Toyota Motor Europe’s first quarter results showed a not-unexpected climb in hybrid sales. The automaker has reported that 45% of its total sales on the continent were for hybrid vehicles, and in Western Europe, the rate climbs to 55%. In other words, for Europe, hybrid vehicles are quickly becoming the norm. For Toyota’s Lexus division, hybrids represent an even greater…
Edmunds has released its list of top hybrid cars for 2018. The automotive industry research group rates each car after putting it through an in-depth testing process. For standard sedan hybrids, the 2018 Toyota Camry, Honda Accord and Ford Fusion hybrids took the top spots with each receiving four out of five stars. The 2018 Lexus RX 450h received the…
For those consumers interested in an electrified vehicle, the question has become whether to go full electric or to purchase a plug-in hybrid. In a new piece for Green Car Reports, John Briggs answers the question: there’s room for consumers to have both. For short rides, such as commutes to work or errands around the block, both a plug-in hybrid…
Jim Travers broke down the difference between hybrids and plug-ins in a new piece at Cars.com. He notes that it is relatively simple: plug-in hybrids have the capability to charge their batteries through an outside electrical source. Regular hybrids do not have this option, and recharge their batteries through a combination of braking, ICE use, and other mechanisms. PHEVs also…
BMW is set to release its wireless charging option for its 530e PHEV. Production of the charging pad begins in July, with rolling release to Germany, the UK, and then the US, followed by Asia. The charging pad will charge the 530e’s battery in 3.5 hours with an efficiency rate of 85%, according to Green Car Congress. The charging pad,…
Green Car Reports has released its monthly round-up of deals on electrified vehicles. For full hybrids, a Ford Fusion is the discerning buyer’s best bet. The vehicle is on offer with 72-month no interest financing and a $3000 cash discount. A second hybrid also with a solid price: the Toyota Avalon Hybrid. The model is being offered with a $5000…
Though most consumers recognize full hybrid, plug-in, and electric cars, mild hybrids are a less publicized option. A mild hybrid “typically can’t propel a car on electric power alone. Instead, [they] provide a small amount of electric assist” allowing the vehicle’s engine to work smarter, not harder. Volkswagen has announced that a portion of its electrification strategy will focus on…
Green Car Reports has released its monthly round-up of the best deals in hybrids for April 2018. The Ford C-Max, Kia Niro, and Kia Optima LX Hybrid are all offering specials this month, with significant discounts across the board. Kia is offering its Niro PHEV with special pricing, including a cash bonus for leasers. The Chevrolet Volt, the PHEV with…
Leading the pack for automakers, Toyota, Honda, Hyundai / Kia and other Japanese and South Korean OEMs sold over two million hybrid and plug-in cars in 2017. Toyota, as is the trend, sold the most hybrid vehicles for the year, contributing to the industry’s fourteen percent growth over 2016. As Ward’s Auto points out, Toyota “dwarfs all other brands including…
Toyota debuted a next-gen fuel-flexible model in Brazil recently. The model is at its core a Prius, but with a new powertrain system that is capable of handling both gasoline and alternative fuels like ethanol, a product mass-produced in Brazil. Toyota developed the model as a new option for the rapidly green-ing country. The hybrid flexible-fuel vehicle (Hybrid FFV) is…