Tag: Kelly Blue Book

California Votes to Ban New Gasoline Vehicle Sales by 2035

California has become the first state in the US to ban the sale of new gasoline vehicles, effective 2035.

According to CNBC, the policy will not prevent owners from utilizing their existing gasoline vehicles, nor will it prevent people from buying and selling used models. Nonetheless, the law is the first to ban the sale of new gasoline vehicles, marking the most aggressive shift toward hydrogen and electric vehicles (EVs) within the US.

As interim goals, California has stipulated that 35% of new vehicles be battery or hydrogen-powered by 2026 and 68% by 2030. At the same time, the rule would allow up to 20% plug-hybrid sales by 2035, despite such vehicles still having a gasoline engine.

While some are praising California for taking such a bold step, not everyone is convinced the state is taking the right path or that the infrastructure is ready to support a mass shift to EVs.

“It’s a worthy goal, but may be unrealistic given the charging infrastructure and likely increasing demand for power,” Brian Moody, executive editor for Kelley Blue Book and Autotrader—Cox Automotive brands, said in a statement to WPN.

” While it sounds good on paper, unless there is a stipulation that the power for those electric cars be generated by clean sources, it doesn’t really have teeth. A more graduated approach might be better. It’s concerning that the conversation seems to be an inflexible ‘all or nothing’ approach without fully knowing the impact of battery recycling on a mass scale, as well as the recycling of solar panels. What would it look like if we had a 50% mix of electric and gasoline? As electric cars get more and more affordable, the market will get California to a certain adoption rate organically.”

August 26, 2022
Chevrolet Silverado Wins With Upgraded Features

The battle between Ford and Chevy trucks rages on in 2014, with each competitor upgrading their vehicles even closer to perfection.

The second-best-selling vehicle, the Chevrolet Silverado, has upgraded its interior as well as minor changes to the exterior to possibly make it the victor this year. Chevrolet has listened to driver feedback and made some key changes.

The most notable change is that the rugged truck now sports a remarkably quiet and comfortable cabin. Kelly Blue Book raves:

“GM engineers put a great deal of effort into developing a remarkably quiet cabin for the 2014 Chevy Silverado, and the hard work paid off. Road and wind noise are nicely quelled at highway speeds, while the retuned suspension soaks up everything short of a sinkhole.”

The Kelly Blue Book review also compliments the Silverado’s “light and precise” steering with a responsiveness unexpected of the heavy work-truck’s design.

Not just depending on a smooth ride to up the ante, the truck also offers a strong V8 engine that uses a cylinder deactivation method to provide better fuel efficiency along with more power than Ford’s V6 engine.

Although the V8 boasts an impressive fuel economy rating, Kelly Blue Book warns that you can receive similar power with a Ram 1500 that sports a V6 engine with much better fuel economy.

The starting price for the Chevrolet Silverado 1500 Double Cab is $25,575 with the maximum price going into the $50,000s for the top-of-the-line Silverado High Country edition.

US News ranks the 2014 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 as the best full-size pickup truck of 2014, with the Ram 1500 next, the GMC Sierra 1500 third and the Ford F-150 fourth. Truck brand loyalty likely serves a big part as to why the Chevrolet Silverado is only the second-best-selling truck under the Ford F150. Something tells us that Chevy will keep on trucking until they get that top spot.

Image via NDN

January 26, 2014
Gas Up, Car Sales Down: Consumers Choose Differently

Here’s some not so surprising news from the publishers of Kelly Blue Book, the authority on resale auto values, consumers have changed their minds about what vehicle they wish to purchase based on the rising costs of fuel. About 66% of consumers who planned to purchase a new car or truck in this first quarter of 2012 have considered vehicles which were not real options for them in the past or have simply decided not to buy at all.

Over three quarters of these consumers are being realistic, and believe gas prices will continue to rise over the next thirty days. Surprisingly, only about 20% of shoppers said they were looking for a vehicle that would give them better gas mileage. A majority (30%) of consumers cited high mileage as a reason for wanting to trade in or sell their current vehicles. The average ride was about eight model years old, with over 85,00 miles on it.

Jack R. Nerad, executive editorial director and executive market analyst for Kelley Blue Book’s kbb.com comments ton the trend in vehicle sales:

“The rollercoaster of gas prices has taken its toll on new-car shoppers,”

“The reality of today’s economy means that many shoppers are factoring in fuel efficiency and gas prices toward the top of things they consider when choosing their next new car. Lucky for them, each year auto manufacturers work increasingly hard to improve fuel economy in their new models, with many gasoline-powered vehicles now achieving 40 mpg or higher, while a handful of alternative-energy vehicles achieve upwards of 100 mpg-equivalent.”

The three most important factors consumers are taking into account when shopping for a new vehicle include warranty, fuel mileage, and power/locks. Very interesting, I would think fuel economy would be the number one concern given the drastic increase in fuel costs over the last ninety days.

When considering a new vehicle it is important to weigh the total cost of ownership over the duration. Maintenance can be a real killer on some vehicles once they are out of warranty, and an extra five miles per gallon can save you hundreds over the course of a couple years. Look at the hidden costs before you sign on the bottom line. I would bet on gas prices being higher in the future, so if the vehicle you want already stretches your budget, reconsider.

April 19, 2012
Kelly Blue Book Launches Social Seller Toolkit

Kelley Blue Book, a provider of new and used car information, has introduced its Seller’s Toolkit, aimed at helping people sell their car online and on social networks.

Users of the Seller’s Toolkit can create and send a digital window sticker with customized descriptions and photos to websites like Facebook, Twitter, Craigslist and their own blog.

Facebook integration, includes an embeddable widget, images and a direct link users can share online. Users with Facebook profiles can notify their network of their vehicles for sale via the integrated share feature. In addition, the Seller’s Toolkit provides sellers with the option to add a custom tab to their Facebook profile reading "Car for Sale," and features all of the details provided in the digital window sticker.

For e-mail, IM or Twitter, the Seller’s Toolkit provides the seller with a direct link feature, generating a shortened URL that takes buyers to Kelley Blue Book’s pre-configured Pricing Report on kbb.com.

"Before private party sellers spend a dime on online listings they should consider the advantages and capabilities of Kelley Blue Book’s Seller’s Toolkit with LiveValue," said Justin Yaros, executive vice president of product design and development for Kelley Blue Book’s kbb.com.

"The easy-to-use intelligent technology and design that supports this product gives sellers the upper hand in online listings. Seller’s Toolkit offers sellers an enhanced social method for listing vehicles for sale, while providing buyers with peace of mind that comes with the availability of the most recent Blue Book Values."

According to a recent study, about 1.3 million private-party offers made on vehicles via social networking sites equated to 785,000 sales during 2008. In 2009, the number of offers increased to 1.9 million, resulting in nearly 1.3 million sales.

July 23, 2010