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…
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…