(Chevrolet images)

The new Chevrolet Equinox EV is most pivotal new product entry from General Motors. Aiming at affordability, the Equinox EV has a starting MSRP of $43,2952. (The base Equinox EV LT with a starting MSRP of $34,9952 will be available for ordering later in the year.) The Equinox has an EPA-estimated range of 319 miles on FWD models. In addition to the Ultium-based propulsion technologies, key features on the new Equinox EV include a large, 17.7-inch-diagonal infotainment screen,  a suite of standard and available driver assistance technologies, and available Super Cruise " hands-free" driver assistance technology on compatible roads. Editor-in-Chief's Note: To be blunt, the Chevrolet Equinox EV must succeed in a market looking for reasons to embrace the EV "thing." (It will definitely not be the new Silverado EV, which enters the market with an RST First Edition priced at a jaw-dropping $94,500.) How crucial is the new Equinox EV? Oh, it's only that GM's viability as a builder of mainstream EVs available to a broad spectrum of the public hinges on the success of this vehicle. It's that crucial. It's the ballgame for GM, in fact. And it's a giant "we'll see" from where we sit. -PMD

The Porsche 911 Hybrid Era is upon us. Following an extensive development and testing program, the new 911 – complete with a performance-focused hybrid system – is ready for series production. “For the first time in our icon’s 61-year history, we are installing a hybrid drive system in a roadgoing 911. This innovative performance hybrid makes the 911 even more dynamic,” Frank Moser, Vice President Model Line 911 and 718 said. “We left nothing to chance during development and tested the new 911 under all sorts of conditions all over the world from the freezing cold to scorching heat, as was the case during the final stages of testing in Dubai. Whether at a high drivetrain load in the demanding conditions of mountain passes or in the stop-and-go traffic of an urban environment, the new 911 has mastered even the most difficult challenges with aplomb. All in all, our engineers and test drivers clocked up more than 3.1 million miles of development driving." Porsche brand ambassador Jörg Bergmeister completed a lap of the Nürburgring Nordschleife in 7:16.934 minutes, 8.7 seconds faster than the corresponding version of the predecessor model. (The test car was equipped with standard road tires, plus the aero kit with a fixed rear wing that has been available as an option previously, providing increased downforce at high speeds.) “We have more grip, significantly more power, and the spontaneous response of the performance hybrid is a great advantage,” Bergmeister said. The digital world premiere of the new 911 Hybrid will happen on May 28 at 9 a.m. EST in the Porsche Newsroom at newsroom.porsche.com, and on the Porsche YouTube and LinkedIn channels. It will also subsequently be available to watch on demand.