Consumers are buying electric vehicles in growing numbers, but poor reliability remains an issue, according to the latest Annual Auto Reliability Survey data from Consumer Reports (CR), the nonprofit research, testing, and consumer advocacy organization. Electric pickups in particular are the least reliable category of vehicles. On average, new EVs... Read more →

Stellantis is recalling an estimated 32,125 US-market plug-in hybrid SUVs to resolve a potential fire risk. A routine review of customer data led to an internal investigation that discovered eight vehicle fires. All were parked and turned off, while six were connected to chargers. Stellantis is unaware of any related... Read more →

Toyota Motor Europe (TME) recently started production of the all-new Toyota C-HR (earlier post), including its first European battery assembly, at its plant in Sakarya, Turkey. With a new investment of €308 million injected into its manufacturing facilities, Toyota Motor Manufacturing Turkey (TMMT) is Toyota’s first European plant to produce... Read more →

Ram unveiled the 2025 Ram 1500 Ramcharger featuring a series hybrid powertrain that will deliver a targeted range of up to 690 miles. The 2025 Ram 1500 Ramcharger features a 92 kWh battery pack, paired with an on-board 130 kW generator, sending power to 250 kW front and 238 kW... Read more →

Pre-sales for the all-new Tiguan have started in Europe. The third generation of the Volkswagen SUV has been completely redesigned, and will offer eight different powertrain options, including new 48V mild-hybrid drives, a turbocharged diesel, and two new plug-in hybrid drives with an electric range of about 100 km. (Earlier... Read more →

The first BMW XM Label—the company’s most powerful production vehicle to date with 738-horsepower and 738 lb-ft of torque on tap—set a new record for hybrid electric SUVs at Pikes Peak in Colorado Springs on 21 September, during an officially certified course run. Following a previous attempt for the race... Read more →

With the new Mercedes-AMG GLE 53 HYBRID, available as an SUV or Coupe, the performance and sports car brand is expanding its model portfolio with a new plug-in hybrid featuring a high level of practicality and electric range for everyday use. With the GLE 53 HYBRID as an SUV and... Read more →

During the first seven months of 2023, just shy of 41 GWh of fresh battery capacity were deployed onto roads globally in newly sold plug-in hybrids (PHEVs), according to data from Adamas Intelligence.The annual figure is likely to pass 80 GWh, the meket intelligence firm said. That growth would equate... Read more →

The new BMW 5 Series Sedan now offers the entire range of electrified drive technology. Following the earlier market launch of the all-electric BMW i5 (earlier post) and the combustion engine variants equipped exclusively with 48-volt mild hybrid technology, two plug-in hybrid models will be launched in November 2023. The... Read more →

Porsche is expanding its hybrid range for the new Cayenne further. The new Cayenne S E-Hybrid is the third electrified engine variant within the model series and is positioned between the Cayenne E-Hybrid and the Cayenne Turbo E-Hybrid. Focusing on a balance between everyday usability and performance, the S E-Hybrid... Read more →

Volkswagen is presenting the all-new third-generation Tiguan. More than 7.6 million buyers have chosen the compact SUV since its debut in 2007. The new model will reach dealerships as early as the first quarter of 2024. The US version of the next-generation Tiguan is based on the LWB version of... Read more →

Volkswagen will unveil the new Passat Variant at the upcoming IAA Mobility in Munich. With more than 34 million units sold worldwide across its lifetime, the Passat is the top-selling Volkswagen of all time after the Golf and ahead of the Beetle. The range of two new plug-in hybrid drives,... Read more →

Porsche is introducing the most powerful model in its SUV model line:the Cayenne Turbo E-Hybrid. The new 544 kW (739 PS) range-topper is distinguished by superior driving performance paired with high efficiency and comprehensive day-to-day usability. The new Cayenne Turbo E-Hybrid Coupé with GT Package focuses even more on driving... Read more →

BYD has produced its 5 millionth new energy vehicle (NEV), a DENZA N7. BYD spent 13 years reaching the milestone of one million NEVs, another 18 months to reach three million, and now just 9 more months to hit the five million mark. In 2022, BYD’s new energy vehicles saw... Read more →

Building on the all-new redesign of its RX crossover vehicle last year, Lexus is adding the anticipated plug-in hybrid to the electrified lineup: the 2024 Lexus RX 450h+. Powered by a 96-cell lithium-ion battery pack paired with a 2.5-liter inline 4-cylinder engine (shared with NX), the 2024 RX 450h+ hybrid... Read more →

The new Volkswagen Passat Variant, which is on its final test drives, is based on the new generation of the modular transverse matrix, MQB evo, as is the new Tiguan (earlier post). The new Passat Variant, which will have its premiere at the end of August, will be launched in... Read more →

Toyota launched the new C-HR C-segment SUV in Europe with a choice of four electrified powertrains, including 1.8 and 2.0-liter hybrid electric (HEV) versions and a 2.0-liter plug-in hybrid electric (PHEV) model. The 2.0-liter HEV variant will additionally be available with the option of intelligent all-wheel drive (AWD-i). The new... Read more →

Mazda Motor has started mass production of the European model of the MAZDA MX-30 e-SKYACTIV R-EV at Ujina Plant No. 1 in Hiroshima City. (Earlier post.) This marks the use of Mazda’s first mass-production rotary engine vehicle in 11 years since the Mazda RX-8 was discontinued in June 2012. Mazda... Read more →

As part of final test drives, the Volkswagen brand is announcing the first details of its currently best-selling model. The third generation of the new Tiguan will be available with a newly developed active suspension control system and full-size features such as HD Matrix headlights. It is based on the... Read more →

Lexus revealed its TX three-row SUV, a vehicle made specifically for the North American market. TX will be exclusively assembled by Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Indiana (TMMI), and is the first Lexus vehicle to be assembled there. The TX is the latest Lexus SUV to adopt the GA-K platform, which offers... Read more →

The all-new Alfa Romeo Tonale (earlier post) has completed final US EPA testing with an electric range of 33 miles and MPGe rating of 77. Total range of the Alfa Romeo Tonale with a full battery charge is 360 miles. Combined fuel economy is 29 MPG. 2024 Alfa Romeo Tonale... Read more →

Volkswagen’s updated Touareg SUV will launch in five powertrain versions: a turbocharged gasoline engine, two turbodiesel engines and two plug-in hybrids. All use a 3.0-liter V6 engine. All are paired as standard with an 8-speed automatic gearbox and the 4MOTION permanent all-wheel drive. Presales of the new Touareg have started.... Read more →

BMW introduced the eighth generation of the BMW 5 Series Sedan, including two all-electric i5 variants; BMW will extend the range to include two plug-in hybrid variants (530e and 550e xDrive) from the spring of 2024. The market launch of the new BMW 5 Series Sedan will begin in October... Read more →

California posted new light-duty zero emission vehicle (ZEV) sales—battery-electric (BEV), plug-in hybrid (PHEV) and fuel cell vehicles (FCEV)—of 124,053 units in Q1 2023, representing 21.1% market share of the total 588,455 light-duty vehicles sold, according to the California Energy Commission. The Q1 sales bring the cumulative ZEV sales in the... Read more →

Alfa Romeo started retail production for the all-new 2024 Tonale PHEV. (Earlier post.) Alfa Romeo’s first plug-in hybrid is built at the Giambattista Vico Stellantis plant in Pomigliano d’Arco, Naples, Italy, one of the company’s most advanced production sites. The Tonale PHEV will begin arriving at dealers in June. The... Read more →

Lamborghini presented Revuelto, its super sports V12 hybrid plug-in HPEV (High Performance Electrified Vehicle). (Earlier post.) An output of 1015 CV is delivered from the combined power of an entirely new combustion engine together with three electric motors, alongside a double-clutch gearbox that makes its debut on a 12-cylinder Lamborghini... Read more →

Mitsubishi Motors Corporation (MMC) unveiled its next Mid-Term Business Plan (MTP). This three-year plan, dubbed “Challenge 2025”, sets out MMC’s corporate direction in reinforcing the company’s environmental commitment toward a carbon-neutral future, laying the foundation for how MMC will work within the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance and other global alliances, and discussing... Read more →

Volvo Cars reported global sales of 51,286 cars in February, up 22% compared to the same month last year and a record for the month of February. The sales growth was led by the company’s Recharge line up of fully electric and plug-in hybrid cars. Sales of Volvo Cars’ Recharge... Read more →

California led the nation in plug-in vehicle (PEV)— both all-electric vehicles and plug-in hybrid vehicles—registrations in 2022 with 27.55 per thousand people, according to the US Department of Energy (DOE). The average for the US was 8.66 registrations per thousand people in 2022. Seven states and the District of Columbia... Read more →

Geely Auto Group officially launched a new high-end electrified product series:Geely Galaxy. The first car from the Geely Galaxy range, the Galaxy L7 long-range PHEV SUV was unveiled along with a fully electric concept model, the “Galaxy Light.” Galaxy light electric concept At the launch ceremony, Geely Auto also unveiled... Read more →

Starting from $122,550 and offering a WLTP range of more than 100 km (~62 miles), the Mercedes-Benz S 580e 4MATIC plug-in hybrid (PHEV) (earlier post) is now available to order and will arrive in US dealerships in the first half of 2023. The Mercedes-Benz S 580e 4MATIC represents the fourth... Read more →

Mercedes‑Maybach has launched its first plug-in hybrid: the Mercedes‑Maybach S 580. With an electric range of up to 100 kilometers (WLTP) depending on the vehicle’s configuration and an electric-drive output of 110 kW/150 hp, the luxury sedan can travel locally CO₂ emission-free, both in the city and on interurban journeys.... Read more →

Testing by TU Graz, commissioned by environmental NGO Transport & Environment (T&E), has found that the newest generation of PHEVs emit significantly more CO2 than claimed on city and commuter routes. Two years ago, T&E found the technology polluted significantly more than advertised on longer routes. The NGP says the... Read more →

BMW presented the extensively updated new editions of its Sports Activity Vehicle (SAV) and Sports Activity Coupé (SAC) for the luxury segment. The refreshed drive system line-up includes new combustion engines, a latest-generation plug-in hybrid system for the BMW X5 xDrive50e and 48V mild hybrid technology for all other models.... Read more →

Volvo Cars reported global sales of 48,520 in January, up 2% compared to the same month last year. Sales of Volvo Cars´ Recharge models of fully electric and plug-in hybrid cars increased by 31% in January year-on-year, accounting for 40.7% of all Volvo cars sold globally during the month. The... Read more →

Mazda North American Operations introduced the 2024 Mazda CX-90. (Earlier post.) Built on Mazda’s all-new large platform, the three-row crossover is the company’s new flagship vehicle. Mazda CX-90 is available with all-new electrified powertrains, including an inline 6 turbo and a plug-in hybrid. The all-new large platform features a front-engine,... Read more →

The second-generation Toyota C-HR will be produced at Toyota Motor Manufacturing Turkey (TMMT) in Sakarya—about 150 km east of Istanbul. Available in hybrid and plug-in hybrid versions, the new Toyota C-HR will also be the first plug-in hybrid passenger car to be produced in Turkey. In addition, TMMT will be... Read more →

The Mazda MX-30 e-Skyactiv R-EV, a plug-in series hybrid model that uses a rotary engine as a generator, made its world premiere at the Brussels Motor Show. (Earlier post.) Mazda MX-30 launched in 2020 as the company’s first mass-production battery electric vehicle, with a mild hybrid model subsequently joining the... Read more →

Mazda will introduce a new powertrain option for its MX-30 at the Brussels Motor Show 2023. Available on the European market this spring, the plug-in hybrid powertrain of Mazda’s compact crossover will feature an electric generator powered by a newly-developed rotary engine. The new MX-30 model will be unveiled on... Read more →

BYD reported that it sold 1,857,379 light-duty New Energy Vehicles in 2022, consisting of 911,140 battery-electric vehicles (49%) and 946,239 plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (51%). Total NEV sales were up 213% year-on-year, with BEV sales up 184% and PHEV sales up 247%. Including commercial vehicles, BYD sold 1,863,494 New Energy... Read more →

The Oregon Environmental Quality Commission adopted rules this week (3-1) to require all new passenger cars, trucks and SUVs sold in Oregon to be zero emissions (ZEVs) by 2035. These include both battery-electric and fuel-cell-electric vehicles, as well as plug-in hybrid electric vehicles. The commission is the policy and rulemaking... Read more →

All-electric vehicles (EVs) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) traveled a combined 19.1 billion miles on electricity in 2021, according to the US Department of Energy (DOE). This includes all miles traveled in EVs and the electric portion of miles traveled in PHEVs. Total electric miles were still less than... Read more →

A new report from a team at Argonne National Laboratory examines the changing characteristics for light-duty plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs) from 2010-2021, evaluating range, energy efficiency, costs, and performance. The report estimates miles driven, electricity consumption, petroleum reduction, and greenhouse gas emissions attributable to electric vehicles. The report also explores... Read more →

Toyota unveiled the all-new Prius in a livestream event from Japan, with Series Parallel Hybrid (HEV) models to launch in winter this year and Plug-in Hybrid (PHEV) models to launch in spring 2023. Following Japan, the new Prius will be launched in North America, Europe, and other countries around the... Read more →

Citroën is offering a new, more accessible plug-in hybrid with a new version on the C5 Aircross that combines the 150 hp (110 kW) PureTech gasoline engine with an 81 kW electric engine for a combined power of 180 hp. This version is based on an optimized next-generation 12.4 kWh... Read more →

Ford has given the 2023 Escape SUV a makeover that includes a stylish new ST-Line series, available 13.2-inch display with cloud-connected SYNC 4 Technology and new advanced driver-assistance system technologies. Escape, which debuted the world’s first hybrid SUV in 2005, brings back two hybrid choices for 2023, a full hybrid... Read more →

BMW is adding two plug-in hybrid (PHEV) variants to the new BMW 7 Series range, including the first BMW M model in the range. BMW is also optimizing the efficiency of the new BMW 740d xDrive available in European markets (fuel consumption combined: 6.8 – 6.1 liters/100 km [35 –... Read more →

BMW M GmbH is introducing its first high-performance car with an electrified drive system. The BMW XM is equipped with a plug-in hybrid system comprising a V8 gasoline engine and electric motor that delivers combined fuel consumption of 1.6 – 1.5 l/100 km [147 – 157 mpg US] in the... Read more →

The 2023 Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV, the next generation of the world’s best-selling plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV), is rated to offer 38 miles of all-electric range from a 350-volt, 20kWh lithium-ion battery pack mounted below the floor and between the wheels for a low center of gravity, but minimal loss... Read more →

The new Mercedes-AMG C 63 S E PERFORMANCE hybrid (combined fuel consumption, weighted: 6.9 l/100 km / 34 mpg US; combined CO2 emissions, weighted: 156 g/km; combined electric energy consumption, weighted: 11.7 kWh/100 km) brings advanced technologies from motorsport to the road. A two-speed electric motor positioned on the rear... Read more →