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…
Automakers are offering attractive incentives for a variety of hybrids, and Car Deals has released its monthly round-up of the best deals for March. For true hybrids, the 2019 Kia Optima Hybrid is a prime consumer target, currently priced with a $5,000 factory cash back offer in addition to 0% financing for up to 60 months. For PHEVs, the Chevy…
Around the United States, electrified vehicles are picking up steam. Eric Schaal at Cheat Sheet broke down which states are leading the buying spree. California came in number 1, with 7.5% of all vehicles electrified. Though unsurprising that the state had the highest percentage of EVs, what did surprise was California’s EV of choice: the Chevrolet Bolt EV. In a…
GKN Driveline has introduced a new test vehicle in Europe. The research vehicle is an all-wheel drive plug-in SUV hybrid that has been through extensive testing at the company’s R&D facility in Germany. Now, GKN will take the research vehicle and further test it at its Swedish facility. The completely re-engineered vehicle features dramatic innovations. Green Car Congress has the…
A new rule in the United States will require all hybrid and electric vehicles to emit a noise when operating below 18.6mph. The purpose of the noise is to warn pedestrians (and animals) of the otherwise-quiet vehicle’s approach. The rule was initially proposed in 2010, but has faced delays for the last eight years. Automakers must have fifty percent of…
Toyota recently announced a new, more efficient and environmentally friendly powertrain featuring a new continuously variable transmission and 6-speed manual transmission, among other innovations. The updated powertrain will feature in cars across the global starting in this spring. Green Car Congress has an in-depth feature on Toyota’s new system. Read more.
SUVs have always been a popular choice among consumers, and with new hybrid, plug-in hybrid, and full electric SUVs reaching the market, consumers have more choices than ever before. Front-runners in the hybrid category include the Lexus RX 450H AWD and Porsche Cayenne S E-Hybrid. Electric models include the Tesla Model X and Jaguar I-PACE. For more hybrid SUV options,…
A new study in Environmental Science & Technology found that of 2015 and 2025-2030 models, hybrid and plug-in hybrid vehicles provided the best cost to carbon emissions avoidance ratio, as compared to battery electric and other vehicles. The study, performed by the US DOE in conjunction with automakers and national laboratories, took a full life-cycle approach to the study, evaluating…