These are the car news stories you might have missed this week.
We’re almost halfway through April and the car news cycle is getting increasingly turbulent. This week’s stories include the EPA coming out swinging in favor of EVs, Chevy revealing a hardcore off-road Silverado HD, and robot taxis struggling with the weather.
Chevrolet debuts the Silverado HD ZR2.
With the truck market still pretty hot, although there are indications it’s cooling off some, Chevy has decided to release the Silverado HD ZR2. That means the heavy-duty pickup has “race-proven off-road technologies” like Multimatic DSSV dampers, a rear e-locker, upgraded skid plates, and big 35-inch Goodyear Wrangler Territory MT tires. Pricing should be pretty steep.
See more details about this truck here.
The EPA gets more aggressive.
While we’ve touched on how the EPA is focusing intensely on aftermarket car modifications, a new development this week shows the federal regulatory agency is absolutely picking winners and losers. New emissions standards for both light- and heavy-duty vehicles are projected to phase out most ICE cars by the end of the decade, which the EPA openly admits is the whole point.
Read all about it here.
Robo taxis can’t handle San Francisco fog.
Waymo self-driving taxis had to pull to the side of the road in San Francisco when they encountered particularly thick fog, causing a bit of a traffic snarl. The company, which is owned by Alphabet Inc. (same as Google) tried to play the incident off as a minor glitch.
Find out more here.
BMW unveils the XM Label Red.
Not too long after shocking everyone by revealing the garishly designed XM crossover, BMW has decided to pump up performance and the ostentatious styling choices further with the XM Label Red. There’s red trim around the kidney grilles plus the hybrid powertrain pumps out 738-horsepower, making this porker the most powerful road-going vehicle BMW has ever made.
Check out the official press release here.
Arnie rolls up his sleeves.
Actor and former California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger decided to fill a pothole in his neighborhood after being fed up by the city not doing it. He also made sure a camera crew and reporter were on hand to witness the act, complete with a neighbor stopping by the thank him for his service. But it turns out the “pothole” was an active service trench being used by the city. Oops
Read more about it here.
Images via GM, BMW
