Toyota RAV4 Prime, Lexus NX PHEV recall: Don’t charge in cold weather

2021 Toyota RAV4 Prime XSECertain 2021 and 2022 Toyota RAV4 Prime and 2022 Lexus NX 450h+ plug-in hybrids are being recalled, and in the meantime owners are being advised not to charge their vehicles in cold temperatures. The recall affects 43,442 vehicles built between Nov. 25, 2019, and May 27, 2022. Vehicles in this group could have a faulty current-rectifying module...

Stellantis stops stocking non-hybrids in California emissions states

2023 Jeep Wrangler Willys 4xeIf you've been considering a Jeep plug-in hybrid, soon you might not have any other options—depending on where you are. Jeep parent Stellantis has stopped stocking non-hybrid models in the 14 California emissions states, Automotive News reported Friday. Dealerships in those states can now only get non-hybrid models ordered by customers...

Jeep Wrangler 4xe, top-selling PHEV, gets a price cut for 2024

2024 Jeep WranglerThe updated 2024 Jeep Wrangler 4xe plug-in hybrid gets a price cut for the new model year. First noticed by CarsDirect, the price cut comes as other Wrangler variants get a price increase, which is typical for a refreshed model like the 2024 Wrangler. But Jeep is also adding a new base Sport S trim level for the 4xe below the carryover Willys...

2024 Lexus TX 550h+ 3-row plug-in hybrid aims for 33 miles, 30 mpg

2024 Lexus TXLexus on Thursday night revealed a new luxury three-row SUV model, badged TX and including hybrid and plug-in hybrid versions. Much as the Toyota Highlander Hybrid is just getting a larger, longer Grand Highlander Hybrid companion model, the Lexus TX satisfies those wanting a bigger and boxier vehicle that’s not as thirsty or costly as the...

PHEV drivers don’t plug in so often, and EPA is adjusting to it

2021 Jeep Wrangler 4xeIf plug-in hybrid drivers don't charge their vehicles often, they're effectively driving gasoline cars with added battery weight that doesn't necessarily help reduce emissions. Now the EPA is adjusting for that. As explained in an International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT) blog post, a proposed EPA regulation released April 12 would...

2024 Alfa Romeo Tonale PHEV rated at 33 electric miles—and 29 mpg

2024 Alfa Romeo TonaleThe 2024 Alfa Romeo Tonale plug-in hybrid achieves an EPA-rated 33 miles of electric range with an efficiency rating of 77 MPGe combined, as well as 29 mpg combined fuel economy, the automaker announced Wednesday. While Alfa Romeo is traditionally a performance brand, it claims the Tonale plug-in hybrid is "the most efficient plug-in hybrid C-SUV...

Review: 2024 Porsche Cayenne E-Hybrid bridges the EV gap

2024 Porsche Cayenne E-HybridPorsche vehicles may be fast, but they’re not quick enough to outrun the rapid onset of emissions regulations. That’s why it revised all three powertrains in the 2024 Porsche Cayenne to run leaner, as well as meaner. But the performance brand had to make some difficult decisions on how and where its bestseller will be sold. This...

Review: 2024 Mercedes-Benz GLE 450e 4Matic does PHEV the right way

2024 Mercedes-Benz GLE 450e 4MaticI’m cruising along on Alabama Highway 20 at about 70 mph, 20 miles into my drive of the 2024 Mercedes-Benz GLE 450e 4Matic, and I just realized the engine isn’t on. A check of the consumption display on the 12.3-inch center touchscreen reveals the engine has only been on twice, accounting for less than a mile of the drive. By the time...

Toyota is looking at plug-in hybrids powered by low-carbon fuels

2021 Toyota RAV4 PrimeToyota is partnering with ExxonMobil to research plug-in hybrids powered by low-carbon fuels. A short video recently released by the two companies discusses collaborative efforts to reduce emissions, including low-carbon fuels being developed by ExxonMobil that the company claims have the potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by up to 75%...