Category: Plug-In Hybrids

Lexus will begin launching its first mass-market plug-in hybrid later this year, followed by a dedicated battery-electric model in 2022, the automaker said last week in a press release announcing two million global electrified-vehicle sales. Plug-in hybrid and battery-electric models are part of a larger "Lexus Electrified" plan. Announced in...

The BMW X5 xDrive45e plug-in hybrid SUV will offer tires made from sustainably-sourced natural rubber starting in August, the automaker announced last week in a press release. BMW claims the special 22-inch Pirelli P-Zero tires also include wood-based rayon as a strengthener and are the first to receive certification from the Forest Stewardship...

The newly-launched 2021 Jeep Wrangler 4xe plug-in hybrid is already a good lease deal, significantly undercutting the Toyota RAV4 Prime. This month, the lower-level Wrangled Unlimited Sahara 4xe trim level is available to lease for $249 a month for 36 months, with $3,999 due at signing, according to our partner site CarsDirect. Granted, that's...

Toyota electric vehicles are arriving in the U.S. market in 2022. While that itself stands as a surprise pivot for the brand, which was as recently as 2019 saying that there was essentially “no demand” for EVs at U.S. dealerships, hold your horses. On Wednesday the company provided a better picture of exactly how committed to EVs it...

Plug-in vehicles—including battery-electric cars, plug-in hybrids, and hydrogen fuel-cell cars—are nearing one in 10 new-car sales in California, according to a periodic update from industry group Veloz, referring to the latest data from the state. Californians purchased 59,000 plug-in cars in the first quarter of 2021, accounting for...

Fortunately, most Americans who make the shift to an electric vehicle are converts for life. As we’ve heard in so many different ways from those who’ve seen the light, there’s no turning back. But it’s not always that way. About 1 out of 5 drivers who go electric do shift back to gasoline. And that rate of...

Like its gasoline and diesel counterparts, the 2021 Jeep Wrangler 4xe will get a number of accessories under the Jeep Performance Parts banner, including a lift kit. Designed to raise the height of the body to increase clearance for off-roading, this is the first lift kit offered for a plug-in hybrid and, to the best of our knowledge—not...

April is shaping up to be a good month to buy an electric car or plug-in hybrid, with several good deals spotted by CarsDirect. In Southern California, a price cut has allowed shoppers to lease a 2021 Hyundai Kona Electric for around the same price as a gasoline model, according to the website. The best deal, which applies to the Kona Electric SEL...

An important metric for car sales is the average time a given model spends on dealer lots. The Toyota RAV4 Prime plug-in hybrid is doing quite well in that area. The RAV4 Prime was the quickest-selling new car in March, second only to the Chevrolet Corvette, according to iSeeCars analysis. It took an average 10.2 days to sell a RAV4 Prime last...

Some automakers aim to use plug-in hybrids as a bridge to all-electric cars, but tougher European regulations might put an end to that sooner than expected, according to a Reuters report. Draft regulations would prevent automakers from labeling plug-in hybrids as "sustainable investments" beyond 2025, potentially discouraging investors, while...

Those who gripe that all electric vehicles are starting to look the same and follow the same specs should probably take a good look at the Mazda MX-30. The automaker on Wednesday confirmed that its MX-30 electric vehicle, which is already available in Europe, is coming to California this fall. In its launch form for the U.S., the MX-30 will get a...

It’s been a long and winding road for Karma Automotive, which was born of the remains of Fisker more than five years ago and still hasn't managed to make as many cars as the original. But with the debut of the 2021 Karma GS-6, following in the footsteps of the Revero GT it introduced last year, Karma sets the stage for that to change...

The Ford Escape Plug-In Hybrid is an intriguing product that ties one of Ford’s best-selling models to the future of the brand, which is best represented by the electric 2021 Ford Mustang Mach-E. But it’s been slow out of the gate. The Escape PHEV was originally due to arrive for the 2020 model year and had a price as of December 2019...

The 2021 Jeep Wrangler 4xe may have unprecedented off-road capability for a plug-in hybrid, but it falls short on electric range. The official EPA electric-range rating for the Wrangler 4xe is 22 miles. That's 3 miles short of what Jeep estimated when the plug-in hybrid SUV was unveiled last year. The Wrangler 4xe also gets an efficiency rating of...

The 2022 Hyundai Tucson Plug-In Hybrid will have 32 miles of electric range when it goes on sale later this year, Hyundai confirmed Tuesday in a press release. That electric-range estimated is 4 miles better than Hyundai anticipated last year. The automaker is now also quoting a 70 MPGe efficiency rating and a 30 mpg fuel-economy rating. The...

While its gasoline counterpart gets a redesign and 2022-model-year designation, the 2021 Mitsubishi Outlander Plug-In Hybrid gets smaller updates, including powertrain tweaks that boost power and electric range. A 2.4-liter gasoline inline-4, rated at 126 horsepower and 148 pound-feet of torque, replaces the previous 2.0-liter engine. It still...

What’s the most efficient way to drive the 2021 Toyota RAV4 Prime and use its charge mode, when you’re traveling a long distance and going near posted speed limits? Charge mode allows drivers to strategically charge the battery with the engine rather than the charge port. The RAV4 Prime’s owners manual doesn't actually instruct...