We’ve spent hundreds of thousands of miles behind the wheel of a great many electric vehicles, hybrids, and plug-in hybrid models over the years. They all have their advantages and appeal…and each speaks to the very specific needs of different types of drivers and their daily rhythms. If you’re inclined to go electric as a way of addressing efficiency and environmental concerns – but hesitant to rely exclusively on battery power for reasons compelling to you and your situation – then you’re an excellent candidate for a plug-in hybrid.
Beyond its advanced technology and user friendliness, there’s an elegant beauty inherent in a PHEV. Within the capabilities of its battery powered range, a plug-in hybrid allows driving on electric power, internal combustion power, or a combination of the two. You are effectively in an electric vehicle with options and the transition from electrons to gas is essentially seamless.
Plug-in hybrids present a logical choice because they present no limitations. These days, chief among these limitations with battery electric vehicles is range anxiety, whether imagined or real. When driving an electric vehicle, remaining battery power is always top of mind to ensure there’s adequate on board energy to get you to where you need to be. This is less of an issue today with popular electric models offering much longer range in the many hundreds of miles, but the concern persists.
Not so with plug-in hybrids. With PHEVs, you get the benefits of an electric vehicle while driving on batteries like zero emissions, near-silent operation, and improved performance. When battery energy in a PHEV is depleted you keep on going with combustion or hybrid power as long as there’s gas in the tank.
Like hybrids, plug-in hybrids take several forms. The most common of these is the parallel plug-in hybrid, which uses an internal combustion engine and one or more battery powered electric motors to directly drive the wheels. A series plug-in hybrid, also known as an extended range electric vehicle (EREV), delivers power to the wheels through its electric motor, or motors, with the combustion engine and batteries providing electricity to power the motors. In this configuration the engine operates exclusively as a generator with no mechanical connection to the road. An example of this is Karma’s GS-6. Some models, like the Toyota Prius Prime and Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV, are series-parallel hybrids that use both power strategies for motive power, along with the zero-emission electric driving for which plug-in hybrids are known.
Both plug-in hybrids and conventional gas-electric hybrids achieve their higher efficiency through an intricate computer-controlled dance that blends electric and combustion power in response to real-time driving conditions. While each benefits from the efficiencies that gas-electric hybrid power delivers, at best a hybrid may drive exclusively on battery power for very short distances with a light touch on the accelerator pedal.
Plug-in hybrids are different. They’re equipped with larger battery packs than hybrids, though these packs are still quite smaller than full electric vehicles. These larger batteries, and the ability to plug in and charge up, allows a PHEV to drive greater distances on battery power alone. The Volvo S60 T8 Recharge plug-in hybrid sedan, for example, features 40 miles of electric driving and an overall 530 mile range, while the Kia Sportage PHEV delivers 34 miles on battery power with a total 430 mile driving range.
Determining your needs is an important step in deciding whether a plug-in hybrid is the right choice. For example, if your daily drives average 30 miles or so, then either of the above examples – and quite a few other PHEV models – will allow driving electric without the need for hybrid power to kick in. Just charge your PHEV’s battery overnight and you’re ready to go again the next day, with no need for a trip to the gas station. Even plug-in models with shorter electric driving range will still do for your commute if there’s charging available at your workplace, since a workplace charge opportunity can effectively double a PHEV's round-trip battery electric range.
Here’s the underlying advantage of a plug-in hybrid vehicle: If you do need to drive farther than a PHEV’s electric range, then you’ll take advantage of the zero-emission efficiencies of battery power with gas-electric hybrid drive handling the rest of your miles. The same holds true for those longer drives, such as visits with far-away friends or longer vacations and road trips. Easy.
So is a plug-in hybrid right for you? It’s a personal decision based on preferences and the degree to which you want to go electric. For those who want to ease into an electric future without limitations, then a plug-in hybrid may well be the best choice for you.
There’s an all-new Dodge Charger Daytona hitting the streets of America. This storied name channels echoes of of the past with the mind’s eye visualizing the rare, wildly-winged 1969 Dodge Charger Daytona of the muscle car era, a model that raced in NASCAR and was available only in small numbers to well-monied car enthusiasts. While the 2024 Charger Daytona is a bit more civilized than its namesake of 55 years ago, it is equally dramatic in its own way.
Back in the day, muscle cars were a dominating force on dragstrips and, more importantly, on the highways of America. These go-fast models delivered the whole package for car enthusiasts – exciting looks with stripes, scoops, and a stance with attitude, their mere presence tantalizing the senses with a low engine rumble at idle, a throaty roar at speed, and if you were the one behind the wheel, an adrenaline rush like no other.
They also sucked gas on an epic scale with their four-barrel, six-pack, and sometimes dual-quad carburetors. High horsepower small- and big-block engines were high-compression to eke the most power from the air-fuel mixture fed to combustion chambers, which meant more expensive high-octane premium fuel. Muscle cars, and really most cars of the era, had tailpipe emissions that were nothing to brag about. Still, these were iconic hot rods that defined an era.
While the performance-infused Daytona designation has been used sporadically by Dodge since, this is different. Stellantis has read the tea leaves well and the all-new Dodge Charger is not only fast and formidable, but also headlined by two fully electric variants, the Daytona R/T and Daytona Scat Pack. This move ensures the Charger’s claim as the world’s quickest muscle car, and the most powerful.
That doesn’t mean the automaker has abandoned the high horsepower gas engines that have powered this model over the years. Car enthusiasts who wish that familiar experience can opt for the Charger SIXPACK 3.0-liter twin turbo Hurricane engine in either Standard Output or High Output versions.
Specs for the electric Charger Daytona models surpass those of the gas versions, with the electric Daytona R/T besting the SIXPACK S.O. with 496 horsepower vs. the gas version’s 420. The Daytona Scat Pack does even better by delivering an electrified 670 horsepower vs. the gas high output engine’s 550, a bump of 120 ponies overall. The Daytona R/T is expected to deliver 317 miles of driving range with the more powerful Scat Pack a shorter, but still substantial, 260 miles.
Acceleration is impressive, with the Daytona Scat Pack expected to close a 0-60 mph sprint in just 3.3 seconds while earning a quarter-mile elapsed time of 11.5 seconds. Performance is enhanced in Daytona models with a PowerShot feature that provides an additional 40 horsepower boost for up to 15 seconds when needed. Stopping power is bolstered with 16-inch Brembo vented rotors and distinctive red six-piston calipers up front and eight-piston calipers at the rear. All Charger models are four-wheel drive. Driver-selectable Auto, Eco, Sport, and Wet/Snow drive modes allow tailoring the driving experience, with the Scat Pack adding Track and Drag modes for good measure.
Serene silence is not the hallmark of the new Daytona as it is in other electrics. Rather, Daytona R/T and Scat Pack sound the part of earth-pounding muscle cars with their all-new Fratzonic Chambered Exhaust that replicates a Dodge Hellcat exhaust profile, with sound intensity tied to performance. Drivers can alternatively select a ‘stealth’ sound mode if that’s more to their liking…but what’s the fun in that?
All this power and performance would be academic if not packaged in an athletic form, and the new Dodge Charger does pull that off with a pure uninhibited muscle car presence. Its lines are sharp, evolved, and definitively true to the breed, featuring an appealing profile and a powerful widebody stance. This muscle car’s appealing ‘hidden hatch’ design is accentuated by a black painted flowing roofline that can be made more dramatic with an optionally available full-length glass roof. We particularly like that the front end is not closed off in a snout like so many electric cars, but rather features stylishly understated openings above and below the bumper fascia.
Inside is a driver-centric cabin featuring an instrument cluster with either a 10.25- or optional 16-inch screen, along with a center 12.3-inch touch screen angled toward the driver. A forward-looking flat top/flat bottom steering wheel design features an array of controls for popular functions and also includes paddle shifters for rapidly adjusting regenerative braking settings on the fly. The center console features a pistol-grip shifter and start button. Standard seating is cloth and vinyl with either black or red Nappa leather available as an upgrade. Rear seats can be folded flat for additional cargo capacity. As expected, a full suite of advanced safety and driver assist systems are standard or available.
Two-door coupe versions of the 2024 Charger Daytona R/T and Scat Pack feature an MSRP of $59,595 and $73,190, respectively, and begin production this summer. Four-door variants of the electric models will start production in the first half of 2025 with two- and four-door gas Charger SIXPACK models coming later that year. Pricing for these will be disclosed closer to their release.
Green Car Journal editor/publisher Ron Cogan was editor of Hot Rod’s Musclecar Classics in the mid-1980s.
Green Car Journal has closely followed the evolution of the Toyota Prius since our early hands-on experience at Toyota’s Arizona Proving Grounds in mid-1997. Here, we piloted a Toyota Corona test mule powered by an exotic gas-electric powerplant concept that was unlike anything we had driven before. Little did we know that this test car’s Toyota Hybrid System would make its way in production form to the automaker’s all-new Prius, a model that debuted later that year at COP 3, the third United Nations climate conference. This is where the landmark Kyoto Protocol international treaty was adopted to mitigate greenhouse gases and climate change.
The Prius was there to make a statement that Toyota recognized the environmental challenges ahead and was prepared to lead. Prius sales began in Japan in 1997 and expanded worldwide in 2000. The rest is history. In the 27 years since the Prius was introduced, this hybrid has stayed true to its original mission as a model of high efficiency and low carbon emissions. It has shape-shifted over time, starting out as a quirky subcompact sedan and then morphing into a hatchback with a distinctive and easily-recognizable profile.
Now in its all-new fifth generation, Toyota’s Prius is a true game changer presenting as a wondrous liftback with a whole new outlook that far transcends eco consciousness, though that is still the core of its being. Today’s Prius is now sleek and visually compelling, extraordinarily fuel efficient at up to 57 combined mpg, and delivers surprising levels of performance for an eco-champion priced at just $27,950.
For an additional five grand the model’s plug-in hybrid variant, Prius Prime, features all this along with a more powerful 13 kWh lithium-ion battery that brings an EPA estimated 45 miles of electric driving and up to 600 miles of overall range. Along with its admirable EPA estimated 52 combined mpg as a hybrid, Prime achieves up to 127 MPGe when running on its batteries.
Prius Prime’s considerable battery electric range makes it the ideal electric vehicle for a great many who wish to drive zero emission every day, but also want the ability to tackle longer trips seamlessly. This characteristic, and so many others that elevate the model above its peers, distinguished Toyota’s Prius Prime as Green Car Journal’s 2024 Green Car of the Year®.
Performance in a traditional sense, like quick acceleration and impressive driving dynamics, has never been expected of a Prius. That wasn’t its mission. This changes in a big way with the new Prius presenting as a driver’s car, a model that speaks to car enthusiasts who value appealing style and a fun-to-drive nature alongside environmental performance. The new Prius Prime’s 220 system horsepower, delivered by a 2.0-liter engine and 161 hp electric motor-generator, changes the performance equation with nearly 100 more horsepower and a third greater torque than the previous generation Prime. That extra power is a big deal and drivers will appreciate Prius Prime’s surprising ability to sprint from 0-60 mph in just 6.6 seconds.
Greater performance aside, the most noticeable change in the new Prius is clearly its attention-grabbing, smoothly sculpted design. We know this first-hand. Over the past few months, we’ve spent significant time behind the wheel of an uplevel ($39,670) Prius Prime XSE long-term test vehicle equipped with this model’s full complement of advanced electronics and a cabin smartly upholstered in leatherlike SofTex. Inevitably, we get looks, questions, and overt signs of appreciation from a great diversity of people during our drives, many of them drivers of earlier Prius models and others who simply love the car’s forward-leaning and distinctive look.
We get it. The new Prius exudes a sporty appearance with its low roofline and sweeping aerodynamic profile, lending homage to the Prius of old while transforming its look into something more compelling. Once attention moves beyond the car’s most noticeable and eye-catching feature, there’s plenty inside to appreciate as well. Here, one finds a comfortable and functional cabin featuring a pleasing balance of tech, comfort, and style, with a distinctive instrument panel design that takes its cues from Toyota’s bZ4X electric car.
We’ll be sharing our experiences of daily life with the Prius Prime in the months ahead, and no doubt, more stories of interactions with others who find the all-new Prius as compelling as we do.
Here’s an advanced propulsion system that sought to answer a question not yet asked. As Toyota looked forward in the mid-1990s, it launched an inspired program to engineer an all-new powerplant that would be highly fuel efficient, offer extremely low tailpipe and carbon emissions, and feature unheard of environmental performance. The Toyota Hybrid System – now Toyota’s Hybrid Synergy Drive – was the result that debuted in the all-new Prius that hit the world stage in 1997 and emerged on our shores in 2000. It has been refined over the years to deliver more power and even greater efficiency, eventually making its way to a great many Toyota and Lexus models today. This article is reprinted just as it ran in Green Car Journal’s Winter 2004 issue, sharing our perspective 20 years ago on how important a breakthrough this innovative propulsion technology represented at the time, and why it continues to resonate in the automotive market today.
Excerpted from Winter 2004 Issue: Years ago, as automakers struggled to engineer electric vehicles that could offer practical driving range between charges, more pragmatic developers proposed overcoming the battery EV’s range limitation with a ‘range extender.’ Simply, this concept would add a small on-board gasoline engine to keep batteries charged and supplement electric propulsion when more power was needed.
While no longer a true zero emission vehicle – a key goal of electric vehicle enthusiasts – the concept promised cars that would appeal to a mass market. It would provide significantly higher fuel economy than conventional automobiles and achieve near zero emissions levels, all the while offering performance, functionality, and affordability similar to that of the familiar internal combustion engine vehicles we’ve driven for many decades. This concept has evolved into today’s gasoline-electric hybrid vehicle (HEV).
Toyota and Honda can be credited with first producing HEVs that appealed to wide spectrum of vehicle buyers. Toyota introduced its first-generation Prius hybrid in 1997 to the Japanese market. North America saw its first hybrids with the debut of Honda’s two-seat Insight as an early 2001 model, shortly followed by the introduction of the Toyota Prius to American roads.
Toyota uses its sophisticated Hybrid Synergy Drive system to power today’s Prius, a follow-on to the first-generation Toyota Hybrid System. Both automakers are now offering their second generation hybrid vehicles. In 2003, Honda introduced the five-passenger Honda Civic Hybrid, which offers a more powerful adaptation of its Integrated Motor Assist (IMA) hybrid system. A completely redesigned and more powerful Prius appeared as a 2004 model.
Both the Toyota and Honda hybrids are parallel configurations, with wheels driven by both their internal combustion engine and electric motor. In detail, however, they work quite differently. The Honda IMA system’s electric motor/generator supplies additional power to the gasoline engine when needed for acceleration or when driving demands are greater, such as when climbing grades, thus the designation ‘motor assist.’ The Honda gasoline engine always provides propulsion.
Things are reversed with Toyota’s Hybrid Synergy Drive, which finds the Prius starting out on battery electric power. The gasoline engine seamlessly starts up to provide additional power during acceleration, at higher speeds, or when driving up grades. This ability to run at times on battery power alone is an important distinction to some folks, since this means Toyota’s hybrids are actually zero emission vehicles during the time they’re electrically driven. Honda’s hybrids cannot do this.
The Prius uses a four-cylinder, 1.5-liter Atkinson cycle engine. The four-stroke Atkinson cycle, invented by James Atkinson in 1882, is different than the Otto cycle engine we’re used to driving in very distinct ways. Compared to the Otto cycle, where the intake valve is closed near bottom-dead-center, the Atkinson cycle does not close the intake valve at BDC, but leaves it open as the piston rises on the compression stroke. What this means is that some of the air/fuel charge is pushed back out and into the intake manifold and is used in other cylinders. This reduces the volume of the air/fuel mixture that’s compressed and combusted without severely restricting the throttle opening. Restricting throttle opening results in large pumping losses and greatly reduced efficiency. This method of reducing power output without incurring large pumping losses makes the Prius engine much more efficient than a conventional Otto cycle engine under most operating conditions. Effectively, the use of the Atkinson cycle allows the Prius engine to operate quite efficiently at relatively low power levels while still having sufficient power for climbing hills at freeway speeds.
Prius uses the same basic 1.5 liter engine as the Toyota Echo, an engine rated at 108 horsepower at 6000 rpm. The Atkinson cycle allows the engine to be downsized to 76 horsepower at 4600 rpm while still being as efficient, or perhaps more so, than the Echo variant. Also, adding a supercharger to the Atkinson cycle results in the Miller cycle like that used in the Mazda Millenia.
Variable intake valve timing (VVT-I) reduces cylinder pressure to eliminate knocking, important because the engine has a 13:1 compression ratio. A high compression ratio, while good for performance and efficiency, can lead to pre-ignition (knocking), which can damage an engine if unchecked. The aluminum, dual overhead camshaft (DOHC) 16-valve engine produces 76 horsepower at 5000 rpm and 82 lbs-ft of torque at 4200 rpm. Because the engine speed is limited, it can use smaller and lighter components for improved fuel economy. The engine earns an Advanced Technology Partial Zero Emission Vehicle (AT-PZEV) rating, is a Super Ultra Low Emission Vehicle (SULEV), and has an EPA rating of 60 mpg city/51 mpg highway, for a combined estimated 55 mpg fuel economy rating.
Toyota’s HSD also takes special measures to address cold start emissions. Since combustion is not as efficient when an engine is cold and a catalytic converter must reach operating temperature before it can treat exhaust gases, cold starts result in greater emissions levels. The HSD system stores hot coolant in a three-liter vacuum bottle and dumps this into the engine during a cold start to help remedy this.
The permanent magnet, AC (alternating current) synchronous motor produces 67 horsepower (50 kilowatts) at 1200-1540 rpm. Most importantly, it produces 295 lbs-ft of torque at 0-1000 rpm, more than enough to get the car going without help from the gasoline engine. A sealed nickel-metal-hydride (NiMH) battery is used.
An inverter converts the battery’s DC (direct current) to AC for use by the electric motor and generator, and vice-versa. Precise current and voltage control is assured by an intelligent power module. A built-in transformer converts some of the hybrid battery’s power into 12 volts DC to operate vehicle accessories. In the latest generation Prius, the high voltage converter system increases battery voltage from 202 volts to 500 volts for driving the electric motor. This reduces power loss by up to 25 percent because electricity can be supplied at lower current, ensuring large amounts of electricity to the motor for significantly greater output while allowing for a smaller battery.
The Prius’ transaxle contains a planetary gear that adjusts and blends the amount of torque from the engine and motor as it’s applied to the front wheels. It also functions as a continuously variable transmission (CVT) with drive ratio controlled by varying the rpm of the generator that also runs off the planetary gear. This Power Split Device allows the engine to operate in its most efficient load and speed range most of the time. The planetary gear system connects the engine, generator, and motor together, allowing operation in a parallel hybrid mode with the electric motor and gasoline alone or together powering the car. It can also operate like a series hybrid when the gasoline engine operates independently of the vehicle speed to charge the battery or provide power to the wheels. Finally, it allows the generator to start the engine so a separate starter is not needed.
Toyota’s Hybrid Synergy Drive is presently packaged in the sleek, aerodynamic, and efficient five-door Prius hatchback that’s officially classified as a mid-sized car, quite a leap forward from the compact and somewhat quirky first generation Prius. This advanced hybrid vehicle shares virtually nothing with other Toyota models. Features include a throttle-by-wire and an electric air compressor for the air conditioning.
Hybrid Synergy Drive is quite scalable, so expect to see it used in other Toyota and Lexus models. For example, it will be used in the 2006 Lexus RX 400h luxury SUV that will go on sale this coming April 15, along with the Toyota Highlander Hybrid that will debut later in the year. Both models are expected to be mated to a 3.3-liter V-6 engine with front and optional rear motors, in a package producing 270 horsepower. Other Toyota hybrid models will be sure to follow.
With Nissan and Ford already HSD licensees and other automakers reportedly investigating this acclaimed hybrid system for their own models, Toyota has clearly gambled big with its huge investment in this technology, and won big as well. We’ll surely be seeing a lot of Toyota’s Hybrid Synergy Drive in the years ahead.
A growing number of car buyers are showing a keen interest in hybrids, those super-efficient cars, trucks, and SUVs that combine the benefits of both electric and internal combustion power. For some, it’s all about stellar fuel economy. Others see a hybrid as an easy entry into electrified vehicles without taking the more unfamiliar leap to a plug-in model, or paying the extra cost.
Whatever the motivation, we’re huge believers in hybrids because of their many obvious benefits. Ready to bust a move? Here are 10 fuel efficient hybrids from five automakers that deliver 37 to 57 combined mpg, available with a reasonable manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP) of $25,000 to $34,000. Yeah, we realize that some models could be in short supply at times and others may be so popular dealers are tempted to add on a mark-up over and above the MSRP. It that’s the case then keep looking since cross-shopping dealers online is pretty straightforward these days and you may find a better deal just a short drive away.
Manufactured in Tennessee on Volkswagen’s MEB modular world electric car platform, the 2021 VW ID.4 presents a new and compelling all-electric SUV that enters a segment presently dominated by Tesla, Chevrolet, and a select few others. What ID.4 brings to the battery electric SUV segment that Tesla doesn’t is price, coming in at a base cost of $39,995, some $10,000 less than Tesla’s Model Y.
For this, electric vehicle buyers get SUV hatchback utility, three-foot legroom in all seating positions, and ample luggage capacity for 5 adults. VW estimates ID.4 driving range at 250 mile on a full charge, and additionally points out that an additional 60 miles of range is attainable in just 10 minutes from a public DC quick-charge station.
Sporting a stature similar to that of Honda’s CR-V, the Volkswagen ID.4 rides on a steel-framed architecture featuring strut-like front suspension and multi-link suspension with coil-over shocks at the rear. This, combined with a long wheelbase and short overhangs, promises a smooth ride dynamic. Braking is handled by front disk and rear drum brakes.
A single permanent magnet, synchronous electric motor directs power to the rear wheels. The ID.4 produces 201 horsepower and 228 lb-ft torque that’s expected to deliver a 60 mph sprint in about 8 seconds. Electricity to power the motor is provided by an air-cooled, frame-integrated 82 KWh lithium-ion modular cell battery. An onboard 11KW charger enables three charge modes via standard 110-volt household power, 220-volt Level 2 charging, or DC fast charging. Typical charging with a home wall charger or public Level 2 charger will bring a full charge in 6 to 7 hours.
A minimalistic yet futuresque cabin with segment leading cabin volume rounds out ID.4’s architecture. Features include a driver-centric, touch sensitive steering wheel and a view-forward 5.3-inch ID information center that replaces conventional gauges. Vehicle operation is through steering wheel-mounted switches, with infotainment, climate control, device connectivity, navigation, and travel information accessed through a 10.3 inch touchscreen monitor. A 12 inch monitor is available with the model’s Statement Package.
Topping the list of features is expanded voice command and a communicative dash-integrated ID light bar. ‘Intuitive Start’ driver key fob recognition enables pre-start cabin conditioning capability. Base model upholstery is ballistic cloth with leatherette seat surfaces optional.
Volkswagen’s IQ Drive driver assist and active safety suite features travel assist, lane assist, adaptive cruise control, front and rear sensors, emergency assist, blinds spot monitoring, rear traffic watch and more. All this comes standard along with Pro Navigation, a heated steering wheel and front seats, wireless phone charging, and app connectivity for compatible devices.
The ID.4 EV is available in six colors and two trim levels, Gradient and Statement, for personalization. The optional Gradient package features a black roof, silver roof trim, silver accents, and silver roof rails along with 20-inch wheels to complete the upscale look. Looking forward, while rear-wheel drive is the choice today, Volkswagen is already talking up an all-wheel drive variant for early 2021 along with a lower-priced base model.
As the world’s largest automotive group, Volkswagen has the capacity to change the ever-expanding electric-car landscape. Looking at the style and utility of VW’s all-new ID.4, you can sense the renewed “people’s car” direction of the brand that accompanies the automaker’s commitment to electrification. VW says it’s aiming at selling 20 million electric cars based on the MEB electric car platform by model year 2029. Certainly, the potential for selling in truly significant numbers is reinforced by ID.4 pre-orders selling-out in just weeks, it’s safe to say.