Tech

The Toyota RAV4 Prime is a pleasing plug-in hybrid SUV

Enlarge / The $38, 350 Toyota RAV4 Prime is one of the most in-demand plug-in hybrid EVs on sale today. (credit: Toyota) I wouldn’t say that Toyota invented the crossover. But in 1994, the particular company debuted the first RAV4, an SUV with off-road-capable four-wheel drive—yet built on a unibody chassis, just like a Corolla. […]

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A quarter of new Volvos are now plug-in hybrids or battery EVs

Enlarge / More than one in five new Volvos is a plug-in hybrid, putting the automaker well on its path to an entirely electric range by 2030. (credit: Volvo) In 2017, Volvo became one of the first automakers to pivot strongly toward electrified vehicles. More recently, it announced that by mid-decade, it wants half of […]

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The 2021 Jeep Wrangler 4xe marries WWII handling with 50 mpg efficiency

Its looks might still call back to the battlefields of World War II, but there’s nothing old-fashioned about the Jeep Wrangler 4xe’s powertrain. [credit: Jeep ] It is not a hard-and-fast rule, but most cars would be better with the addition of some electric motors. There are always exceptions—heavy batteries|camera batterycamcorder battery|digital camera battery|batterie|cheap batteries […]

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The 2021 BMW X5 xDrive45e—a big battery gives this hybrid a useful range

The BMW X5 xDrive45e is a 50 mpg plug-in hybrid SUV. [credit: BMW ] It’s been a while since we spent time with BMW’s plug-in hybrid X5. Since then, the German automaker replaced the X5 with an all-new model called the X5 xDrive45e. The brand has returned to its iconic inline six-cylinder engine configuration under […]

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Electric cars have much lower life cycle emissions, new study confirms

Enlarge / If we’re serious about decarbonizing, the internal combustion engine has to go by 2030-2035, according to a new study. (credit: Reinhard Krull/EyeEm/Getty Images) If you listen to electric vehicle naysayers, switching to EVs is pointless because even if the cars are vastly more efficient than ones that use internal combustion engines—and they are—that […]

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One in five Californian EV drivers revert to piston power—but why?

Enlarge / Poor charging infrastructure is a big reason that some Californians decided not to get another electric vehicle. (credit: Cavan Images/Getty Images) By now, we know a lot of ways to get people to buy electric vehicles. In Europe and China, it’s simple: mandate them. Policymakers aren’t nearly that brave here in the US, […]

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Mercedes-AMG shows off its new F1-based road car hybrid system

Mercedes-AMG has been developing this Project One hypercar—which uses the same powertrain as its all-conquering F1 cars—for a few years now. It’s not quite ready yet, but the hybrid system is about to appear on some other Mercedes-AMG road cars. [credit: Mercedes-AMG ] This week should have seen the start of the New York International […]

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Possessing an Electrical car {} save Cash, Consumer Reports finds

Expand (credit: Getty Images) If you purchased a Tesla Model 3 rather than a BMW 3 Series or even Audi A4, you would likely save $15,000 within the entire life of the motor car. That is according to a new investigation from Consumer Reports, that assesses the entire cost of ownership for electrical vehicles–either battery […]