Tag Archives: USA

USPS Could Get $6 Billion To Spend On Electric Vehicles

The U.S. Postal Service (USPS) could be awarded $6 billion to buy tens of thousands of electric delivery vehicles.

Legislation introduced by a group of 17 U.S. House Democrats earlier in the week stipulates that at least 75 per cent of the USPS fleet would need to be made up of electric or zero-emission vehicles.

The bill would also require 50 per cent of the postal service’s medium/heavy-duty vehicle purchases to be for EVs or zero-emission vehicles through 2029. After January 2040, all new USPS vehicles would need to be zero-emission vehicles.

The contract would involve between 50,000 and 165,000 vehicles over 10 years.

Backing the legislation includes chair of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, Representative Peter DeFazio, and Representative Carolyn Maloney who chairs the Oversight and Reform Committee that oversees USPS, Reuters reports.

Read Also: Workhorse Group Shares Drop Nearly 50% After Company Misses Out On USPS Contract

“We welcome and are interested in any support from Congress that advances the goal of a Postal Service vehicle fleet with zero emissions, and the necessary infrastructure required to operate it,” the USPS said in a statement issued on Monday. “With the right level of support, the majority of the Postal Service’s fleet can be electric by the end of the decade.”

News of this legislation comes a week after the USPS awarded a $482 million supply contract to military vehicle maker Oshkosh Defense to produce the service’s next-generation postal vehicle. In doing so, the USPS shunned Workhorse Group which was considered a front-runner in supply talks.

Shares of Workhorse Group jumped by 13 per cent following reports of the $6 billion cash injection into the USPS.

Karma GSe-6 Electric Luxury Sedan To Start At $79,900, Will Reach Customers In 2021

Karma Automotive has announced U.S. pricing for its first all-electric production model, the upcoming GSe-6 luxury sedan.

Scheduled to reach customers in 2021, the Karma GSe-6 will have a starting MSRP of $79,900, roughly half the price of the 2020 Revero GTS. Mind you, the price is before all applicable tax rebates and incentives; it also excludes taxes, fees and delivery charges. The Chinese-backed company has created a reservation site where prospective customers can pre-order the GSe-6 for a fully-refundable $100 deposit.

Karma’s GSe-6 sedan retains the design of the Revero GT and the full aluminum body but replaces the latter’s complicated two-motor range-extender system with an all-electric powertrain. The model will come standard with connected car capabilities, internet radio, haptic steering wheel controls, surround view camera, 21-inch wheels, adaptive headlights, and Level 2 autonomous driving.

Watch Also: Take A Tour Of The Karma Revero GT And The Company’s Design Studio

One look at the reservation site reveals that the GSe-6 will offer optional Sport and Luxury packages, with each bringing exclusive exterior and interior appointments. More importantly, the Karma GSe-6 will offer a driving range of up to 300 miles (483 km) and a “fast enough” 0-60 mph (0-96 km/h) acceleration. Expect a short charging time for the battery as Karma mentions a maximum charging speed of 110 kW.

“We are pleased to announce that our first all-electric vehicle is now available for pre-order at a price point that is competitive with other vehicles in the space,” said Joost de Vries, Karma’s VP of global sales and customer experience.

“We have been producing vehicles here in the USA for a while and the new all-electric GSe-6 was the next logical step in our progression as a company. We like to say we go ‘beyond EV’ and this vehicle – combined with our existing extended range EV technology in the Revero GT – offers consumers a unique solution for their next vehicle purchase.”

more photos…

Mark Wahlberg Buys Second Ohio GM Dealership, Renames It Mark Wahlberg Buick-GMC

Hollywood star Mark Wahlberg has diverted some of the revenue from his acting career into several business ventures, including a Chevrolet dealership he bought two years ago in Columbus, Ohio.

Now, it looks like Wahlberg has acquired a taste for GM car dealerships as he bought another one, a Buick-GMC store located right across the street from Mark Wahlberg Chevrolet.

As with the first acquisition, Wahlberg partnered with Michigan dealer Jay Feldman to purchase the Haydocy Buick-GMC dealership, which has been promptly renamed Mark Wahlberg Buick-GMC. The transaction also included an Airstream and RV dealership in Columbus, which from now on is known as Mark Wahlberg Airstream & RV.

Watch: Mark Wahlberg Checks Out The Mercedes-AMG One

“Columbus has been so welcoming and it just made sense to grow our automotive platform here,” Wahlberg said in a statement cited by AutoNews. “The Haydocy family has been wonderful to work with during this transition and Jay and I are looking forward to doing big things here,” the actor added.

Wahlberg’s associate Jay Feldman, who is CEO of Feldman Automotive Group, said that purchasing the Buick-GMC store across the street from Mark Wahlberg Chevrolet was “a perfect fit” and that they love the Columbus market.

Wahlberg and Feldman met in 2013 in Detroit while the actor was filming the fourth installment of the Transformers movie series. In addition to car dealerships, they also are business partners in several Wahlburgers restaurants. Wahlberg’s business portfolio also includes a movie production company, health and wellness company, and a water brand.

Photo credits: Google Street View

For GREAT deals on a new or used Harley check out Old Town Temecula Harley-Davidson TODAY!

You Can Now Buy Patrick Dempsey’s Panoz-Built 1965 Ford Mustang Fastback SVT

The 1965 Ford Mustang Fastback is a fine car in stock form, but actor and racer Patrick Dempsey wanted it significantly improved to use it as a daily driver.

To help him turn the Mustang into the pony car of his dreams, he commissioned Panoz Auto Development and JRD, the official tuner of Panoz vehicles. 3,900 hours and approximately $300,000 later, Dempsey was presented with the black Mustang you see in these photos.

Completed in 2008, the project used a number of components from both the S197 and SN95 Mustangs, including a 420 HP supercharged 4.6-liter V8, Tremec T-56 six-speed manual transmission, bits of the suspension and brakes, and some interior items.

Watch Also: Patrick Dempsey Takes Jay Leno For A Thrill Ride In Two Stunning Porsches

Dempsey later sold the car to Equus Automotive, which brought further updates to the exterior and interior. The current owner, who is based in Utah, has had it for the past three years and is now willing to part ways with it for a satisfactory amount of money. At the time of writing, and with six days until the auction ends, the highest bid on Bring A Trailer stands at $75,000.

So let’s see what you would get if you decided to bid for it – besides bragging rights for driving a car that Patrick Dempsey used to own.

On the outside, the 1965 Mustang keeps things classy with a black paint, rear wheel-arch flares to accommodate the S197 rear axle, 17-inch Torq Thrust–style wheels shod with BFGoodrich G-Force Sport tires, as well as HID headlights and LED taillights with a high-mounted third brake lamp. Upon acquiring the car from Dempsey, Equus Automotive modified the front and rear lower valances and replaced the hood and rear side window glass.

The changes made to the cabin are much more obvious and include a custom upholstered dashboard, metal pedal covers, air conditioning, power windows and door locks – all made by Panoz, with the power-window switches and climate-control buttons coming from a 2004 SVT Cobra. Equus Automotive redid the cabin with black leather seats, a modified lower console and a retro-style Becker Mexico radio with Bluetooth; plus, it also placed its logos on the modern steering wheel and headrests.

[embedded content]

Since it was built to be a daily driver, the 1965 Mustang restomod also features modern tech such as power rack-and-pinion steering, ABS, traction control, front and rear three-point seatbelts, a collapsible steering column, and a child-seat restraint system in the back seat. Furthermore, Panoz used computer-assisted design and custom molds to develop front and rear crumple zones, integrated side-impact protection, and a reinforced toe box for additional chassis rigidity.

The car has been driven for approximately 8,500 miles (13,679 km) since the initial build and is now offered with a complete build guide and a clean Utah title. Check out the listing and following videos for the full details.

[embedded content]

more photos…