The 2020 Jeep Gladiator just made its debut and the brand already has an entire accessory catalogue for the new midsize pickup truck.
2020 Jeep Gladiator: It’s Officially Here – Everything You Need to Know [Video]
There is a brand new midsize truck on the market from a brand that needs no introduction: this is everything you need to know about the 2020 Jeep Gladiator.
2019 Cadillac Escalade Sport Edition Goes Big on Style in LA
Cadillac is adding some big style to the 2019 Escalade with the new Sport Edition, revealed at the 2018 LA Auto Show.
2019 Ram 1500 V6 vs V8 eTorque Take on the World’s Toughest Towing Test (Ike Gauntlet 2019)
How do the new 2019 Ram 1500 V6 and V8 gas engines compare when pushed near their limits with a 7,000 lbs trailer on the Ike Gauntlet™ – world’s toughest towing test in the Rocky Mountains at 11,158 feet above sea level? What is the difference in the real world? How much more performance do you get with a V8? We are about to find out!
By the way, both of these new trucks are equipped with Ram’s eTorque mild-hybrid system. The V8 eTorque costs $2,645 more than the base V6 eTorque setup. What are you getting for the extra cash? This is precisely why we run this test.
Both trucks have an electric motor that is connected to the driveline via the serpentine accessory belt under the hood. Both trucks have a small 0.4 kWh battery on board to store regenerated energy. The V6 has an electric motor that adds up to 90 lb-ft off the line, and the V8 adds up to 130 lb-ft. Both only provides assistance while sitting in traffic and just getting going. Once, the gas engine comes into it’s torque, the electric motors are disengaged and total power specs are same as before.
- 3.6L V6: 305 hp / 269 lb-ft of torque; 8-speed auto; 3.55 rear axle
- 5.7L V8: 395 hp / 410 lb-ft of torque; 8-speed auto; 3.92 rear axle
The Ike Gauntlet™ route is the same as we used in previous years. It’s an 8-mile stretch of I-70 highway between Dillon, CO and the Eisenhower/Johnson tunnels at the top of the Continental Divide. It’s a 7% grade with over 2,000 feet of elevation gain.
- Ram 1500 Tradesman 4×4 Crew V6 eT: as tested at just over $44,000
- Ram 1500 Limited 4×4 Crew V8 eT: as tested at just over $66,000
The Ram Limited was pretty much fully loaded with every option, including air suspension.
Downhill
This is a special towing comparison where we are using a 7,000 lbs trailer to compare just these two trucks and their engines/powertrain. This trailer load basically maxes out the Ram 1500 Tradesman 4×4 crew cab, but the V8 could technically carry a trailer that is about 4,000 lbs heavier.
As such, we have some freedom to downshift the transmissions manually on the way down. We are still counting brake applications, but we are trying to find all the nuances and see how the transmission and their grade braking algorithms behave on the way down.
In the end, the V8 eTorque with the more heavy duty 8-speed transmission and the 3.92 rear differential ratio performed better on the way down. It was able to hold the truck and trailer down the mountain, thus needing fewer brake applications.
Uphill
On the uphill, the V6 struggled more than the V8 and that’s not a surprise. The coolant and engine oil temperatures on the V6 truck were going up, as it was working very hard. However, the truck never felt like it pulled back power or went into limp mode. It kept giving it all it had. The V6 was about 41 seconds slower up the mountain, but surprisingly – both V6 and V8 trip computers reported the same 4.7 MPG.
In the end, the V6 eTorque performed well, and it would be a good towing vehicle for trailer that weigh less than 7,000 lbs. However, if you need to tow a bit more, and if you need to cross mountainous terrain – then the V8 is an important investment.
Join the trailering fun in the video below.
2022 Volkswagen I.D. BUZZ Cargo Van Will Have 340 Miles of Range, Full Autonomous Capability [News]
At the LA Auto Show, Volkswagen is giving us a glimpse of the future.
Unfortunately, the future isn’t now, but the 2022 Volkswagen I.D. BUZZ CARGO van should go into production within the next four years. So what is the I.D. BUZZ CARGO concept all about? Apart from capitalizing the name, Volkswagen based this all-electric commercial vehicle on the MEB platform which will underpin the rest of the I.D. family. That includes the upcoming I.D. BUZZ passenger van and the I.D. CROZZ electric crossover.
Using the newly adopted WLTP (Worldwide Harmonized Light Vehicle Test Procedure), the 2022 Volkswagen I.D. BUZZ CARGO manages between 200 and 340 miles of range. On the shorter end, customers can spec a 48 kWh lithium-ion battery pack for city-based tasks like parcel delivery. If you do need more range, the I.D. BUZZ CARGO will also offer a 111 kWh battery option.
On the performance front, Volkswagen plans to fit a single 201 horsepower electric motor to the rear, mated to a single-speed transmission. The modular setup of this platform makes all-wheel drive a relatively straightforward option in the future by adding an electric motor in the front, should commercial customers demand it. The van’s top speed is electronically limited to 99 mph.
Charging
There’s always one question that pops up every time we discuss an electric vehicle. “What about charging?” According to Volkswagen, the larger battery pack can be charged to 80 percent capacity in 30 minutes on a 150 kW DC fast-charger. Those sort of chargers aren’t widespread yet, but firms like Electrify America are adding them nationwide by next year. By the time the I.D. BUZZ CARGO hits dealer lots, there should be a robust infrastructure for supporting that sort of quick charging.
Volkswagen also plans to prepare the I.D. BUZZ CARGO for inductive charging. Just like your phone, you can park the van on a charging plate, then it will charge the van through an electromagnetic field between a coil in the floor and another in the vehicle.
Capacity
The 2022 Volkswagen I.D. BUZZ CARGO wouldn’t be much of a commercial vehicle if it couldn’t haul anything. Overall, Volkswagen harks back to the old, flat-nosed Transporter in the new van’s design. It’s 198.7 inches long, 77.8 inches wide and 77.3 inches tall, with a 129.9 inch wheelbase. In fact, the latest concept is four inches longer than an earlier one shown in Detroit.
Maximum payload capacity for the 2022 Volkswagen I.D. BUZZ CARGO is limited to 1,760 pounds. That is higher than some current VW commercial vans (unavailable in the U.S.), but it is lower than similarly-sized, gasoline-powered commercial vans like the Mercedes-Benz Metris.
Cargo shelves inside the van actually have sensors installed – a feature developed in cooperation with German equipment specialist Sortimo. That, in theory, lets users track items on the shelves through a company’s order management system and Volkswagen’s ConnectedVan fleet app.
Technology
Where the 2022 Volkswagen I.D. BUZZ CARGO handily beats its gas-powered ancestors is in technology. It still does have a steering wheel, meaning you can drive the van yourself. What’s more, the Augmented Reality heads-up display and cameras in lieu of rear view mirrors add a futuristic touch. Not to mention the “Play” and “Pause” icons etched into the pedals.
Should you want the van to take over the driving, customers can engage the automated “I.D. Pilot” mode. By pushing a button on the steering wheel for a few seconds, the wheel then retracts into the instrument panel. From there, the I.D. BUZZ CARGO is totally autonomous. The driver can then swivel the seat up to 15 degrees to the right to use the van’s on-board laptop.
Once the van pulls up to a job site, its driver can use an integrated workbench that can be folded out from the back. The van also has 230-volt, 16-amp electrical sockets so you can use power tools from the van itself.
At this point, the I.D. BUZZ CARGO is still a concept, so pricing and exact release date are out of the question at this point. Hopefully we should know more closer to Volkswagen’s planned 2022 production run. Stay tuned!
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