CES continues to be a destination for all of the usual tech categories like computers, phones, wearables, and TVs, but in recent years, it has also turned into quite the exhibition of automotive advancements. One of the big car keynotes this year is coming from GM, where it just unveiled the new Chevy Silverado EV pickup truck and likely much more.
GM’s “Exhibit Zero” announcements will come from its CEO Mary Barra, at her keynote today (January 5) at noon ET (9 a.m. PT). GM is streaming the keynote live on its Exhibit Zero website. And according to the Chevrolet website, pre-orders for the Silverado EV will open up shortly thereafter — and given the hype, I’d expect there to be a long line of people ready to reserve.
The Silverado EV, much like the new Ford F-150 Lightning, is expected to look more-or-less similar to the latest Silverado models — but, with a completely new platform under the skin. The truck is expected to share much of its platform with the new Hummer EV — that means an “Ultium” battery pack with one, two, or three motors combining for up to 1000 horsepower or 400 miles of range, depending on several variables. Beyond those basics, the Silverado EV should incorporate some of the new interior design elements that debuted in the new Hummer EV — plus, Chevrolet has already teased a very cool-looking panoramic glass roof.
What we don’t yet have any idea about is details like towing and payload capacities, or trim levels and pricing options. Considering the Hummer EV is a $100,000 (or more) truck, something has to be cut in the translation over to a Silverado EV to keep it more affordable. That’ll all come with this announcement and subsequent information rollouts. The Silverado EV should be available as a 2023 model year vehicle, which will certainly temper some people’s excitement.
The fact that GM is focusing on electric vehicles isn’t anything new for the company. The automaker leaned heavily into EVs and its latest technological advancements at CES 2021, and over the past couple of years has expanded its use of PHEVs, EVs, and advanced driver-assist technologies. Its higher-end Cadillac brand has been at the forefront of these advancements with Super Cruise, and the affordable Bolt EV and Bolt EUV have aimed to bring EVs to the mass market with affordable prices. But nothing will propel GM into the EV world quite like a Silverado EV truck.
GM sells well over half a million Silverado trucks per year in the U.S. alone, and that’s before you add in the various models of trucks and full-size SUVs sold across the Chevrolet, GMC, and Cadillac brands using a similar platform. GM has already teased a forthcoming GMC Sierra Denali EV pickup. (And oh yeah, that Hummer EV, too.) GM is following closely in Ford’s footsteps, which is set to deliver the first all-electric F-150 Lightning EV pickups to customers this year.
The combination of all-electric Silverados and F-150s alone could accelerate EV adoption in the U.S. considerably, as the car market in wide swaths of the country is dominated by trucks. Add in the considerable hype behind Rivian’s R1T, which will arrive for some lucky customers this year as well, and we’re starting to see some serious EV truck competition.
BYD has launched the third-generation Qin Plus DM-i in China, and the first thing that caught my eye is its price. According to CarNewsChina, the plug-in hybrid sedan starts at 79,900 yuan, which is about $11,980. That’s an incredibly low price for a brand-new car, especially by US standards.
What’s even more impressive is the range. The Qin Plus DM-i can drive up to 137 miles on electricity alone, which should cover most people’s daily commutes without using a drop of gas. Once the battery runs out, the 1.5-liter engine takes over. Thanks to its 17-gallon tank and roughly 91 mpg with a drained battery, the combined range reaches up to 1,423 miles.
Apple won the PC market’s worst quarter, but that’s not the entire story. It won the race by stumbling less than everyone else.
PC makers shipped just 57 million computers worldwide in Q3, which might look good, but it’s a 21% year-over-year plunge (via Counterpoint Research). And despite Apple’s Mac shipments falling by 11%, to 5.6 million, its market share rose from 8.7% to 9.8%. How did that happen?
Update (October 22 23:54 PT): In response to our query, GM clarified that offline recording support is already available on eligible vehicles. Like Tesla's Sentry Mode, it requires owners to connect a USB drive to save incident recordings, which can be viewed on the vehicle's infotainment screen. The upcoming Connected Cameras feature will build on this by giving owners remote access to these recordings via the revamped OnStar app, allowing them to check footage without walking out to their car.
General Motors has announced plans to add a new Connected Cameras feature to its OnStar service starting next year, giving drivers a way to monitor parked vehicles remotely and capture footage of certain incidents.