JANUARY 5, 2022

(GM images)
Chevrolet has introduced the 2024 Silverado EV - on its proprietary Ultium Platform - with a GM-estimated 400-mile range on a full charge both on the Work Truck (WT) and RST versions. The new Silverado EV can deliver up to 664HP with more than 780 lb-ft of torque in available max power Wide Open Watts Mode on the RST, enabling a GM-estimated 0-60 mph time of less than 4.5 seconds. Standard DC fast charging (up to 350kW) is included on WT and RST. Up to 10.2kW of offboard power on WT and RST is available with optional equipment and up to 10,000 pounds of maximum trailering with up to 1,300 pounds of payload on RST. The Silverado EV was developed from the ground up as a fully-electric truck on GM’s advanced Ultium EV Platform, and it offers "a boundary-breaking combination of capability, performance and versatility, along with advanced technologies that can evolve the vehicle over time," according to Chevrolet PR minions. At launch, the Silverado EV will be available in two configurations, an RST First Edition and a fleet-oriented WT model. Each will offer a comprehensive suite of standard and available safety technologies. The flagship RST First Edition includes: Four-wheel steering; Automatic Adaptive Air Suspension; A Multi-Flex Midgate that expands the truck’s cargo capability while maintaining seating for a rear row passenger; Available Multi-Flex Tailgate with power release; A 17-inch-diagonal LCD freeform infotainment screen paired with a neighboring 11-inch-diagonal reconfigurable driver instrument display and a multi-color driver head-up display with a field of view over 14 inches; and Trailering-capable Super Cruise, the industry’s first true hands-free driver-assistance technology, allowing drivers to travel hands-free on more than 200,000 miles of compatible roads across the U.S. and Canada. The WT will launch first for fleet customers and offer impressive capability to meet the needs of organizations with sustainable transportation goals, including 510HP and 615 lb-ft of torque. The WT will offer 8,000 pounds of towing and 1,200 pounds of payload. After initial launch, Chevrolet will introduce a fleet model with up to 20,000 pounds max trailering with the max tow package.

 The Silverado EV will be assembled with domestically and globally-sourced parts at GM’s Factory ZERO, Detroit-Hamtramck Assembly Center — a facility re-purposed and retooled with a $2.2-billion investment devoted to EV production. In spring 2023, the Silverado EV will debut a WT model offering GM’s longest range battery with an expected GM-estimated range of over 400 miles on a full charge. In fall 2023, a fully loaded RST First Edition model, also delivering a 400-mile range, will debut with an MSRP of $105,000 + DFC. After production ramps up, Chevrolet will unleash the full Silverado EV portfolio, including WT (with a starting at MSRP of $39,900 + DFC), RST, Trail Boss (shown above) and more. Customers will have the ability to content the truck across various price ranges, with MSRPs around $50,000, $60,000, $70,000, $80,000 and more, allowing them to choose the truck that meets their capability and pricing needs.  Reservations for the Silverado EV are available starting at 1 p.m. ET (Wednesday, January 5th) at Chevrolet.com.
Chevrolet also announced that it will expand its EV lineup in the fall of 2023 to include the Equinox EV, which will start at an estimated MSRP of around $30,000 in the U.S. The Equinox EV - which will be launched in both fleet and retail versions, including LT and RS trims - will also leverage GM’s Ultium Platform. “The Equinox has always played an important role for Chevrolet as the second-highest selling brand nameplate,” said Steve Hill, Chevrolet vice president. “Providing an affordable EV option in the industry’s highest volume segment proves Chevy is going to make EVs available to everyone.” The announcement of the Equinox EV followed Chevy’s reveal of the 2024 Silverado EV and confirmation that there will be a Blazer EV SUV, which will be available in spring 2023.

(Cadillac)
Expanding its vision of personal autonomous future mobility, Cadillac unveiled the InnerSpace concept: a two-passenger electric and autonomous luxury vehicle. Leveraging cutting-edge technologies designed to enhance the passenger experience, along with the increased personal time enabled by fully autonomous mobility, InnerSpace "grows the Cadillac Halo Concept Portfolio of vehicles envisioned to not only move passengers in a luxurious environment but enhance their well-being," according to Cadillac PR minions. The Cadillac Halo Concept Portfolio represents future possibilities with a range of personal autonomous options and advanced connected vehicle features. “The vehicles of the Cadillac Halo Concept Portfolio are designed to provide effortless travel through extraordinary means,” said Bryan Nesbitt, GM executive director, Global Advanced Design and Global Architecture Studio. “They are visions for the next decade and beyond, showing the possibilities enabled by General Motors’ comprehensive approach to autonomous drive technology with the goal of a world with zero crashes, zero emissions and zero congestion.” Cadillac introduced the first two Halo concepts last year at CES: the PersonalSpace, a single-seat, personal vertical takeoff and landing concept designed to literally move its passenger above the din and congestion of ground traffic, and the SocialSpace, a roomy, autonomous vehicle for up to six, designed to help passengers relax and recharge. Through software-defined features and advanced vehicle connectivity, the Cadillac Concept Halo Portfolio could offer each passenger a truly personalized experience made possible by GM’s Ultifi software platform. Ultifi enables seamless delivery of software updates to customers over the air. The experiences showcased within the Halo Portfolio demonstrate the potential as both Ultifi and autonomous technology continue to evolve.
(Cadillac)
The future Cadillac concepts: PersonalSpace, SocialSpace and InnerSpace.

(Stellantis images)
The Chrysler Airflow Concept has made its debut at CES 2022 in Las Vegas. The company plans to launch its first BEV by 2025 and plans for a full battery-electric portfolio by 2028 (Talk about a giant "We'll See" -WG). Stellantis plans on having the Chrysler brand lead the company's transition to its EV commitment. The all-electric Chrysler Airflow Concept is projected to deliver 350- to 400-mile range and fast-charging functionality (Which is the price of entry into the EV world these days. -WG). The Airflow Concept "embodies Chrysler’s new contemporary, technology-forward design, featuring an elegantly dynamic profile and LED-illuminated Chrysler wing logo on the cross-car grille/light blade, complimenting the Airflow’s sleek, silent electric-powered ride," according to Chrysler PR minions. Editor-in-Chief's Note: There are a lot of other projected capabilities - and stuff - promised in the AIrflow Concpet, but the fact remains that it looks pretty much like everything else out there, or on the horizon, which is very disappointing -PMD.

(Mercedes-Benz images)
The Mercedes-Benz VISION EQXX is designed to be a road-legal research prototype that is part of a mission by the manufacturer to break through technological barriers and lift energy efficiency to new heights. The Mercedes-Benz VISION EQXX is "a software-defined research prototype engineered by women and men with the creativity, ingenuity and determination to deliver one of the planet's most efficient cars – in every respect," according to Mercedes-Benz PR minions. Calling it "an efficiency masterpiece" and based on internal digital simulations in real-life traffic conditions, the VISION EQXX will be capable of exceeding 1,000 kilometers (620 miles) on a single charge with an energy consumption of less than 10 kWh per 100 kilometers (efficiency of more than 6 miles per kWh). This software-driven electric car "re-imagines the road trip for the electric era." "The technology program behind the VISION EQXX will define and enable future Mercedes-Benz models and features," commented Markus Schäfer, Member of the Board of Management of Daimler AG and Mercedes-Benz AG, Chief Technology Officer responsible for Development and Procurement. "As a halo car, the VISION EQXX firmly establishes Mercedes-Benz as the brand that pairs luxury with technology in the automotive world and beyond. And the way we developed it is as revolutionary as the vehicle itself. VISION EQXX has seen the best minds from our R&D centers work together with engineers from our Formula 1 and Formula E programs. They are proving that innovations from motorsport – where powertrains are already highly electrified – have immediate relevance for road car development. We are challenging current development processes with innovative spirit and outside-the-box thinking. This truly is the way forward." Other highlights of the VISION EQXX: Its electric drive system was designed and built in-house, and achieves efficiency of 95% from battery to wheels; the battery pack in the VISION EQXX holds almost 100 kWh of energy, yet has 50% less volume and is 30% lighter than the already benchmark pack in the EQS; it has an aerodynamic drag coefficient of cd  0.175; a pioneering team of Mercedes-Benz engineers worked with High Performance Powertrains (HPP) and Mercedes-Benz Grand Prix (MGP) to engineer a highly efficient and compact electric drivetrain and lightweight battery case; ultra-thin solar roof panels feed the battery system for up to 25 km of extra range. The VISION EQXX went from clean sheet to on-the-road in just 18 months. 

(Mecum Auction images)
In 1952, a young Bob Hirohata purchased a 1951 Mercury and delivered it to the era’s most famous customizing duo, brothers Sam and George Barris, for a radical overhaul that almost instantly became the most prominent and well-known customization of the classic car era. Now, more than a half-century later, the 1951 Hirohata Mercury Custom (Lot S152) continues to be celebrated as a timeless and unforgettable work of art, and it will soon cross the auction block at Mecum Kissimmee 2022, the world’s largest collector car auction, slated for this Jan. 6-16 at the Osceola Heritage Park in Kissimmee, Florida (along with approximately 3,500 other classic and collector cars and 1,000 items of Road Art and memorabilia). As the uncontested king of the classic custom era, this car’s history is well-known, documented through the pages of numerous magazines during the past 70 years. It started with delivery to the Barris brothers’ shop in Lynwood, California, where Hirohata directed Sam and George to “go all out” on the customization of his car. That’s exactly what they did, turning the car into an entirely new machine unlike any to come before it. That same year, it made its debut at the 1952 Petersen-hosted Motorama, where it was named the Class Winner, garnering feature stories in Hot Rod, Rod & Custom, HOP UP and even the cover of MotorTrend. Following its success at Motorama, the car became Hirohata’s daily driver. More magazine coverage followed, including a Route 66 road trip to the Indy 500 in 1953, where it won the big car show there, earning the moniker “Mercillac” as a result. Meanwhile, George Barris arranged for the car to appear in the teen car film “Runnin’ Wild,” featuring Mamie Van Doren, and he also repainted the upper area in Avocado Green for better contrast on-screen. This is how it appeared when Hirohata sold it in late 1955. Refreshed for its invitational entry at the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance in 2015, the car retains the 1953 Cadillac 331 cu. in. OHV V-8 with three Stromberg carburetors and all the special tricks of the Barris crew, resulting in both First in Class and the Dean Batchelor Most Significant awards at Pebble Beach. Soon thereafter, the Hirohata Merc was added to the National Historic Vehicle Register and displayed for a week in a glass enclosure on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., and it then traveled to the Petersen Museum in Los Angeles, where it was again presented to the eager viewing public. “Few vehicles ever built have received the global attention and jaw-dropping awe that the Hirohata Merc has,” Vice President of Consignments Frank Mecum stated. “Mecum Kissimmee 2022 has many headlining consignments, but this iconic gem will draw the appeal of everyone for its ageless beauty and unique, history-making design, craftsmanship and presentation.” 

Editor's Note: In case you missed it, you can read our BEST OF ON THE TABLE 2021 here. And click on Next 1 Entries below to scroll through past issues of On The Table. -WG

The AE Song of the Week:

Hand in my hair and you said I looked pretty
You're so devious, rode in
From the Windy City
I ain't gotta clear view
Tell me what you want me to do and
Tell me every single secret in your mind
Come on, baby, we got nothing but time
You say, I'm too young for you
You're scared I'm too right for you

You said you hate the smell of cigarette smoke
You only used to smoke when you drank
When you lived in Chicago
Unsure where the wind blows
I wish I'd known you in your wilder days
And now here we go
You got me falling in love again
You gotta secret, I wanna keep it
I wish I'd known you in your wilder days

The way you move your hands across my body
Kissing you in a hotel lobby
Baby I don't wanna lose this feeling
You're giving me something to believe in
And who were you before I knew your name?
Were you drunk at midnight waiting for the train?
You could have been anyone back then
Just another kid reaching for the wind

You said you hate the smell of cigarette smoke
You only use to smoke when you drank
When you lived in Chicago
Unsure where the wind blows
I wish I'd known you in your wilder days
And now here we go
You got me falling in love again
You gotta secret, I wanna keep it
I wish I'd known you in your wilder days

What were you like when you were a little wilder?
Why don't you show me?
Why don't you show me?
What you were like when you got a little higher?
Just for tonight, just for tonight

You said you hate the smell of cigarette smoke
You only use to smoke when you drank
When you lived in Chicago
Unsure where the wind blows
I wish I'd known you in your wilder days
And now here we go
You got me falling in love again
You gotta secret, I wanna keep it
I wish I'd known you in your wilder days

 "Wilder Days" by Morgan Wade; from the album "Reckless" (2021)*. Written by: Morgan Wade and Sadler Vaden. Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd. Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind. Watch the Official Music Video here. 

*With a commanding voice -- raspy and earthy, yet bearing bruises and scars that convey vulnerability -- Morgan Wade  cut a striking figure when she emerged with her debut album "Reckless" in 2021. Pitched partway between Americana and arena rock -- a distance she navigated with collaborator Sadler Vaden, the guitarist in Jason Isbell & the 400 Unit -- Wade blended her influences in a distinctive, emotionally candid way. A native of the small Appalachian town of Floyd, Virginia, Morgan Wade was drawn to music as a child. She wrote songs in secret, never attempting a public performance until she was 19, after she suffered a breakup during her freshman year at Roanoke's Jefferson College of Health Sciences in 2013. Assembling a band via Craigslist, Wade cut her teeth performing in Virginia, eventually getting sober by the time she led her supporting group the Stepbrothers through the "Puppets with My Heart" album in 2018. Not long afterward, she received a lucky break. Wade played her hometown FloydFest in 2018, joining a roster that included Jason Isbell & the 400 Unit. There, she met Isbell's guitar tech, who gave one of her CDs to Sadler Vaden, the guitarist in the 400 Unit. The pair started a collaboration, adding Paul Ebersold as co-producer, and worked on material for an album. The single "The Night" appeared in 2019, followed by "Don't Cry" in 2020, with the full-length debut "Reckless" appearing on Thirty Tigers early in 2021. (Knowledge courtesy of Stephen Thomas Erlewine/ALLMUSIC.com)