In episode 6, Daniel talks with his regular guest, automotive writer and reviewer, Mark Savage.  The new Hyundai Sonata Hybrid is receiving high praise for its look and great mileage, but also for its use of solar panels integrated into its roof.  This not only helps power electronics in the car, but can add to its driving range as well.  Also, Daniel and Mark discuss some semi-autonomous driving features, and cameras as rear-view mirrors.

In this episode, Daniel speaks with National Media Relations Manager for Volvo USA, Russell Datz.  Volvo had two huge goals it wanted to reach by 2020.  One was that no one would die in a collision in a new Volvo car after 2020.  The other was that all Volvo cars would be electric or hybrid electric, or have some form of electric power, again, starting in 2020.  Russell Datz discusses these ambitious goals with Daniel at the Chicago Auto Show.

In this episode, an introduction to Daniel’s Joyride regular guest, automotive writer and reviewer, Mark Savage.  Daniel and Mark have been talking to each other on Public Radio for over 20 years, and will continue their car-based conversations regularly on Daniel’s Joyride.  This time a ‘get to know you’ interview about Mark’s career as an automotive reviewer.

In this episode, a conversation with the Lead Development Engineer of the Chevrolet Bolt EV,  Todd Bruder.  General Motors was one of the first major car manufacturers to have an electric car, with its EV1 program of the mid/late 1990’s.  GM ended that program in 1999, literally crushing all but a handful of the cars in a cloud of controversy and terrible publicity.  The spark was never fully out at GM, though, and came back fully charged with the Chevrolet Bolt EV, which debuted as a 2017 model.  It was one of the first, and still few, that has a range of over 200 miles on a single charge.  Daniel spoke with Bruder at the Chicago Auto Show in 2018.

Do you remember luxury cars?  Many cars these days say they are, but then list off their statistics about how much horsepower they have, how fast they are, and their cornering ability.  They brag about their technological abilities, their connectivity.  Aerodynamics.  Their aggressive looks.  This is all well and good, but is that really luxury?  By the definition of Daniel’s Joyride, they are not luxury – they are performance cars with some luxury trimmings.  A true luxury car’s PURPOSE is to coddle you, to give you a supremely relaxing, quiet, environment, a calming sense of style, and of course, a ride that has only ONE purpose – comfort – a ride that smooths out the road and isolates you from the imperfections of pavement.  This is what Daniel and his guest, automotive journalist, Mark Savage discuss, in this episode of Daniel’s Joyride Podcast.

Join Daniel as he visits the East Troy Electric Railway Museum in East Troy, Wisconsin.  He rides the rails with volunteer Ted Derse.