysler also announced that the brand’s transformation will include the launch of its first battery-electric vehicle (BEV) by 2025 and a future all-electric Chrysler vehicle lineup.

BMW theatre screen brings cinematic experience into the vehicle




(January 6, 2022) LAS VEGAS — The My Modes make individual mobility in a BMW a particularly intense experience. My Mode Theatre transforms the rear of the interior into a private cinema lounge with surround sound and 5G connectivity thanks to the BMW Theatre Screen, a panorama display in 32:9 format. In this setting, every journey becomes a breathtaking cinema experience for the rear passengers with a personalized program of entertainment on a 31-inch ultra-wide display with a resolution of up to 8K.

December U.S. auto sales slump; GM loses sales crown to Toyota



(January 6, 2022) December is usually a blowout for the industry, but December 2021 was a very unusual month for automakers. It ended with the steepest year over year sales decline — 27 percent — of 2021, and the seasonally adjusted, annualized sales rate — 12.4 million — nearly matched 2021's low mark of 12.38 million in September.