Audi is introducing a plug-in hybrid version of its A8 L luxury sedan. The combination of plug-in hybrid drive and intelligent drive management allows distances of up to 46 kilometers (28.6 mi) (measured in accordance with WLTP) to be covered with electric drive alone. System power of 330 kW (449... Read more →

XL, a growing provider of vehicle electrification solutions for commercial and municipal fleets, made two significant announcements designed to capitalize on the company’s current momentum and position the business for rapid, sustainable growth in 2020 and beyond. First, on 4 October, XL acquired the electrification division of Quantum Fuel Systems,... Read more →

Global sales of BMW Group electrified models (fully-electric and plug-in hybrid) increased by 10.1% in September year-on-year to 16,035 units—due in part to the new BMW 330e. Sales of electrified vehicles for the first nine months have dropped by 1% at 96,570 units, compared to the same period last year.... Read more →

At the Tokyo Motor Show lather this month, Mitsubishi Motors (MMC) will unveil the MI-TECH CONCEPT—a small plug-in hybrid SUV featuring a 4-motor 4WD system called Quad Motor with Dual Motor AYC (active yaw control) with 2-motors for both front and rear axle. The light and compact PHEV drive system... Read more →

The BMW Group is introducing a further plug-in hybrid model—the new BMW X1 xDrive25e—a subcompact crossover. An electric drive and a latest-generation lithium-ion battery enable an electrically powered range of up to 57 kilometers (35 miles). With an average fuel consumption from 2.0 liters per 100 kilometers (117.6 mpg US)... Read more →

Ford’s Transit Custom Plug-In Hybrid van (earlier post)is available to order now with first deliveries before the end of the year. Combining zero-emission driving capability and no range anxiety, the first-in-class Transit Custom Plug-In Hybrid van can be charged with grid electricity for a pure electric NEDC driving range of... Read more →

BMW Group Thailand has inaugurated local high-voltage battery production plant in partnership with the DRÄXLMAIER Group, one of the world’s leading automotive suppliers and a partner of BMW Group since 1966. BMW Group Thailand launched the local assembly lines in July 2019 at the DRÄXLMAIER Group plant. The high-voltage battery... Read more →

Audi is systematically pursuing its electrification strategy and is now offering its large four-door A7 Sportback coupe as a powerful, efficient plug-in hybrid (PHEV). The new Audi A7 Sportback 55 TFSI e quattro delivers a system output of 270 kW (367 PS) (combined fuel consumption of 2.1 – 1.9 l/100... Read more →

The Mercedes-Benz GLC 350e 4MATIC EQ Power, featuring third-generation plug-in hybrid technology, is making its debut. With battery capacity of 13.5 kWh, the GLC 350e 4MATIC EQ Power will benefit from increased all-electric range (NEDC electric range approx. 28-30 miles; EPA electric range TBA). The redesigned Mercedes-Benz GLC 350e will... Read more →

The new MINI Cooper SE electric vehicle (fuel consumption combined: 0.0 l/100 km; electric power consumption combined: 16.8 – 14.8 kWh/100 km; CO2 emissions combined: 0 g/km) will make its show debut at the IAA in Frankfurt next week. Also highlighted will be the latest version of the MINI Cooper... Read more →

With the market launch of the new BMW X5 xDrive45e (earlier post), the drive portfolio of the Sporty Activity Vehicle (SAV) is now being expanded to include a plug-hybrid system. The second-generation of the BMW X5 with electrified drive combines a model-specific in-line 6-cylinder gasoline engine featuring BMW TwinPower Turbo... Read more →

Despite continuing economic uncertainty and diminishing consumer confidence, the European car market registered growth in July 2019, as registrations were up by 1.2% to 1,325,600 units, according to JATO Dynamics. Although the growth was marginal, it marks a significant improvement on the drop seen in June, when registrations fell by... Read more →

Sales of Battery Electric Vehicles (BEVs) in California during the second quarter of 2019 were largely stable from the prior quarter with a slight increase to 26,754 units from 26,053, although with a slight drop in market share from 5.6% to 5.5%, according to an analysis of new vehicle sales... Read more →

The new Passat GTE plug-in hybrid features, under the new WLTP cycle, an electric range of up to 54 km (33.6 miles) (Variant) or 56 km (34.8 miles)(sedan). The battery’s energy capacity has been increased by 31% to a total of 13 kWh. The purely electric range of the predecessor—determined... Read more →

Volvo has extended its S60 range—the third generation of the premium mid-size sedan—to incorporate further powertrain choices and equipment grades, including an all­wheel­drive gasoline-electric hybrid and a trim level that focuses on luxury and craftsmanship. The existing T5 turbocharged 250 hp gasoline unit has been joined by an all-wheel-drive T8... Read more →

Mercedes‑Benz Cars is introducing plug-in hybrids under the EQ Power label in the A- and B-Class. These new models, equipped with third-generation hybrid drive, include the A 250 e (combined fuel consumption 1.5-1.4 l/100 km (156.7-167.9 mpg US), combined CO2 emissions 34-33 g/km, combined electrical consumption 15.0-14.8 kWh/100 km); A... Read more →

The new BMW 330e plug-in hybrid features the latest generation of BMW eDrive technology paired with a four-cylinder gasoline engine. Making its debut appearance in a BMW, the standard-fitted XtraBoost raises the system output of the plug-in hybrid to a maximum 215 kW/292 hp. The all-electric range is more than... Read more →

Porsche’s Cayenne range follows the Panamera series (earlier post) in now featuring a plug-in hybrid as its new flagship model. Cayenne Turbo S E-Hybrid Coupé, Cayenne Turbo S E-Hybrid, 2019 The Cayenne Turbo S E-Hybrid and the Cayenne Turbo S E-Hybrid Coupé draw their system output of 500 kW from... Read more →

BMW is bringing BMW’s global Induction Charging Pilot Program to the US. The pilot program began in Germany in 2018. The pilot program is available in the state of California for 200 interested, qualifying residential home customers who are able to charge inside an enclosed garage space. Availability is based... Read more →

BMW is increasing the efficiency and variety of its electrified models for the upper mid-range segment. The latest battery cell technology contributes to increasing the electric range of the BMW 530e Sedan plug-in hybrid model to between 61 and 66 kilometers. In addition, the latest-generation BMW eDrive technology has reduced... Read more →

Three months since the introduction of the Ultra-Low Emissions Zone (ULEZ) in London, results of a year-long trial in the capital suggest that plug-in hybrid electric (PHEV) commercial vehicles could present the most practical, readily available option for businesses trying to meet clean-air targets in cities. The trial—supported by a... Read more →

UK new car registrations declined for a fourth consecutive month in June, with year-on-year demand falling by -4.9% to 223,421 units, according to the latest figures released by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT). 1,269,245 new cars joined British roads in the first half of the year, down... Read more →

Japan’s NEDO, Sharp Corporation, and Toyota Motor Corporation plan to begin public road trials of electrified vehicles equipped with high-efficiency solar batteries from late July 2019. The trials aim to assess the effectiveness of improvements in cruising range and fuel efficiency of electrified vehicles equipped with high-efficiency solar batteries. To... Read more →

Audi’s updated Q7 SUV will have the company’s 48V mild-hybrid system (MHEV) as standard. In customer operation, this technology can reduce consumption by up to 0.7 liters per 100 kilometers. Its central component, the belt alternator starter (BAS), powers a 48-volt main electrical system in which a compact lithium-ion battery... Read more →

For every year except 2011, the United States has produced the majority of plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs) sold in the United States, according to the US Department of Energy (DOE). In 2018, the United States produced 75%, Japan 9%, and Germany 5%, while the remaining eight countries listed produced a... Read more →

In May, cumulated BMW Group electrified sales topped the 400,000 mark with a total of 406,756 fully-electric and plug-in hybrid models delivered to customers since the BMW i3 first went on sale in November 2013. Five and a half years after it was launched, demand for the iconic BMW i3... Read more →

The new generation BMW 3 Series Touring will offer the first plug-in hybrid drive system for one of BMW’s Touring models. The BMW eDrive technology in the BMW 330e Touring comprises a four-cylinder gasoline engine and an electric motor integrated into the eight-speed Steptronic transmission. The new BMW 3 Series... Read more →

ŠKODA, a member of the Volkswagen Group, has introduced the SUPERB iV—a plug-in hybrid version of its flagship SUPERB— and the CITIGOe iV, the company’s first production battery-electric vehicle. The ŠKODA iV sub-brand covers both the development of the brand’s own family of electrified products as well as a special... Read more →

The University of Tokyo (UTokyo), Toyota Motor Corporation, and TRENDE Inc., will jointly conduct tests from 17 June at Toyota’s Higashifuji Technical Center and the surrounding area, on a next-generation peer-to-peer electricity system (P2P electricity transactions) that enables homes, businesses, and electrified vehicles connected to the electricity grid to trade... Read more →

The Audi Q5 55 TFSI e quattro with 270 kW (367 hp) system output (combined fuel consumption: 2.4 – 2.1 l/100 km; combined CO2 emissions: 53 – 46 g/km) is the first of the new plug-in models from Audi. The new drive concept comprises a 2.0 TFSI, a four-cylinder, turbocharged... Read more →

Opel presented the new all-wheel drive PHEV (plug-in hybrid electric vehicle) version of the Grandland X. Topping Opel’s SUV offer (that also comprises the Crossland X and the Mokka X), the Grandland X Hybrid4 combines the power of a 1.6 turbocharged gasoline engine and two electric motors for a system... Read more →

In 2018, plug-in light-duty vehicles on the road displaced 323 million gallons of gasoline—about one quarter of a percent of all gasoline used in the United States, according to the US Department of Energy (DOE). Gasoline displacement from plug-in vehicles is about 42% more than it was in 2017 and... Read more →

Researchers at the University of Waterloo (Canada), with a colleague in Sweden, have used a power management strategy greatly to extend the durability of onboard fuel cells in a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle: an increase of 1.8, 4.8 and 6.9 times, respectively, for an urban, highway and a combined urban-highway... Read more →

The amount of electricity consumed by plug-in electric vehicles (PEV) in the United States has nearly doubled in the last two years—from 1.44 terawatt-hours in 2016 to 2.85 terawatt-hours in 2018, according to the US Department of Energy (DOE). The share of electricity consumption from all-electric vehicles (EV) increased compared... Read more →

Hyundai Motor is introducing connectivity and design enhancements for the new IONIQ in Europe. As of its launch in 2016, IONIQ was the world’s first car planned from the start to offer three electrified powertrains: hybrid, plug-in hybrid and battery-electric. New Hyundai IONIQ Electric The new IONIQ features advanced Blue... Read more →

The European car market registered its seventh consecutive month of decline in March 2019, according to figures from JATO Dynamics. Ongoing political and economic uncertainty, including lack of clarity around Brexit, alongside consumer preoccupation with diesel bans in cities, meant that overall demand continued to decline. Last month, 19 of... Read more →

At Auto Shanghai 2019, Mercedes-Benz is premiering the close-to-production show car Concept GLB and the Mercedes-AMG A 35 L 4MATIC developed exclusively for China. Alongside the Concept GLB are the battery-powered EQC (electricity consumption combined: 20.8 – 19.7 kWh/100 km) (earlier post) and the new GLE, both of which celebrate... Read more →

Mitsubishi Motors Corporation (MMC) announced that the world’s first plug-in hybrid SUV, the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV, has achieved sales of 200,000 units worldwide since its launch in 2013. Since making its debut in Japan, the Outlander PHEV has been rolled out to more than 50 countries across the world. It... Read more →

In a paper being presented at WCX SAE World Congress Experience in Detroit this week, a team from MIT is proposing the use of a flex-fuel gasoline-alcohol engine approach for a series-hybrid powertrain for long-haul Class 8 trucks. In this approach the engine would provide comparable (or possibly greater) efficiency... Read more →

Geely Auto Group (Geely) has selected Ricardo to assist with the development—right through to production implementation—of a new advanced transmission for range-extended plug-in hybrid vehicles. Key requirements for the transmission are high efficiency and competitive cost for high volume A and B-segment products. The approach taken is highly collaborative and... Read more →

A rebate project to increase access to electric vehicle (EV) chargers throughout California’s Sacramento County is launching with up to $15.5 million in funds available for qualifying local businesses and nonprofit organizations. The rebates will be available through the Sacramento County Incentive Project to install both commercial-grade Level 2 chargers... Read more →

The fuel cell plug-in hybrid Mercedes-Benz GLC F-CELL (combined hydrogen consumption: 0.34 kg/100 km, combined CO₂ emissions: 0 g/km, combined power consumption: 13.7 kWh/100 km) has successfully passed its 360° environmental check. The results have been verified by the TÜV Süd technical service. The environmental check is based on an... Read more →

Ford has revealed the 2020 Escape; the small SUV will make its first public appearance at the New York International Auto Show. Escape, which debuted the world’s first hybrid SUV in 2005, brings back two hybrid choices for 2020—a standard hybrid and a plug-in variant—and introduces technologies ranging from drive... Read more →

SEAT, a member of the Volkswagen Group, presented its electric strategy which, until the beginning of 2021, includes six electric and plug-in hybrid models. The electric version of the Mii and el-Born will be the brand’s first two fully electric models, while the new generation Leon and the Tarraco will... Read more →

At Auto Shanghai 2019 in April, BMW Brilliance Automotive will present the new edition of the BMW X1 xDrive25Le. The compact Sports Activity Vehicle (SAV) developed exclusively for the Chinese automotive market with extended wheelbase and plug-in drive now achieves an electrically powered range of up to 110 kilometers (68... Read more →

From 2017 to 2018, PEV sales doubled in North America, and sales in Europe and China increased 39% and 77%, respectively, according to a new report from Navigant Research. In 2019, multiple deployments of long-range battery EVs (BEVs) in crossover classes, as well as Tesla reaching full-scale production on the... Read more →

SEAT, a member of the Volkswagen Group, presented two concept cars for the first time globally at the GenevaMotor show: the el-Born, its first 100% electric vehicle based on the Volkswagen Group’s MEB platform (earlier post), and the CUPRA Formentor, a high-performance plug-in hybrid CUV with CUPRA DNA which is... Read more →

At the 2019 Geneva Motor Show, BMW announced the market launch of a plug-in hybrid variant of the globally popular BMW X3. This makes it the first model of the brand to be offered with both a conventional combustion engine and a plug-in hybrid system—with the addition of a purely... Read more →

Mitsubishi Motors Corporation (MMC) unveiled a twin-motor, four-wheel-drive plug-in hybrid (PHEV) crossover concept—the Mitsubishi Engelberg Tourer—at the Geneva International Motor Show. The Engelberg Tourer takes MMC’s Twin Motor PHEV system fostered and developed in the Outlander PHEV and, using next-generation electrification and all-wheel control technologies, evolves it. The combination of... Read more →

XL unveiled its plug-in hybrid electric Ford Super Duty F-250 pickup truck (earlier post) at the NTEA Work Truck Show in Indianapolis. As the company first revealed in February, XL’s newest product expands its successful plug-in hybrid electric (PHEV) product family, which also includes the XLP Ford F-150 that the... Read more →