SUVs are getting bigger and bigger
GM’s decision to upsize its Chevrolet Suburban and Tahoe makes it the latest manufacturer to upsize its already large SUVs.
america today
- The BraunAbility Chevrolet Traverse is an improved version of the Chevrolet Traverse LT.
- According to both companies, the next-generation vehicle will go on sale next year, with pricing to be announced at a later date.
Chevrolet focused on driving accessibility by donating a wheelchair-accessible SUV to a disabled U.S. Army veteran at the Country Music Association Awards in Nashville on Nov. 19.
Country music star Ella Langley presented the vehicle to retired U.S. Army Sergeant Nick Koulcher, a double above-knee amputee, on stage at Bridgestone Arena, along with a pre-recorded video of the SUV gift.
The presentation took place in front of 100 active-duty soldiers from the 101st Airborne Division at Fort Campbell. The CMA Awards, dubbed “country music’s biggest night,” were hosted by Laney Wilson.
The next-generation BraunAbility Chevrolet Traverse, featuring features such as an integrated in-floor ramp and vehicle kneeling capabilities, will be available next year.
General Motors said in a statement that Koelcher, a combat engineer and gunner with the U.S. Army’s Alpha Company, 40th Engineers, lost his legs when his vehicle was hit by an improvised explosive device. Despite this, he remains active, running 40 marathons, weightlifting, and participating in hunting. He is also an accomplished hand cyclist.
“Everyone has the power to turn trauma into something positive,” Koulcher said in a statement. “People think of not having legs as a disadvantage, but I think of not having legs as a superpower.”
He lives in Hartland, Michigan with his wife and three children.
The Chevrolet Traverse is assembled at GM’s Lansing Delta Township plant in Lansing, Michigan. Mobility provider BraunAbility tunes each vehicle at its manufacturing headquarters in Winamac, Indiana. The companies said pricing would be announced at a later date.
Jackie Charniga covers General Motors for the Free Press. Contact me at jcharniga@freepress.com.
