Plug-In Hybrids
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With 17 miles of all-electric range, all-wheel drive, and a rugged-hatchback body style, the Subaru Crosstrek Hybrid could be the perfect entry point for a lot of buyers who'd like to get started driving on electric power. Electric-car advocates, who've already moved on to one of several longer-range fully electric vehicles, and see EVs with large battery packs as the be-all and end-all of green vehicles, may dismiss models like the Crosstrek Hybrid as the creation of regulators. That might be true, but it's also beside the point in today's market. Plug-in hybrids fit those who live in...
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Subaru Crosstrek Hybrid plug-in all-electric range revealed
New documents reveal that the upcoming 2019 Subaru Crosstrek Hybrid could have a best-case scenario of 25 miles of all-electric range—unadjusted—according to numbers submitted to the California Air Resources Board (CARB). That puts it in the hunt with other plug-in hybrid small...
Eric C. Evarts -
Best deals on electric, plug-in, and hybrid cars for November 2018
With the new 2019 model year in full swing, and the holidays around the corner, a lot of consumers are looking for new cars. That means the deals aren't quite as good as they were in August and September when dealers and automakers were trying to clear out old inventory in preparation for the new...
Eric C. Evarts -
One of these 3 cars will be Green Car Reports’ Best Car To Buy 2019
Despite a long list of green-car debuts anticipated over the next couple of years, this year hasn't exactly brought a bevy of new electric models. As we wait for the market to blossom with new entries in coming years, we have three strong contenders for this year's top position—our Best Car...
Bengt Halvorson -
2020 Mercedes-Benz GLE plug-in hybrid to have 60 miles of electric range?
Mercedes's new line of more capable plug-in hybrids will start with the 2020 Mercedes-Benz GLE plug-in hybrid that the company says has more electric driving range than previous efforts. It will arrive late next year and will be based on a redesigned version of the mid-size GLE SUV arriving with...
Eric C. Evarts -
Mercedes-Benz plans to expand lineup of more capable plug-in hybrids
Mercedes-Benz announced plans Wednesday improve the range and capability of its plug-in hybrids and to bring the flexible powertrain to more models. It also introduced a new brand name to designate its plug-in hybrid models: EQ Power. The EQ Power designation will appear alongside the company's new...
Eric C. Evarts -
Jeep said Monday that it laid the groundwork to begin production of a plug-in hybrid version of its small Renegade at the factory in southern Italy where it's produced alongside the Fiat 500X. The model is expected to go on sale in early 2020, though it's not clear whether it is intended for the U.S. Jeep did not immediately respond for comment on where the Renegade would be sold. Few technical details are available about the model, such as its battery size or potential electric range. This year, Jeep added an available 1.3-liter turbo-4 to the Renegade's powertrain menu. It's not clear if...
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One size won't fit all for future Kia EVs
For an automaker that’s pitching itself toward the fun side of the Hyundai Motor Group, the tone for the automaker’s sizable electric push soon sounds altogether like pants. “It’s all about what fits,” said Michael Winkler, director of powertrains for Kia in Europe. By...
Aaron Cole -
Charging cord for 2019 Volvo XC60 T8 plug-in hybrid may start fire, will be recalled
A certain charging cord included in a small number of 2019 Volvo XC60 crossover SUVs may overheat and shock owners, or start a fire, the automaker said this month. Volvo announced a recall for 35 Volvo XC60 T8 crossover SUVs earlier this month to replace the charging cords. The small number of...
Aaron Cole -
Best deals on hybrid, electric, fuel-efficient cars for September 2018
This month's best deals list includes a newcomer among plug-in hybrids. That could be a great thing for buyers who want the best deal along with the latest technologies. Our partners at CarsDirect.com, now focus the list of best deals on models that are widely available, not "compliance cars"...
Eric C. Evarts -
Chevy recalls some Bolt EVs, Volts over supplier brake issues
Chevrolet this week recalled three to four months worth of production Bolt EVs and Volt plug-in hybrids over a potential brake issue that could increase stopping distances of the small vehicles. The recall affects 2018-2019 Chevrolet Bolt EV and 2018-2019 Volt models sold in the U.S. and Canada...
Aaron Cole -
BMW drops diesels in favor of plug-in hybrids
UPDATE: BMW has clarified its statement to Green Car Reports in an email. "The final decision as to whether or not the BMW X5 diesel variant will come to the U.S. market has not been made. BMW of North America continues to monitor customer preferences and is prepared to adjust the product portfolio...
Eric C. Evarts -
On Friday, BMW revealed the next-generation X5 plug-in hybrid, with significantly more electric range and a 6-cylinder engine replacing the 4-cylinder in the current X5 plug-in hybrid. Based on the new third-generation X5, BMW says theX5 xDrive45e iPerformance will have up to 50 miles of electric range from an expanded battery pack that sits mostly under the floor of the car. That's a significant improvement from the 14-mile electric range rating in the current 2018 BMW X5 xDrive40e. BMW's estimates were based on European specs. Like the current model, BMW implies that the new X5 xDrive45e...
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2019 Chevy Volt gets higher prices with more equipment
In June, we heard that the 2019 Chevrolet Volt will come with a faster charger and more luxury features. Now, CarsDirect has learned how much those features will add to the price. The price of the base Volt LT model will go up $300 to $34,395, including destination and before any applicable federal...
Eric C. Evarts -
Ford recalls Focus Electric, Fusion Energi, and C-Max Energi charge cords
Ford announced a recall on Wednesday of the 120-volt charge cords supplied with nearly all of the plug-in hybrid and electric cars it built through 2015. The cars affected include the 2012 to 2015 Focus Electric, the 2013 to 2015 Ford C-Max Energi, and the 2013 to 2015 Ford Fusion Energi. Ford says...
Eric C. Evarts -
Best deals on hybrid, plug-in and electric cars for August 2018
This month, green-car buyers can find some screaming deals. These aren't just local programs or restricted to California buyers, either. As always, our list of deals comes from our partners at CarsDirect. This month, they have focused on deals available nationwide and on cars that are more shoppers...
Eric C. Evarts -
2019 Land Rover releases pricing for Range Rover P400e plug-in hybrid
By 2024, Land Rover will have a whole new lineup of hybrid and electric luxury SUVs. As we learned yesterday, that lineup will include plug-in hybrid and electric versions of its small Evoque crossover SUV. Now the company has released pricing for its largest, most luxurious plug-in hybrid, the...
Eric C. Evarts -
The 7 best plug-in cars for students going back to school
Today's environmentally conscious students are thinking more about the environment in the choices they make. They still need to get around, but they may be less likely to accept the price of doing so in a car with a tailpipe spewing pollution and greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. Many may need...
Eric C. Evarts -
Chevrolet's Volt wasn't the original, or even the first Volt from GM. Electric Auto Corporation receives that distinction for their car built in 1980, at the height of America's second gas crisis. It built the Silver Volt, a plug-in hybrid based on a contemporary Buick station wagon—16 years before the GM EV1. CHECK OUT: Modern electric cars at 20: from EV1 to Bolt EV, where are we now? CarType.com reports that GM built a fleet of them for testing near Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Mother Earth News also covered its development back in the day. Electric Auto claimed the Silver Volt had...
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The 2018 Honda Clarity real-world review: enough to challenge the Chevrolet Volt?
I’ve owned two Chevrolet Volts, an early 2011 model and, currently, a second-generation 2017 version. I have loved them both. They’re sleek, sprightly, and have enough electric range to cover most driving. For longer trips, the gas engine kicks in when the charge runs out. The Volt, to...
David Noland -
2018 Kia Niro PHEV gas mileage review: outrunning expectations
Competition improves the breed. And that’s exactly what the Kia Niro brings to hybrids like the Toyota Prius and Prius Prime. Compared with the Prius, the Niro is taller and roomier. Likely to its benefit, it looks like a small crossover SUV, though with only front-wheel drive, it's no kind...
Eric C. Evarts -
2018 Hyundai Sonata Plug-in Hybrid price drops by $1,350
The 2018 Hyundai Sonata Plug-in Hybrid may cost car shoppers less, the company announced last week. The price drop on base models will save buyers $1,350 on 2018 models, which should help the car attract more customers. It comes in the same two trim levels as before. Base models will start at...
Eric C. Evarts -
Volvo's electrification push expanding to every corner of the market
When it launches its 2019 Volvo S60 T8 Polestar Engineered next year, the Swedish automaker will nearly complete a startling turn toward electrification in less than a decade that began with a small-volume wagon in 2011 and will soon incorporate a full battery electric vehicle and every model in...
Aaron Cole -
2018 Kia Niro hybrid nets top Safety Pick+ award, when properly equipped
Tick all the right boxes and the 2018 Kia Niro earns a Top Safety Pick+ award from the IIHS, the crash-testing agency said last week. To get to the highest-rated Niro, buyers need to opt for LED headlights and automatic emergency braking, features that can be paired together only on the Niro EX...
Andrew Ganz