Range Rover’ stylish Evoque enters its second generation with a complete redesign that features the automaker’s Premium Transverse Architecture and little in common with the outgoing version. Conventionally-powered and mild hybrid (MHEV) versions will be sold in the U.S., with the hybrid coming at a base cost of $46,600. A plug-in hybrid variant is planned for offshore markets but it’s not yet clear if it will make it to the States.

The model’s extended, 105.6-inch wheelbase is identical to that of the Jaguar E-Pace, bringing with it more interior space and extra rear knee room.  Evoque also gets a version of the E-Pace 's Integral Link rear suspension. The new Evoque platform uses more high-strength steel as well aluminum to save weight. The Evoque also contains about 70 pounds of recycled material.

A 48-volt, lithium-ion battery pack mounted beneath the floor in the MHEV variant connects to a belt-driven motor-generator mounted at the side of the SUV’s turbocharged, 2.0-liter Ingenium engine. The engine turns off while coasting with the system recovering and storing energy normally lost during deceleration. The engine will also shut off while braking at speeds below 11 mph to increase efficiency, restarting as soon as it is needed. This reduces fuel consumption by about 6 percent.

The battery stores up to 200 watt-hours of electrical energy that can be used to generate up to 103 lb-ft torque to assist during acceleration. The MHEV system delivers a combined 296 horsepower and 295 lb-ft torque. This compares to 246 horsepower and 269 lb-ft for the conventional Evoque. A sprint from 0 to 60 mph is quicker in the hybrid at 6.3 seconds, down from 7.0 seconds.

Gear transitions are handled by a 9-speed automatic transmission with paddles in the AWD  Evoque. Driveline Disconnect allows running in front-wheel drive to reduce transmission losses when four-wheel drive is not needed, with this system automatically detecting surfaces and adjusting settings accordingly. Terrain Response offers six drive modes – General, Eco, Sand, Grass-Gravel-Snow, Mud-Ruts, and Auto – with the latter automatically selecting the most appropriate mode for road conditions and adjusting suspension and electronic systems as needed. Evoque  also includes hill-descent control and all-terrain progress control capabilities that enable the vehicle to handle throttle and braking automatically when driving tricky off-road trails, allowing the driver to focus on steering and watching for obstacles.

The Evoque is the first vehicle that can be equipped with Land Rover’s ClearSight ground camera system. Cameras in the radiator grille and side mirrors project images in the infotainment display that allow viewing what‘s in front, under, and to the sides of the front wheels. Through the optional ClearSight rear view mirror, a driver also gets a crystal-clear, unobstructed wide-angle view to the rear for backing up and parking. Cameras are covered with a hydrophobic coating that repels water and mud, a handy feature since the Evoque can wade through water up to 23.6 inches deep.

Plug-in hybrid power combines a 197-horsepower, 1.5-liter three-cylinder Ingenium engine driving the front wheels with a 107-horsepower electric motor powering the rear. There is no mechanical connection between the front and rear axles. The Evoque PHEV is capable of operating as a front-wheel drive vehicle, rear-wheel drive electric vehicle, or as an AWD hybrid with both power sources combined.

The all-new 2019 RAM 1500 debuted with eTorque mild hybrid technology, an efficiency-enhancing system that’s exclusive to the segment. This new feature, while potentially important to buyers seeking a fuel economy bump in the increasingly-crowded and always competitive light pickup field, is not readily understood by all. So here’s an overview on how RAM’s eTorque mild hybrid works.

Functionally, eTorque works by replacing the RAM’s conventional alternator with a more robust motor/generator in 3.6-liter V-6 and 5.7-liter V-8 HEMI engines. The eTorque-equipped V-6 mounts its Continental motor-generator in front of the engine with the pulley pointing aft. A dedicated, water cooled coolant circuit is used since the internal cooling fans in a typical alternator would not work in this configuration. In the HEMI V-8, a Magneti Marelli motor-generator mounts conventionally near the top of the engine where air cooling works fine. The 48-volt eTorque system adds 90 pounds to a the HEMI V-8 and 120 pounds to the V-6, with the water-cooling circuit accounting for the difference.

When lifting off the throttle at speed, eTorque’s motor/generator begins to generate electrical energy that feeds back to its battery pack while also smoothing transmission downshifts. It provides a brief torque boost of 90 lb-ft in V-6 RAMs and 130 lb-ft in V-8 models. Along with adding torque during shifts, it contributes torque while transitioning in and out of four-cylinder mode during V-8 cylinder deactivation. The eTorque system restarts the engine and resumes forward motion within 70 milliseconds after an auto-stop. An interactive deceleration fuel shut-off system also saves fuel.

Electrical energy in the eTorque system is stored in a 30 pound, 430 watt-hour LG Chem battery pack mounted at the rear wall of the pickup cab. The system includes a DC-to-DC converter to supply the vehicle’s regular electrical loads and charge its 12-volt starter battery.

Alternators only draw modest power from an engine’s accessory drive. However, eTorque’s motor-generators use their accessory drive belt to slow and accelerate these trucks, so the belt must be larger and stronger, and also must wrap farther around the pulley. It also requires a tensioner on both sides to keep belts tight as the motor/generator transitions from generating to motoring. The eTorque Hemi gets a larger crankshaft pully as well that improves the motor/generator’s leverage.

While Audi and Mercedes-Benz are selling similar systems in Europe, FCA (Fiat Chrysler Automobiles) is the first to market vehicles using the technology in large numbers in the U.S. With an estimated 2 to 3 mpg savings in city/combined fuel economy, eTorque delivers improved environmental performance and has the potential to have a measurable effect on FCA’s corporate average fuel economy as well.

Green Car Journal’s 2019 Green Truck of the Year™, the new RAM 1500, is lighter, more  efficient, and higher tech than ever. Of special interest is that the RAM integrates electrification for increased efficiency by offering two mild hybrid powertrains, exclusive to the segment. It features more hauling and towing capacity than the generation before it, with the ability to tow up to 12,750 pounds and carry a payload of up to 2,320 pounds. RAM 1500 rides on a wheelbase about four inches longer with a larger cab. Efficiency has been enhanced by shedding up to 225 pounds through the use of high-strength steel, aluminum, and composites.

RAM 1500 is offered in four-door quad cab and crew-cab body styles, with 67.4- and 76.3-inch beds, and in seven trim levels. Three headlamp variations are available including Halogen, full LED, and an all-new full LED adaptive front-lighting system. A robust 4x4 off-road package is available. The pickup’s most notable exterior feature is its new grille, which replaces the RAM’s iconic grille that’s been used since the Dodge days.

Contributing to the RAM 1500’s aerodynamic efficiency are grille shutters that help smooth airflow and a front air dam that automatically lowers by 2.5 inches at speeds above 35 mph. A new venturi roof design directs air back to the rear spoiler. Bed rails raised by 1.5 inches and a new spoiler on the aluminum tailgate reduce drag. A lockable tri-fold tonneau cover improves fuel economy while adding security and weather protection. The RAM’s optional air suspension system lowers the truck 0.6 inches at speed to further improve aerodynamics.

Power is delivered by a 305 hp 3.6-liter V-6 or 395 hp 5.7-liter HEMI V-8, each mated to a new TorqueFlite eight-speed automatic transmission. A new-for-2019 eTorque mild hybrid system replaces the RAM 1500’s alternator with a motor/generator that uses regenerative braking to charge a lithium-ion battery pack Standard on V-6 and optional on V-8 engines, eTorque provides stop-start operation and a brief torque boost of 90 lb-ft in V-6 RAMs and 130 lb-ft in V-8 models. An interactive deceleration fuel shut off system also saves fuel.

Among the RAM 1500’s advanced technologies is a fourth-generation Uconnect system and 12-inch, fully reconfigurable touchscreen display. SiriusXM Guardian Connected Services delivers advanced in-vehicle connected services including a 4G Wi-Fi hotspot. Android Auto and Apple CarPlay are standard.

An available 360-degree surround view camera system provides a birds-eye view via four cameras positioned around the vehicle. Uconnect 4 with an 8.4-inch display and Uconnect 3 with 5-inch display are also offered. Driver assist systems include forward collision warning, advance brake assist, blind-spot monitoring and lane departure warning, and adaptive cruise control with stop, go, and hold. SiriusXM Traffic/Travel Link is available.

Automakers have been in a frenzy of late to claim a leadership position with electrification. Volvo has now taken a significant step in that direction by announcing its intention to include an electric motor in all of its models launched after 2019.

That doesn’t signify an exclusive leap toward battery electric cars, even though Volvo does plan to launch five all-electric vehicles between 2019 and 2021. Electrification can take many forms including hybrid, plug-in hybrid, and electric-assist systems, plus of course cars that run exclusively on batteries. There will be a mix in the Volvo lineup depending on a model’s propulsion needs and market demands.

This move is not a surprise. Volvo announced three years ago that it was replacing the five- and six-cylinder engines that had been powering its models with a new and more efficient Drive-E four-cylinder. This engine architecture was designed from the beginning to include a start-stop motor and regenerative braking, plus ready integration with hybrid and plug-in hybrid technology.

The first use of Drive-E engines in the U.S. was in select 2015 Volvo models. Since Volvo’s plan all along was to transition its models to Drive-E power and this engine was designed for electrification, using electrically-augmented Drive-E engines – or in some cases battery electric drivetrains – in all new models after 2019 represents the next stage of this transition.