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 →

At the 2022 Detroit Auto Show, Jepp introduced the new heritage-inspired 2023 Jeep Wrangler Willys 4xe to Wrangler 4xe electrified lineup. Jeep Wrangler 4xe customers looking for the ultimate combination of capability and electrification, with a vintage twist, can now have it in the 2023 Jeep Wrangler Willys 4xe. The... Read more →

HP Taxis, Prins Alternative Fuel Systems and SBL-Automotive revealed https://bi-fuel-taxis-lcvs.com of the plug-in hybrid range-extended electric LEVC TX taxi and VN5 van allowing the range extender engine to run on LPG and CNG and their renewable counterparts of biopropane and biomethane. The LEVC TX and VN5 are manufactured by London... Read more →

BMW has unveiled its new BMW X1. At launch in October 2022, there will initially be a choice of two gasoline and two diesel engines from the BMW Group’s new modular generation of Efficient Dynamics engines. These will link up with a seven-speed Steptronic transmission with double clutch as standard,... Read more →

Lexus revealed the all-new fifth-generation RX with a variety of electrified powertrains. The 2023 Lexus RX, the Lexus core model, is completely redesigned from the wheels to the roof rails, featuring a new global platform, two all-new grades, available Digital Key, Lexus Safety System+ 3.0 and Lexus Interface Multimedia System.... Read more →

California’s EV market continues to grow, according to data gathered by Veloz, a non-profit which tracks and reports on growing electric vehicle (EV) sales data in California, market trends, and infrastructure build-out. Q1 2022 was the state’s strongest quarter for electric vehicle sales to date, with 81,292 electric vehicles sold—29%... Read more →

The all-new Kia Niro CUV made its North American debut at the New York International Auto Show. The 2023 Niro will launch in the United States with three electrified powertrains: hybrid electric (HEV), plug-in hybrid (PHEV) and all-electric (EV). All Niro models are front-wheel-drive. A 6-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission is... Read more →

Mercedes-Benz xEV sales (plug-in hybrids and battery electric vehicles) rose 37% ub Q1 2022 to 67,800 units of which 21,900 (+210%) units were battery-electric vehicles (BEV). Overall, Mercedes-Benz Cars January to March deliveries fell 15% year-on-year to 501,600 units in a challenging environment primarily due to semi-conductor constraints. Mercedes-Benz also... Read more →

Volvo Car USA is bringing a new, improved Recharge plug-in hybrid powertrain is coming to the US in its 90 and 60 Series models, significantly extending electric range while lowering carbon dioxide emissions, increasing performance, and improving drivability. Volvo Cars’ new and improved hybrid powertrain brings the all-electric range up... Read more →

Mazda Motor Europe unveiled its new crossover SUV, the CX-60. The CX-60 is the first of Mazda’s Large Product group models, and offers (European specification model) e-Skyactiv PHEV, Mazda’s first plug-in hybrid system featuring a 2.5-liter in-line four-cylinder Skyactiv-G gasoline engine with a 100 kW electric motor and a 355V,... Read more →

Sales of new light-duty plug-in electric vehicles, including all-electric vehicles (EVs) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), nearly doubled from 308,000 in 2020 to 608,000 in 2021, according to data gathered by the US Department of Energy (DOE). Data: DOE EV sales accounted for 73% of all plug-in electric vehicle... Read more →

Kia unveiled the 2023 Sportage PHEV, the latest electrified model to join its lineup. Building upon the Sportage HEV, the turbocharged Sportage PHEV offers outstanding efficiency, with a 13.8-kWh battery and targeted all-electric range (AER) of 32 miles. As the longest running nameplate from the Kia brand, the Sportage underwent... Read more →

Volvo Cars reported sales of 47,561 cars in January, a decline by 20.2% compared with the same month last year. While production has continued to gradually improve, retail deliveries were held back due to an increase of cars in transit. The supply situation continues to ease, but component shortages will... Read more →

The French Ministry of the Interior has taken delivery of the first 395 screen-printed PEUGEOT 3008 Plug-in Hybrids for the Gendarmerie Nationale. The rechargeable hybrid systemÚ will now be used in screen-printed intervention vehicles, in addition to a rollout of unmarked versions in 2020. These new deliveries are a sign... Read more →

Land Rover has confirmed prices for the advanced Extended-Range Plug-in Hybrid model and the Range Rover SV, while revealing performance figures for the plug-in hybrid electric powertrain. The P440e Extended-Range Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV) offers a manufacturer-estimated EV range of 48 miles; EPA certification is pending. The new Range... Read more →

The Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xe, the first electrified Grand Cherokee, offers an all-new plug-in hybrid powertrain delivering 25 miles of all-electric range and 56 MPGe at a starting US manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP) of $57,700. The new Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xe lineup consists of four models: 4xe, Trailhawk 4xe,... Read more →

Toshiba Electronics Europe GmbH has launched a new normally open (NO) 1-Form-A photorelay that is intended for use in a multitude of battery- and hybrid-electric vehicle applications including within the battery management system (BMS), ground fault detection and identifying faults with mechanical relays. The new TLX9160T consists of an infrared... Read more →

Mopar has introduced new, Wi-Fi-capable, Level 2 (240-volt) charging units for at-home charging for Jeep 4xe and Chrysler plug-in hybrid electric vehicles. Available in plug-in or hardwired versions that supply 32 amps/7.7kW (maximum) of power, the new charging units provide a full charge in just over two hours, up to... Read more →