There’s no doubt that plug-in hybrids loom large on the minds of drivers today. One might assume this is a recent phenomenon given the constant media attention today. But really, this has been an ongoing area of interest for quite some time. In fact, some 17 years ago, Green Car Journal technical editor Bill Siuru penned a feature offering an overview of this interest. This article from our archives is worth sharing today since it not only indicates the reasons why plugging in is such a positive thing, but considering the interest at the time, it also illustrates the surprisingly long time it has taken to reach where we are today. Other revelations are included here, like the potential for vehicle batteries to be used for V2G (vehicle-to-grid) and V2H (vehicle-to-home) energy, and of course Volvo’s growing commitment to its electrified future. Here, we present this article from Green Car Journal’s fall 2007 issue.
Excerpted from Fall 2007 Issue: The tremendous interest in plug-in hybrid vehicles (PHEVs) is driven by many things, from a desire for greater fuel efficiency to decreasing emissions, achieving long-term reductions in fuel cost, and promoting energy diversity so we’re much less dependent on imported oil. Each of these is important to our future. Together, they make a compelling case for the PHEV that bears further exploration.
Plug-in hybrids could provide most of the environmental and fossil fuel-savings benefits long promised by battery electric vehicles (BEVs), but not yet delivered. Also called grid-connected hybrids, PHEVs overcome the biggest challenge of BEVs – insufficient range. With all-electric range of up to 60 miles, under most driving scenarios a PHEV can be a true zero-emission vehicle (ZEV), just like a BEV. In reality, however, plug-in hybrids offer much more since gasoline-electric hybrid power is ready to take over from all-electric drive once battery energy is depleted.
Initially, aftermarket suppliers like EnergyCS in California and Hymotion in Canada developed PHEV retrofit kits for popular hybrids like the Toyota Prius, Ford Escape Hybrid, and Mercury Mariner Hybrid. These have been quite expensive and aimed exclusively at fleets because of cost. Major automakers have now joined in. General Motors’ much-publicized Chevy Volt will be a PHEV with an all-electric range of 40 miles. According to GM, 75 percent of all commuters drive 40 miles or less to and from work. A plug-in Saturn Vue hybrid, in the works and possibly available in advance of the Volt, could double the fuel economy of any current SUV and provide some 10 miles of electric-only propulsion. Toyota, Nissan, Ford, and several other manufacturers have PHEVs in the works, as well.
While most hybrid cars, SUVs, light trucks, and PHEVs unveiled to date are parallel hybrids, several have followed a different approach with a series hybrid configuration. One of the latest is the Volvo ReCharge Concept. The ReCharge series hybrid uses an internal combustion engine solely to drive a generator for producing electricity that powers the vehicle’s electric motors. Essentially, the ReCharge is a battery electric vehicle with an internal combustion engine for range extension. This drive configuration allows the 1.6-liter, four-cylinder Volvo Flexifuel engine to operate in its optimum rpm range for best fuel economy and minimum emissions. An added advantage when not directly connecting an internal combustion engine to the wheels is much more design flexibility.
In this instance, the ReCharge uses four individually controlled electric drive motors for all-wheel drive. Individual wheel motors also allow optimum weight distribution and maximizing both traction and mechanical efficiency. Since a transmission is no longer needed, mechanical gear friction is reduced substantially. The ReCharge can run on battery power alone for just over 60 miles and also operate its engine on biofuels like E85 ethanol, all the while retaining the sporty performance of the Volvo C30 sport coupe on which it is based. For a 93 mile (150 km) drive starting with a full charge via an ordinary electric outlet, it will use less than three-quarters of a gallon of fuel, which equates to almost 125 mpg. A driver would rarely need to fill up the tank if driven less than 60 miles daily.
PHEVs offer us more than just emissions reduction and increased efficiencies. They also have the unique ability to supply large amounts of electrical power for uses other than just propulsion. This feature is being exploited in the plug-in hybrid Trouble Truck Project by a consortium consisting of the Electric Power Research Institute, Eaton, Ford Motor Co., and California’s South Coast Air Quality Management District. Trouble trucks, used by utility repair crews, are typically operated in residential neighborhoods. Since their internal combustion engines are left idling to power buckets, power tools, lights, and accessories, emissions and noise occur at job sites as a matter of course. Providing power through a PHEV’s battery and electrical system means continuous engine operation is no longer needed.
These PHEV trouble trucks use Eaton’s parallel pre-transmission hybrid system with either a Ford 6.8-liter V-10 gasoline engine or 6.0-liter V-8 diesel engine. Along with reducing consumption and emissions while traveling to and from worksites, the PHEV trouble trucks provide engine-off cab air conditioning and standby AC electrical generating capacity, including 5 kW of exportable power for at least six hours to power equipment. PHEV trouble trucks based on Ford’s F-550 truck chassis are used by Southern California Edison, Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, and Pacific Gas & Electric. This project will later expand to 50 Ford F-550-based trucks and E-450-based vans for utility and public fleets. Since the F-550 and E-440 chassis are widely used as shuttle buses, urban delivery trucks, cable service trucks, and even motorhomes, there’s every potential that volume production could reduce per-vehicle cost. In fact, PHEV technology could find a home in high-end motorhomes where, perhaps in conjunction with solar panels, it could replace noisy and polluting generators typically used to power on-board electrical components while parked.
PHEVs can produce so much electricity that excess energy could be supplied to the electrical grid using vehicle-to-grid (V2G) technology. V2G allows two-way sharing of electricity between PHEVs, BEVs, and the electric power grid. With V2G, an electric or plug-in hybrid vehicle not only could be plugged in for battery recharging, but under certain conditions could also send electricity back from the batteries to the grid. For instance, vehicles could store electrical energy generated during off hours for use during peak power demands. This would eliminate the need for utilities to buy expensive overcapacity electricity on the spot market or fire up older, and high-polluting, fossil fuel ‘peaker’ generating plants. To encourage consumers to participate in a V2G program, utilities could pay motorists for the use of their PHEV or BEV, or owners could sell back energy to the utility when demand is highest.
In what’s called V2H – or emergency home backup – a PHEV could be used for emergency power. For instance, the PG&E demonstrator supplies 9 kW hours of electricity and the average home uses about 2.5 kW of electricity an hour, which means that hours worth of backup power is available if needed. Volvo says the ReCharge Concept’s efficient generator, essentially an Auxiliary Power Unit (APU), is powerful enough to supply an entire house with electricity. Thus, with minor modifications it could be used in case of a power failure.
Like the BEV, the practicability and affordability of the PHEV is governed by battery technology and cost. Its greater all-electric range capability requires larger, heavier, and much more expensive battery systems to store additional electric energy. Plug-in hybrid Dodge Sprinter vans have a 14 kW-hour nickel-metal-hydride or lithium-ion battery system that provides 20 miles of electric-only power. In contrast, the Prius uses a 1.5 kW-hour battery pack for normal gasoline-electric hybrid operation. Ordinary hybrids require batteries that supply short bursts of electrical boost with a nearly constant state-of-charge to ensure battery longevity. PHEV batteries must provide this high power burst while additionally handling full charge to deep discharges like a BEV. Another concern focuses on whether enough electric power will be available should PHEVs become extraordinarily popular. However, a study by the Department of Energy’s Pacific Northwest National Laboratory says the nation’s existing electric power grid could support up to 180 million PHEVs.
All this is unfolding, now. Technology marches on, costs diminish through efficiencies, and interest drives further development...all good things that should bring the plug-in hybrids we desire to our highways sooner than later.
The automotive field is at a crossroads. It’s clear that buyers want more environmentally positive choices and this has driven enormous interest in electric vehicles on the part of consumers, government, and the auto industry. Some drivers are ready to go all-in with battery electric vehicles. Others prefer to ease into electrification with a hybrid or plug-in hybrid. It’s all good because that means we’re heading in the right direction. Green Car Journal’s annual Green Car Awards™ honor new, or nearly new, models that stand out as champions of environmental achievement and lead us in that more positive direction.
Honoring the best and the brightest of these vehicles, Green Car Journal has awarded nine prestigious 2025 Green Car Awards™ to environmentally positive models from Chevrolet, Dodge, Fiat, Ford, Mitsubishi, Toyota, Volvo, and Volkswagen. Six award winners are powered exclusively by batteries, two are gas-electric hybrids, and another champions plug-in hybrid power, illustrating the outstanding diversity of electrified choices available to new car buyers today.
Rising to the top to claim the coveted title of 2025 Green Car of the Year®, Toyota’s all-new generation Camry sedan is a stylish, highly efficient, and tech-rich evolution of Toyota’s popular mid-size sedan. The new Camry is available in front- or all-wheel drive and exclusively powered by Toyota’s fifth-generation Toyota Hybrid System, which delivers up to a combined 51 mpg and a driving range of 663 miles. Finalists and recipients of the 2025 Green Car Product of Excellence award are the Honda Civic Hybrid, Honda CR-V e:FCEV, Tesla Model 3, and Volkswagen ID. Buzz.
The iconic VW ID. Buzz, Volkswagen’s battery electric homage to the storied VW Microbus of an earlier era, is honored with Green Car Journal’s 2025 Green Van of the Year award, capping off its yearslong journey to VW showrooms. The ID. Buzz is powered by single or dual motors with 282-330 horsepower, seats up to seven, and features a driving range up to 234 miles. Finalists and recipients of the 2025 Green Car Product of Excellence award are the Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid, Kia Carnival, Mercedes-Benz Sprinter EV, and Toyota Sienna.
Capturing the 2025 Urban Green Car of the Year award is the fashionable and oh-so-cool Fiat 500e, marking back-to-back 2004/2005 wins for this diminutive electric vehicle. Fiat's 500e is unique among its peers as the ultimate right-sized electric city car that's Italian-chic, nimble, fun, and highly maneuverable in urban environs and elsewhere due to its modest footprint. Finalists and recipients of the 2025 Green Car Product of Excellence award are the Hyundai Kona, MINI Countryman SE ALL4, and Nissan Kicks.
The Ford Maverick compact pickup is the magazine’s 2025 Commercial Green Truck of the Year. Maverick makes for a compelling work truck with its efficiency, reasonable price of entry, and welcome functionality like a 1500 pound payload rating, FlexBed storage system, and 110-volt outlets. Its hybrid engine option gets up to 42 city mpg, which makes it ideal for tradesmen and municipalities. Finalists and recipients of the 2025 Green Car Product of Excellence award are the Bollinger B4, Chevrolet Silverado EV Work Truck, Ford F-150 Lightning, and Isuzu NRR EV.
The all-new Dodge Charger Daytona powers its way to recognition as Green Car Journal’s 2025 Performance Green Car of the Year. This brand’s first ell-electric model features an appealing muscular design, zero-emission electric drive with up to 670 horsepower, and the kind of image and muscle car performance that has long been a signature of the brand. Finalists and recipients of the 2025 Green Car Product of Excellence award are the Ford Mustang Mach-E Rally, Hyundai Ioniq 5 N, Porsche Macan EV, and Tesla Model 3 Performance.
Taking 2025 Luxury Green Car of the Year honors is Volvo’s EX90, this automaker’s new electric flagship SUV. Along with its captivating design and all-electric operation, the U.S.-built EX90 features a high-tech cabin, a premium interior, three row seating, and a pair of twin-motor options delivering 402 to 510 horsepower. It features an electric driving range of 308 miles. Finalists and recipients of the 2025 Green Car Product of Excellence award are the Acura ZDX, Cadillac Optiq, Genesis Electrified GV70, and Polestar 3.
Honored as the 2025 Green SUV of the Year is the Chevrolet Equinox EV, a mainstream electric SUV offering a sporty design, a fun-to-drive nature, and an affordable point of entry for a great many buyers interested in going electric. It offers up to 319 miles of battery electric driving range in its standard front-wheel drive configuration. Dual motor all-wheel drive is also available. Finalists and recipients of the 2025 Green Car Product of Excellence award are the Dodge Hornet, Honda Prologue, Hyundai Santa Fe, and Kia EV9.
Mitsubishi’s Outlander PHEV takes the magazine’s 2025 Family Green Car of the Year honor, the third time this automaker’s flagship plug-in hybrid model has been distinguished with this award. Its combination of attractive style, three row seating, Super All-Wheel Control for navigating all driving conditions, and PHEV operation make it ideal for family-friendly use as an EV around town or a hybrid on longer drives. Finalists and recipients of the 2025 Green Car Product of Excellence award are the Kia Carnival, Lexus TX 550h+, Mazda CX-90 PHEV, and Toyota Grand Highlander Hybrid.
Chevrolet BrightDrop earns the magazine’s 2025 Commercial Green Car of the Year award with its battery-powered BrightDrop 400 and 600 commercial vans. Now a Chevrolet product sold and serviced through Chevrolet’s commercial vehicle network, these electric vans aim at zero-emission delivery and feature a 159 to 272 mile electric driving range, depending on model and battery configuration. Finalists and recipients of the 2025 Green Car Product of Excellence award are the Ford E-Transit, RAM ProMaster EV, Mercedes-Benz Sprinter EV, and Rivian Delivery Van.
Today’s developments surrounding EVs are not a surprise. They were predictable, an awakening of sorts, to the realities of personal mobility needs and the true desires of a driving public amid a significant and sustained push toward electrification.
Unsold inventories of battery EVs at dealer lots, significant price cuts to move metal, and a rethinking of strategies are just part of today’s electric vehicle universe. We are seeing this new reality across the automotive spectrum as companies previously committed to being “all-in” for EVs – from Ford and GM to Volkswagen and Volvo – reassess the way forward.
Yes, interest in battery electric vehicles has grown substantially in recent years. EV sales have captured a larger slice of the new car market than might have been imagined in just the recent past and that percentage has been growing faster than before. This should rightfully be celebrated by EV enthusiasts. An impressive expansion of the zero-emission EV market should also be celebrated because of the considerable impact this has on decreasing carbon emissions, though it’s becoming increasingly clear that the hoped-for wholesale move toward battery EVs will not resolve our carbon challenges.
After more than three decades of documenting the commercialization of electric vehicles, I feel compelled to point out that EVs still represent a fraction of the overall automotive market and there remains great interest in more familiar options. Battery electric vehicles simply do not meet everyone's needs at this time. Barring significant breakthroughs in technology, cost, and convenience – the latter bolstered by an expansive and reliable national charging network and a resilient electrical grid to support it – there’s a possibility they may not meet all motorists’ needs for some years in the future. To our collective detriment, that has not stopped the powers-that-be from forcing an EV-first agenda.
The assumption that government can severely restrict consumer vehicle choices without alienating huge numbers of car buyers, creating financial havoc and uncertainties within the auto industry, and bringing an array of unintended consequences in coming years is simply an act of hubris. I've witnessed other examples of this over the years. Ultimately, the outcomes have not favored those in power who overstep and assume they know more about the needs and desires of car buyers than buyers themselves.
There are many reasons for this, but fundamentally let’s remember that a motor vehicle – beyond serving as a social conveyance for projecting image, status, values, or nuances of all sorts – is a crucial tool to get folks safely and reliably to work, school, the market, or wherever they need to be, regardless of distance or driving conditions. And lest we forget, a new car typically represents the second largest consumer purchase after a home. That makes buying a car an important financial decision beyond just being a very personal choice.
The battery EV’s rather eye-opening depreciation, identified by car search engine and research firm iSeeCars as averaging 49.1 percent over the first five years, isn’t very comforting from the standpoint of a financial strategy. It’s worth noting that iSeeCars doesn't see this same kind of depreciation across the board for electrification, identifying hybrids as having a nearly 12 percentage point advantage over EVs in value retention over a five year period, slightly better than the depreciation rate for all types of cars.
How much has changed for electric cars over the years? A lot…and too little. To share some perspective, I’d like to offer up a Green Car Journal editorial I wrote in 2012, Curb Your (EV) Enthusiasm. It seems prescient today. In it, a dozen years ago, I pointed out that:
– After decades of battery development, the expectation that battery breakthroughs would come to make EVs cost competitive with internal combustion vehicles had not materialized.
– Battery electric cars still required significant federal subsidies to encourage sales because of their high battery cost and retail price.
– In a normal world, a compact electric SUV should not cost $50,000, a four-door electric sedan $40,000, or a small electric hatchback over $30,000.
– A small number of electric vehicles might be available under $30,000, but comparable internal combustion models would typically be priced many thousands of dollars less while offering greater functionality.
– Government agencies viewed EVs as a panacea for decreasing CO2 emissions, improving air pollution, and enhancing energy security.
- States embraced electric vehicles in their State Implementation Plans as a strategy for showing how they would meet air quality standards mandated by the Clean Air Act.
– Automakers recognized electric propulsion as a strategy for meeting increasingly higher fleet fuel economy targets.
– Electric utilities viewed EVs as a pathway to selling electricity as a motor fuel.
The conclusion about the way forward a dozen years ago? Battery electric vehicles are one part of the solution along with advanced combustion vehicles, hybrids, plug-in hybrids, and extended-range electric vehicles that create on-board electricity to provide full functionality.
It appears there’s a growing consensus today that we’ve come full circle to this way of thinking. As electric vehicle sales cool, multiple automakers have shared they are backing off from previously-announced timelines for EV model introductions, new EV assembly lines, and greenfield battery plants. There’s also a new emphasis on producing an expanding lineup of hybrid and plug-in hybrid models that consumers increasingly desire, even on the part of major automakers that have previously announced plans to exclusively build battery electric vehicles and have shown little interest in hybrid power.
All this underscores that as much as we’re enamored with modern battery electric vehicles and their ability to address carbon emissions, they are not the singular answer to future mobility. They are a choice among other vehicles and technologies that also speak to individual needs, desires, and environmental sensibilities. And that’s the way it should be.
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.
It’s pretty amazing that it has taken over 20 years for hybrid electric vehicles to generate truly significant interest. Yet, that’s the story today as many who are interested in electrification have decided to try a gas-electric hybrid first to sate their appetite for an electrified vehicle. It’s an easy choice since there is no real downside to a hybrid – great fuel efficiency, no range anxiety, and a more affordable price of entry compared to a fully electric vehicle. But how do they work? This article, which ran in Green Car Journal a dozen years ago, explained hybridization in an easy-to-understand way that still resonates today. We’re sharing it here just as it originally ran in Green Car Journal’s Summer 2012 issue.
Excerpted from Summer 2012 Issue: The term ‘hybrid vehicle’ covers a lot of territory. Motivated by two or more different power sources, a hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) uses an internal combustion engine (ICE) and one or more electric motors with batteries that store electrical energy. The ICE is usually a gasoline engine, but diesel engines can be used.
In the future, we will see hydrogen fuel cell hybrids where a fuel cell replaces the ICE. Then, there are hydraulic hybrids, now found in large trucks and buses. Here, energy in the form of high pressure hydraulic fluid is stored in accumulators and reservoirs rather than batteries, and hydraulic pressure rather electric motors drive the wheels.
There are both series hybrids and parallel hybrids, with the latter configuration currently far more popular in automotive applications. Cars like the Chevrolet Volt and Fisker Karma are series hybrids. Here, the ICE’s sole or primary job is to drive a generator that supplies electric energy to the battery or directly to an electric motor, or motors, that power the wheels. The engine in a series hybrid can operate at an optimum speed for best fuel economy since its focus is generating electricity rather than providing mechanical power to the wheels.
In a parallel hybrid, both the ICE and electric motor(s) can power the wheels together or individually. The ICE can also keep the battery charged. The ICE in parallel hybrids can be smaller and more fuel efficient since their electric motors can supply supplemental power for peak loads.
Then there are mild hybrids and full hybrids. In a mild hybrid, the ICE and motor/generator operate in parallel, with the motor/generator used for regenerative braking, stop-start capability, and battery charging. While the ICE provides most of the propulsion power, the electric motor can supply additional power, such as during acceleration and hill climbing. A mild hybrid cannot travel solely on its electric motor. The Chevrolet Malibu Eco, Buick eAssist, and BMW ActiveHybrids are examples of mild hybrids.
A full hybrid adds the ability to operate on electric power alone, at least for short distances. Sometimes a full hybrid is called a series-parallel hybrid since, like a series hybrid, its ICE and motor/generator can charge the battery that in turn powers the wheels. Examples include Toyota, Lexus, and Nissan hybrids, including the Prius with its Hybrid Synergy Drive (HSD) and Ford’s Fusion and C-Max hybrids.
Microhybrids are not really hybrids according to the above definition since they save fuel simply by shutting off the engine when a vehicles stops, such as at traffic lights. Their advantage is that microhybrids can deliver a 5 to 10 percent improvement in fuel economy with only minor modifications to a powertrain, while adding only a small amount to a vehicle’s cost. They do require more robust and powerful starters to handle the greater number of starts, plus more capable batteries to keep the air conditioning, radio, and other electronics running during the stop-and-start process when the engine is shut down. . As expected, maximum fuel economy comes in stop-and-go urban driving with no savings achieved during long-distance highway drives.
Often, stop-start is combined with regenerative braking for further fuel savings. This adds complexity since the braking system must have the ability to recoup braking energy and convert it to electricity that’s used to keep batteries charged. Virtually every mild and full hybrid features stop-start and regenerative braking. In fact, these two systems are what help hybrids achieve greater EPA estimated fuel economy in city driving compared to driving on the highway, where steady speeds have traditionally resulted in much better mpg than when driving in stop-and-go traffic.
As the name implies, the plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) operates as a conventional hybrid but can also be plugged into the electric grid to recharge its batteries. This is in contrast to conventional hybrids that recharge only by their onboard generator and regenerative braking. PHEVs, which have a larger battery pack than standard hybrids so they can be driven longer on battery power alone, may never need a drop of gasoline if driven relatively short distances. Longer drives use a combination of battery and internal combustion engine power. Examples include the Toyota Prius Plug-In, Ford Fusion Energi, and C-Max Energi hybrids.
An Extended Range Electric Vehicle (EREV), sometimes called a Range-Extended Electric Vehicle (REEV), is designed for battery electric driving. It creates its own on-board electricity when batteries are depleted to extend all-electric driving range. EREVs can have either series or parallel hybrid configurations. The series hybrid Chevrolet Volt and Fisker Karma are high-profile examples that travel 25 to 50 miles on battery power and then hundreds of miles more with on-board generated electricity. Other similarly-powered extended range electric vehicles are on their way. The upcoming BMW i3, for example, will have a REx option with a small ICE that extends its nominal 100 mile all-electric range.
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.
Alfa Romeo, one of Italy’s legendary performance brands, returned to the U.S. market in 2006 to reassert its Italian heritage with the sporty 4C. Since then, the Guilia coupe and Stelvio SUV have done an admirable job relaunching the brand.
The newest Alfa, the Tonale luxury subcompact SUV, speaks to buyers here that overwhelmingly skew toward crossover and SUV models. The Tonale, with its performance styling, advanced engine/battery technology, all-wheel drive, and high levels of utility, offers a combination that has never before been available in an Alfa Romeo.
Tonale is not only Alfa’s first hybrid powered car of any kind, but also its first plug-in vehicle. When fully charged – which takes somewhere under three hours with a Level 2 charger – the Tonale will deliver an EPA estimated range of 33 miles on battery power alone. With a combined average rating of 29 mpg and 77 MPGe (miles per gallon equivalent) on electric power, total range on both gas and electric power brings about 360 miles of driving.
Green Car Journal editors' recent time behind the wheel of a Tonale allowed experiencing how this sporty and efficient Alfa performs on the open road and while negotiating the meandering, twisty canyons of California's Central Coast. As with all Alfa Romeos, performance is expected, and in this case delivered via Tonale’s 1.3-liter MultiAir turbocharged four-cylinder engine that provides 180 horsepower to the front axle. The rear axle is separately powered by a 121 horsepower electric motor generating 184 lb-ft torque. The sum of all this is a best-in-class power rating of 285 hp and 347 lb-ft. torque, all in. A 15.5 kWh lithium-ion battery provides power for the electric drive system. An integrated high-voltage belt starter-generator mounts to the engine to assist in delivering smoother drive cycle transitions and start-stop capability. Notably, at times we found the Tonale delivering slightly more than its rated 33 mile battery electric range.
The Tonale sports a host of family friendly features that allow this stylish Alfa to hold lots of things, as SUVs are required to do. Along with the ability to transport your stuff, the Tonale’s standard content is also quite high. Among its many systems are Adaptive Cruise Control, Intelligent Speed Assist, Blind Spot and Rear Cross Path Alert, Lane Departure and Lane Keep Assist, and Forward Collision Warning with Automatic Emergency Braking for pedestrians. Yep, they are all there. Level 2 autonomy with Traffic Jam Assist is also available, as is an optional 360-degree camera system.
Three versions of the Tonale are available, starting with the Sprint edition, then the Ti, and finally the high end Veloce version that we drove. All three feature an excellent Uconnect 5 system with information displayed through a 10.25- inch center-mounted touch screen and a 12.3-inch drivers’ dashboard screen. Each screen can be customized by the driver to display the data most desired. In addition, an on board Alexa system allows connecting to the vehicle via voice commands – no inputs necessary.
The Tonale is one of the best looking subcompact SUVs on the market with its exceptional style and signature Alfa Romeo grille set into the surrounding bodywork. Its sculpted side profile flows past cool alloy wheels and is pure Italian. An elegant interior continues to delight, with a blend of brushed aluminum and suede-like seat upholstery. The stamp of Alfa approval adorns each seat back – very cool.
Alfa Romeo’s Tonale is covered by a four year/50,000 mile limited warranty with a full powertrain warranty for the same length of time. Pricing for the base Tonale Sprint is $43,845 with the Ti coming in at $46,500 and the Veloce $51,040. The Tonale Veloce we drove, with its extras and destination charge, featured an as-tested price of $57,290.
Plug-in hybrids are expected to play an increasingly important role in the mission to decarbonize transportation. While many think that interest in PHEVs is a recent phenomenon, that’s not the case since the concept has been intermittently explored throughout automotive history. Real momentum gathered soon after mass-market gas-electric hybrids hit our shores over two decades ago, with some envisioning a huge benefit in evolving hybrids to enable driving exclusively on battery power. Here, we share an article focused on this vision from the Green Car Journal archives, just as it ran 18 years ago.
Excerpted from Fall 2005 Issue: It’s hard to imagine a more gripping state of affairs at the start of the 21st century. A cloud of smog hangs over our cities while the threat of global warming looms ever larger. Oil prices are rising to record highs and while there’s no imminent danger of running out of petroleum, no one knows how long supplies will last. For a final dramatic touch, most of that oil sits beneath the powder-keg that is the Middle East.
A hydrogen hero is on the way, but many worry that we don’t have time to wait, unsure of what happens if oil supplies drop off and we’re caught without a safety net. A growing chorus is clamoring for a near-term solution, something that can be implemented now to significantly reduce oil consumption. The stage has been set for plug-in hybrids.
The plug-in hybrid is an evolution of the ‘conventional’ hybrid vehicle. Plug-in hybrids function the same way, assisting the engine with battery power or electric energy captured during deceleration, but take the idea a step further. Increased battery capacity allows plug-ins to rely more on electricity and less on gasoline, extending electric-only driving range and delivering even better fuel economy. The extra electric power is drawn from the electrical grid by plugging into power outlets while a vehicle isn’t being driven.
The virtue of the plug-in hybrid comes to light with some statistics. A majority of Americans live within 20 miles of their jobs and most trips are less than 20 miles long. With an electric-only range of up to 60 miles, daily drives to work in a plug-in hybrid might not require any gasoline at all as long as the battery is recharged each night. For longer trips, the vehicle reverts back to conventional hybrid operation. If plug-in hybrids are ever designed and built from the ground up, rather than being converted from existing models like we’re seeing today, an even smaller engine could improve fuel economy at every stage.
Though the Toyota Prius is not a plug-in hybrid, it serves as a good platform for a conversion. The California Cars Initiative, a non-profit organization, first built one to show it could be done. The conversion turned out to be so promising that some companies are looking to make a for-profit business out of it.
Engineering firms EnergyCS and Clean-Tech have joined forces to form EDrive Systems, which is developing a conversion kit for the second-generation Toyota Prius. The kit removes the stock Panasonic nickel-metal-hydride (NiMH) battery and replaces it with a Saphion lithium-ion battery from Valence. The new battery adds 170 pounds to the Prius, but also makes about 9 kWh instead of the original's 1.3 kWh. That means there's much more electrical power available to drive the car.
Some careful software tweaks are made to handle the extra power of the hardware. The EDrive system takes advantage of a built-in ‘EV mode’ that forces the Prius to run purely on electric power until speeds reach 33 mph. This ensures that no precious fuel is sapped until the computer deems it absolutely necessary. According to EDrive, in a stock Prius, the batteries would only provide about one mile in this mode; the company’s converted plug-in Prius extends that range to as much as 35 miles.
To further hold off engine intervention, the computer is told the battery is full until the actual state of charge dips below 20 percent. This bit of misinformation forces Toyota’s Hybrid Synergy Drive to inject as much electric power as possible into the drive system. After the battery is about 80 percent depleted, the EDrive Prius carries on like a normal hybrid and maintains the charge of the battery as needed. Once the EDrive Prius is parked, it’s plugged into an external 110-volt charger that can replenish a fully depleted battery in about seven to nine hours.
An additional dash-mounted readout precisely meters fuel consumption and displays how far the throttle pedal can be depressed before prompting the engine to start up. It’s a useful tool because driving style matters. Aggressive driving and 75 mph cruising will yield 70-80 mpg, say the EDrive folks, while relatively mellow driving earns well over 100 mpg. Low speed city driving and cruising at 55 mph can reportedly push fuel economy closer to 200 mpg. And when the battery is depleted after 50-60 miles of driving, fuel economy reverts back to the roughly 45-50 mpg of the stock Prius.
EDrive Systems hopes to sell its conversion kit for $10,000 to $12,000 in early 2006. At this cost, EDrive’s market is limited to those with the bucks to support making such a statement, but it’s a start.
The Prius is not the only vehicle lending itself to plug-in conversion. DaimlerChrysler is working with the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) to build 40 plug-in hybrid versions of its Sprinter commercial van for use in demonstration fleets. Electric boost comes from a 70 kW motor positioned between the transmission and clutch, which is fed by a 14 kWh NiMH battery stowed beneath the cargo floor.
Drivers of the plug-in Sprinter hybrid can push a button to put the vehicle in electric-only mode, which is good for a range of about 19 miles. When not selected, the hybrid’s electronic controller alternates power between the vehicle’s diesel engine and electric motor to optimize fuel economy, or combines the two when power demands are high. This plug-in variant is designed for recharging on Europe’s 230 volt network, a task that takes about six hours for a fully depleted battery.
The stock Sprinter, with its small, 4- cylinder diesel engine, is already quite the efficient hauler with fuel economy as high as 30 mpg. Converted to a plug-in hybrid, DaimlerChrysler says fuel economy improves anywhere from 10 to 50 percent, depending on use. That means up to 45 mpg from a commercial delivery vehicle – simply unheard of in its class. So far, DaimlerChrysler is the only automobile manufacturer producing its own plug-in hybrids.
One of the most notable forces behind the rising profile of the plug-in is Felix Kramer and his Palo Alto-based California Cars Initiative. The group is mobilizing support from fleets, government agencies, and private buyers in an attempt to break the vicious cycle that plagues many new technologies: Motorists won’t buy plug-ins on a large scale unless the price is right, and the price won’t come down until automakers are convinced there will be buyers.
Not content to wait around for the manufacturers, Kramer is looking at other ways to put plug-in hybrids on the road. The plan is to utilize venture capital, set up a Qualified Vehicle Modifier company that could work with automakers in a fully certified capacity, and convert existing hybrid models without voiding original vehicle warranties. In Kramer’s mind, conversion possibilities include Ford’s Escape Hybrid and models using Toyota’s Hybrid Synergy Drive such as the Prius, Highlander Hybrid, Lexus RX400h, and other upcoming models.
The potential of the plug-in hybrid in reducing emissions and oil dependency has put environmentalists and conservative think-tanks in an unusual position: They’re on the same side. Set America Free, the Center for Security Policy, and others have joined electric vehicle die-hards in calling for mass production of plug-in hybrids. Support from former Secretary of State George Shultz and former CIA director James Woolsey lends considerable credibility to the cause.
Despite this clamoring, the U.S. government has yet to respond in a big way. An amendment to the massive energy bill recently approved by President Bush allocates a relatively tiny $40 million for hybrid vehicle development, some of which could go toward plug-in hybrids...but there’s no guarantee.
This leaves local government to take charge. The City of Austin, Texas, with help from its municipal utility Austin Energy, has become the first city to develop an incentive plan for plug-in hybrids. ‘Plug-In Austin’ is looking to raise $50-$100 million to provide rebates on plug-in hybrid purchases for public and private use, as well as for running an educational campaign to generate consumer interest. Austin is one of 10 cities that will begin testing DaimlerChrysler’s Sprinter plug-in hybrid next year.
The ‘Plug-In Austin’ campaign is designed to expand to other communities around the country. Representatives from Austin Energy are approaching the nation’s 50 largest cities in an effort to encourage them to replicate Austin’s program. Already, Seattle City Light in Washington state has shown interest in offering customers incentives to buy plug-in hybrid vehicles in the Puget Sound region. Across the country and across the political spectrum, the plug-in hybrid is winning fans.
Professor Andy Frank at the University of California, Davis is an ardent proponent of plug-in hybrids and, having built plug-in prototypes since 1972, is also one of the most experienced. Rather than an intermediary step to hydrogen, Professor Frank believes the plug-in hybrid could be an end in itself. A plug-in hybrid with a 60 mile electric range, like the ones Frank and his students build, reportedly uses only 10 percent gasoline and 90 percent electricity on an annual basis. “That 10 percent of gasoline could be replaced by biofuels,” says Frank, taking an interesting direction that could find gasoline use eliminated altogether.
The possibilities don’t end there. “We have the capability, for the first time, of integrating the electric grid with transportation,” explains Frank. The electrical grid right now has enough excess capacity to support half the nation’s vehicle fleet if they were converted to plug-in hybrids, says Frank. The energy is domestically produced, the infrastructure already exists, and, though much of our electricity today comes from coal-burning powerplants, renewable and non-polluting sources such as wind and solar power could play a larger role. “People don’t think of plug-ins as alternative fuel cars, but they are,” says Frank. “You could be running your car on solar or wind power.”
At less than a dollar per gallon during off-peak hours, when most plug-ins would be recharged, plug-in hybrid drivers would be paying a lot less in fuel costs. As for the extra up-front cost, Frank points to a UC Davis study that shows how automakers could build plug-in hybrids by adding only $7,000 to the price of a $20,000 car. So why isn’t this already happening? Some in the auto industry maintain that battery technology isn’t ready yet, a claim that Frank and others dismiss. More significantly, Frank asserts there’s a general reluctance to invest, with struggling giants in the industry unwilling to take risks unless convinced there’s a good chance that a sizeable return will result.
“What I’m trying to demonstrate is that if a bunch of students can do it, the car companies should be able to do even better.” Andy Frank, the California Cars Initiative, the City of Austin, and many others feel it’s up to them to take the lead in getting the word out and generating demand. With the success they’ve met, and the wide-ranging benefits that plug-ins put within reach, there’s every reason to believe that at least some in the auto industry are paying very close attention.
Approximately 6 percent of the vehicles sold in the U.S. today are electric. That’s only 825,000 EVs. When you consider that 40 percent of those sales are in California, that leaves less than 500,000 divided among 49 states.
The good news – for the environment and EV sales – is that most prognostications point toward 40 – 50 percent of all vehicles on America’s roads by 2030 will be electric.So, what’s an EV manufacturer to do? The simple answer is that there’s a rainbow of solutions.
Some traditional manufacturers are still making profits from predictable internal combustion vehicles. They’re selling the ICE experience that wraps around their cars and trucks. For example, there’s the hot version from Dodge and the off-road variants from Ford. They are wisely finding low-cost methods to stretch the lives of their portfolio products while simultaneously stepping into the EV marketplace.
Quite a few pundits have disparaged Toyota for being slow to develop a pure EV portfolio. Their scientists, however, claim there is no single silver bullet. To support a move to lower carbon consumption, the worldwide leader in auto sales is remaining flexible. Their reasoning is that drivers across the country will not have access to a widespread full electric infrastructure for quite a few years. So, hybrid range, extended electric, cleaner gasoline, hydrogen fuel cells and, of course, full electric are going to play prominent roles for at least the next 20 to 30 years.
Tesla originally shook the industry when the investment community heaped kudos and cash on Elon Musk for being a futurist and an outsized disruptor. Now, nearly every manufacturer is sprinting into electrification, but, as usual, it will not be a one-size-fits-all formula. Manufacturers will still have to balance their portfolios to ensure profits and perform tried-and-true marketing methods.
There will assuredly be quite a few auto companies that fall away in the process. And some that aren’t making headlines today will be front page news tomorrow. Bottom line: we still have at least another decade or so of industry disruption ahead of us.
Playing it safe creates mediocrity and oftentimes failure. At Karma, research, data, a brilliant design team, and common sense are guiding our efforts toward fulfilling a unique market niche. Our American luxury brand will be a variant of: Distinctive. Aspirational. Exotic-Elegant-Electric. Or maybe something entirely different, but still addressing a clean mobility future. (We’ll be revealing our actual updated branding and marketing beginning in the latter stages of 2023.)
Whatever we decide, we expect to build a competitive advantage by being a mirror of our customers in an industry that will soon be bursting at the seams. We truly aspire to drive change beyond the norm, building vehicles that inspire positive transformation in the world.
Select a strategic direction, extol the differentiators, and state the story. An entire organization – inside and out – should enthusiastically speak with one voice, unapologetically dispensing core messaging over and over again.
U.S. businesses lose nearly $40 billion annually due to poor customer service. The EV world – where there are often unique customer demands – is not an exception to this rule. In fact, as the segment expands, superior service is actually becoming a differentiator. While we’ve all been rightfully focused on sales, many of the shiny new vehicles have become a bit road-worn and require regular maintenance and occasional repairs.
This is where a breakdown occurs. A quality customer experience should be mandatory. Developing well-schooled EV service techs is an astute investment that is too often overlooked.
The transition into EVs and, more broadly, the next chapter of automotive will be defined by the experiences that automakers create for customers. As media and digital interactions move deeper into the fabric of society, the ability and desire to create an unbroken connection between the life of the consumer and the products they consume will be an increasingly prevalent focus.
It will not be the buying, the service, or even the driving that build sales. Instead, it will be how the vehicle can be inserted into the continuum of a consumer’s life to complement their sense of self and future aspirations.
In April, Marques McCammon was named president of Irvine, Calif.-based ultra-luxury carmaker Karma Automotive. His 30-year auto industry career across four continents includes engineering, manufacturing, brand leadership, marketing, and software-based product advancement.
Rather than following the industry’s massive trend toward models powered exclusively by batteries, Toyota is confident there’s a better way forward. Its strategy is to optimize the use and environmental impact of batteries by offering a diversity of electrified vehicles consumers will actually buy and drive in great numbers, thus leveraging the potential for carbon reduction. This clearly plays to the automaker’s strength: hybrids and plug-in hybrids. There’s the all-electric Toyota bZ4X, of course, and other battery electric Toyota models to come. Just don’t expect that’s all the world’s largest automaker will be offering in the short term.
Enter the 2023 Toyota Crown sedan, this automaker’s newest hybrid. Toyota’s all-new Crown is somewhat of a milestone since so many automakers are killing off their sedans in favor of uber-popular crossover SUVs. In many cases, those crossovers are less SUV than mildly oversized hatchback, but that’s the auto industry for you. The Crown is a sophisticated looking sedan that doesn’t pretend to be something it is not, though it does offer a few twists.
The Crown has an interesting history, first debuting in 1955 as Toyota’s first mass production passenger vehicle before making its way to the States three years later, distinguished as the first Japanese model here on our shores. It had a 17 year run before it was retired from Toyota’s U.S. showrooms.
Now it’s back in all new form as a full-size, four-door sedan available in XLE, Limited, and Platinum grades. While it is a sedan measuring in just a bit larger than Toyota’s popular Camry, the Crown also integrates a slightly taller roofline, thus the ‘twist.’ This taller roof flows rearward into an elegant sportback design, accented by thin blade-style rear taillights. The front features blade running lights, sharp headlights, and a distinctively imposing grille design that’s come to signify Toyota and Lexus products these days. Its sides are handsomely sculpted and accented by large alloy wheels and wheel well cladding.
Beneath the hood resides one of two available hybrids, no surprise since this a Toyota and hybrids are its game. The more efficient of the two-motor hybrid models is powered by a fourth-generation, 2.5-liter Toyota Hybrid System (THS) that Toyota says should net an estimated 38 combined mpg. It connects to an electronically controlled continuously variable transmission.
Those looking for higher performance may opt for the Platinum grade, which comes standard with a 2.4-liter turbocharged HYBRID MAX powerplant, the first application of this more powerful Toyota hybrid system in a sedan. Delivering power to the road through a direct shift six-speed automatic transmission, the HYBRID MAX boasts 340 horsepower for spirited performance and offers a Toyota-estimated 28 combined mpg. All grades come with electronic on-demand all-wheel drive. A plug-in hybrid variant is said to be coming but details are not yet available.
The Crown’s cabin is designed to deliver a premium feel, featuring nicely bolstered front seats with 8-way power adjustment, intelligent controls, and wireless Qi charging with an array of readily accessible ports to accommodate today’s electronic devices. A Multi Information Display ahead of the driver provides the usual instrumentation along with selectable functions, including hybrid information that coaches eco-driving for netting maximum efficiency. In addition, a 12.3-inch center Toyota Audio Multimedia display features Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integration and is audio and touch capable.
Upholstery is either Softex and black woven fabric or leather, depending on grade. A panoramic moonroof standard on Platinum and Limited grades lends an additional feel of openness to the cabin. LED ambient lighting adds to the interior’s ambiance and upscale feel. Significant effort has been devoted to creating a relaxed and quiet cabin environment through extensive placement of sound-deadening materials throughout plus the use of acoustic glass.
Toyota Safety Sense 3.0 is standard across all grades to enhance safety on the road. This includes such desired features as pre-collision with pedestrian detection, dynamic radar cruise control, lane departure alert with steering assist, blind spot monitor, and rear cross traffic alert. Other assist features such as automatic high beams, road sign assist, rear seat passenger reminder, and hill start assist control are also standard fare for all versions of the Crown. Those stepping up to the Platinum trim level also get Toyota’s advanced park system that identifies available parking spots and allows automated parallel and reverse/forward perpendicular parking.
Toyota’s Crown is a timely addition to this automaker’s lineup, giving fans of the brand a new, more exciting sedan option just as the more conservative Avalon sedan is heading off into the sunset. Pricing has not yet been announced but we figure the Crown will start somewhere in the neighborhood of the low $40,000s. We also expect this new model to be a hit for Toyota, serving the automaker well as it hones its hybrid and plug-in hybrid strategy while continuing to evolve its future electrified product line.
Jeep is on a roll. This enduring brand, symbolically aligned with the American persona due to its rich history here, is certainly getting it right. Long popular with those seeking on- and off-road capabilities and the rugged image that comes with that, there’s a Jeep model to fit diverse desires and needs. The Jeep Grand Cherokee, introduced in its fifth generation in 2021, is at the luxe side of the spectrum.
Beyond the Jeep Grand Cherokee’s obvious benefits for families – roominess, high functionality, desirable features, and style – this full-size SUV offers something that’s increasingly important to a great many new car buyers today: electrification. This comes in the form of the Grand Cherokee 4xe model, a plug-in hybrid offering efficient hybrid operation as well as the ability to plug in, the latter capability enabling 25 miles of zero-emission, on- and off-road driving on battery power at the flick of a switch.
We’ve noted Jeep’s interest in electrification for some time as part of Chrysler/Dodge/Jeep electric concept vehicle explorations, most notably back in 2008. Jeep started its modern electrification push with the ever-popular Wrangler, introducing the Wrangler 4xe plug-in hybrid variant in the 2021 model year. By 2022, this model laid claim to being the best-selling plug-in hybrid in North America. That’s saying a lot given the wide array of PHEVs now available to consumers.
The electrified Grand Cherokee 4xe is the expected, and welcome, follow up. Sporting an appealing and sophisticated design, the Grand Cherokee 4xe features distinctive Jeep styling cues, low-silhouette headlights and taillights, a handy roof rack, and angular, metal-trimmed through-the-bumper exhaust. Blue front tow hooks are exclusive to the 4xe model, as is a chargeport found at the driver’s side front fender.
We recently had the opportunity to take a road trip in Jeep’s electrified Grand Cherokee 4xe, which included a fascinating visit to the Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes National Wildlife Refuge on California’s Central Coast. Our time behind the wheel illustrated why this is such a popular model. The ride is comfortable and performance solid, with all the acceleration you need delivered by a turbocharged 2.0-liter four cylinder engine and a pair of electric motors. Together, this package delivers an abundant 375 hp and 470 lb-ft torque that’s delivered to the road via a TorqueFlite eight-speed automatic transmission. Energy is provided by a temperature controlled 17 kWh lithium-ion battery pack packaged beneath the vehicle’s floor and protected by skid plates.
Driving modes are selectable on a panel at the lower left of the steering column – Hybrid, Electric, and e-Save. The first enables driving in gas-electric hybrid mode using both the combustion engine and electric motors. Electric mode uses motor-battery propulsion exclusively for zero-emission driving. The e-Save function allows running without any use of battery power, allowing a driver to save maximum energy for all-electric driving in desired areas, such as on trails. The Jeep’s Selec-Terrain system features controls on the center console that allow optimizing driving characteristics with selections for Sport, Rock, Snow, Mud/Sand, and Auto. Hill Descent Control and 4WD Low are also selectable on the center console. Shifting to Park, Reverse, Neutral, and Drive is handled with a rotary dial.
We drove mostly in hybrid drive during our trip, though we did spend time driving exclusively in electric mode when we had the ability to charge up during our journey. Both deliver all the acceleration you really need. Overall efficiency while driving in conventional mode is pegged at a combined city/highway 23 mpg by EPA. Driving exclusively on battery power nets a 56 MPGe (miles per gallon equivalent) combined rating, all the while running emissions-free.
Though we didn’t do serious off-roading during our journey or tow any toys along with us, this vehicle’s capabilities in these areas are considerable. The Trail Rated Grand Cherokee 4xe features Jeep’s Quadra Trac II 4x4 system with two-speed transfer case, up to 10.9 inches of ground clearance, and is capable of towing up to 6,000 pounds. This electrified Jeep can also ford up to 24 inches of water without issue since all high-voltages electronics are sealed and waterproof.
During our drive, we really came to appreciate this Jeep’s accommodating interior and thoughtful appointments. The automaker’s latest Uconnect 5 infotainment system is integrated, along with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Driver information, system controls, and entertainment functions are displayed on three digital display screens. The far-right screen, which can be turned on and off with a dash-mounted switch, offers the right-seat passenger digital entertainment, co-pilot and navigation assistance, and camera viewing. Found at the front of the center console are USB and USB-C ports, a port for 12-volt DC accessories, and an HTML port.
Seats are upholstered in handsome gray leather with contrast stitching, a luxury-oriented theme carried throughout the interior with leather-trimmed door panels, center console, dashboard, and steering wheel. Sophisticated gray wood accents on the dash and door panels a stylish touch. Front seats are nicely bolstered for support and comfort.
Seating in in the rear of this full-size SUV is quite accommodating, affording plenty of legroom and headroom. Rear seating features a center fold-down armrest with drink holders, plus 60/40 split seatback functionality to enhance rear cargo-carrying capacity. Rear side windows offer lift up sunshades, a nice touch. Back seat passengers are provided controls at the rear of the center console for their own seat heaters, a display with controls for heating and air conditioning, and registers for directing airflow as needed. Below that is a 115 volt, 150 watt AC plug for a computer or other devices that use standard household current. Also found here are USB and mini USB ports for mobile devices.
Of course, advanced driver assist systems are part of the package. The Grand Cherokee 4xe includes standard adaptive cruise control with stop and go, lane departure warning with active lane keep assist, full-speed collision warning with active braking, intersection collision assist, and much more. Beyond the daily convenience afforded by a rear back-up camera, rear park assist sensors, and a 360-degree surround view camera system, there’s also parallel and perpendicular park assist to make any kind of parking situation easier.
High levels of comfort, expansive connectivity, and confident driving are delivered in good measure by the Grand Cherokee 4xe. The fact that this is also a plug-in hybrid with 25 all-electric miles at the ready for our usual daily drives is a resounding plus.
We have many years of experience living with different plug-in hybrid models, and have found that our trips to gas stations are infrequent and our around-town driving handled almost exclusively on battery power. That is, until another road trip beckons and we head off with confidence knowing will be driving largely on hybrid power, with no charging stops needed unless they are convenient and fit into our schedule. This was our experience with the Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xe and we just wish it were staying longer in our care.
Since the very first Green Car Awards™ presented by Green Car Journal in 2005, the magazine’s mission has been to acknowledge and encourage environmental achievement in the auto industry. It has always been important to recognize new models that are driving a green revolution on our highways by decreasing emissions, encouraging energy diversity, and improving efficiency. This enlightened way forward is crucial to vastly improving the automobile’s impact on the environment and ensuring a future for personal-use vehicles.
That mission has never been more vital than it is today as we see first-hand the environmental challenges we all face. While there are many ways to address these challenges and solutions must come from many fronts, it’s reassuring to know that the auto industry is stepping up in significant ways.
High efficiency internal combustion models that eke out fuel economy numbers in the 30 to 40 mile-per-gallon range, and above, were unheard of in the recent past. They’re on the road today. Hybrids that extend fuel efficiency to 40 and 50 miles per gallon are not uncommon. Models driving on battery electric power often are achieving an energy equivalent of 80, 90, and 100 miles-per-gallon, or more. There’s still work to be done to accomplish important environmental goals, but this truly is a watershed moment.
The motor vehicle continues to have an important story to tell, now and in the decades ahead. That story speaks to greater efficiency, improved attention to sustainability, and a more thoughtful approach to environmental compatibility, all made possible by the enlightened design, advanced technologies, and amazing innovation found in an unfolding new generation of vehicles. The Green Car Awards – the most important environmental awards in the auto industry – celebrate these vehicles, and by extension the automakers, engineers, product planners, and others who make them happen.
Each award year, Green Car Journal editors examine the universe of vehicle models sold in the U.S. that distinguish themselves with exemplary environmental credentials. Through an extensive vetting process, five vehicles are identified in each of eight categories that stand out by virtue of their environmental achievement. This process considers many factors such as lower carbon emissions, greater efficiency, or the use of advanced technologies such as lightweighting, electrification, more efficient internal combustion, or other innovative efficiency-enhancing or sustainability strategies. Each model that rises to the top 5 in a category are honored with Green Car Journal’s Green Car Product of Excellence™. These standout vehicles then advance to be finalists for Green Car Awards.
Models honored with 2022 Green Car Product of Excellence are: Audi e-tron GT; Audi Q4 e-tron; BMW i4; BMW iX; BrightDrop EV 600; Chevrolet Bolt EUV; Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid; ELMS Urban Delivery EV; Ford E-Transit; Ford F-150; Ford Maverick; Ford Mustang Mach-E GT; GMC Hummer EV; Honda Civic; Hyundai IONIQ 5; Hyundai Kona Electric; Hyundai Tucson; Hyundai Venue; Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xe; Karma GS-6; Kia EV6; Kia Seltos; Kia Sorento Hybrid/PHEV; Lexus NX; Lightning eMotors Electric Van; Lucid Air; Mercedes-Benz EQS; MINI Cooper SE; Porsche Taycan Cross Turismo; Rivian Electric Delivery Van; Rivian R1T; Tesla Model S Plaid; Toyota Sienna; Toyota Tundra; Volkswagen ID.4; Volvo C40 Recharge.
This year involved weighing the merits of more potential finalists than any previous year in the award program’s history. In the shifting sands of the pandemic, the auto industry’s chip shortage, and today’s phased timeline for new model introductions throughout the year, an important part of this process is determining a new model’s realistic delivery timeline, not just the availability of online preorders. In some cases this means a new high-profile model must be considered in the following year’s award program.
For the past 16 years, the Green Car of the Year® has been selected by an invited jury that includes leaders of the nation’s energy efficiency and environmental organizations, along with celebrity auto expert Jay Leno and Green Car Journal staff. This year’s invited jury included Paula Glover, president of the Alliance to Save Energy; Mindy Lubber, president of CERES; Joseph K. Lyou, president and CEO of the Coalition for Clean Air; Matt Petersen, president and CEO of Los Angeles Cleantech Incubator and advisory board chair of Climate Mayors; and Dr. Alan Lloyd, president emeritus of the International Council on Clean Transportation and senior research fellow at the Energy Institute, University of Texas at Austin. Winners of all other Green Car Awards are selected by a jury of automotive experts and Green Car Journal staff.
Electrification is so important to 'green' cars today that nearly every Green Car Awards finalist included a battery electric, plug-in hybrid, or hybrid powertrain option, and all Green Car of the Year candidates were exclusively battery electric for the first time. After all the vetting, the evaluations, and the decisions, the results are in. Six of the eight award winners are all-electric vehicles and two are highly-efficient hybrids. Here are the standout winners and worthy finalists for this year’s 2022 Green Car Awards:
2022 Green Car of the Year® – Audi Q4 e-tron
Finalists for Green Car Journal’s signature award included the Audi Q4 e-tron, BMW i4, Kia EV6, Rivian R1T, and Volvo C40 Recharge.
2022 Luxury Green Car of the Year™ – Lucid Air
Vying for this award were the Audi e-tron GT, BMW iX, Karma GS-6, Lucid Air, and Mercedes-Benz EQS.
2022 Urban Green Car of the Year™ – Chevrolet Bolt EUV
Finalists were the Chevrolet Bolt EUV, Hyundai Kona Electric, Hyundai Venue, Kia Seltos, and MINI Cooper SE.
2022 Performance Green Car of the Year™ – Tesla Model S Plaid
Among this award’s finalists were the Audi e-tron GT RS, Ford Mustang Mach-E GT, Lucid Air Dream Performance, Porsche Taycan Cross Turismo Turbo S, and Tesla Model S Plaid.
2022 Green SUV of the Year™ – Hyundai IONIQ 5
The top 5 finalists included Hyundai IONIQ 5, Hyundai Tucson, Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xe, Lexus NX, and Volkswagen ID.4.
2022 Commercial Green Car of the Year™ – BrightDrop EV 600
Finalists were BrightDrop EV 600, ELMS Urban Delivery EV, Ford E-Transit, Lightning eMotors Electric Van, and Rivian Electric Delivery Van.
2022 Green Truck of the Year™ – Ford Maverick
Presented at the San Antonio Auto & Truck Show, finalists included the Ford F-150, Ford Maverick, GMC Hummer EV, Rivian R1T, and Toyota Tundra.
2022 Family Green Car of the Year™ – Toyota Sienna
Also hosted by the San Antonio Auto & Truck Show, finalists were Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid, Honda Civic, Kia Sorento Hybrid/PHEV, Toyota Sienna, and Volkswagen ID.4.
The Santa Fe’s new plug-in hybrid powerplant comes a year after the all-new generation 2021 model saw its first hybrid option. Hybrid power was just one of many important upgrades for this five-passenger, mid-size sport utility vehicle last year. Along with its bold new look, Santa Fe gained upgraded electronics, additional driver-assist systems, and two new efficient 2.5-liter/2.5-liter turbo engines plus the efficient 1.6-liter hybrid.
Augmenting the standard hybrid’s 1.6-liter, direct-injected four-cylinder turbo engine and 90 horsepower electric motor is this year’s PHEV’s plug-in capability and larger battery pack. Power is transferred to the wheels through a smooth-shifting six speed automatic transmission. Electrical power is stored in a 12.4 kWh lithium-ion battery pack, which should provide enough juice to propel the Santa Fe up to 30 miles in pure electric mode.
Available in SEL Convenience and Limited trim levels, Santa Fe is a right-sized package measuring in at 188 inches in overall length and 74 inches tall, riding on a 108.8 inch wheelbase. The Santa Fe PHEV is sure-footed for all-weather duty courtesy of Hyundai’s HTRAC all-wheel-drive system complemented by four drive modes.
Its interior features large digital touchscreens including a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster display, an 8-inch audio display, and a widescreen 10.25-inch navigation display. Wireless device charging, smart phone integration, and BlueLink are provided. Leather upholstery and ventilated front seats are standard equipment. The Santa Fe features multiple cameras positioned around the vehicle to give the driver a better view of surrounding conditions and obstacles. The front camera also serves to provide forward collision avoidance and active cruise control functionality.
For added convenience, Santa Fe PHEV has a self-parking function and cross-traffic backup alert. Hyundai calls this safety suite Reverse Parking Collision Avoidance Assist, or PCA for short. It will warn the driver if a collision risk is detected while backing up under challenging conditions, such as reversing out of a driveway into cross traffic.
Model-specific styling helps the PHEV variant stand out with a bold and aggressive grille treatment, 19 inch alloy wheels, and a panoramic sunroof. Initially, Santa Fe PHEV will be available in eleven states including California, Colorado, Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, and Vermont. Expect a MSRP of $40,535 for the SEL model and $46,545 in Limited trim.
Here’s the thing about plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs): You get the benefits of a battery electric vehicle for driving a certain number of zero-emission miles, with the versatility of a gas-electric hybrid without range limitations. There’s no secret to it, and it’s that simple. But PHEV ownership does take some thought, and some effort.
The thought part is straightforward. If you’re in the market for a PHEV and your intent is to drive electric as much as possible, then part of the decision making is choosing a new plug-in hybrid model offering a battery electric range that fits your driving patterns. Some plug-in hybrids offer battery electric range as low as 14 to 19 miles, with a great many featuring electric range in the low to high 20s. Some raise that number up to 42 or 48 miles of battery electric driving, like the Toyota Prius Prime and Honda Clarity PHEV, before requiring a charge or the addition of combustion power. Many families find the electric range of Chrysler’s Pacifica Hybrid to be entirely workable at 32 miles, with its total 520 miles of driving range reassuring for any driving need.
The effort in owning a PHEV is that you need to install a 240-volt home wall charger and commit to using it to gain maximum benefit. Really, that’s no different than an all-electric vehicle, with the exception that an electric vehicle must be charged to function, while a PHEV will continue operating with the aid of combustion power once batteries are depleted. Both can be charged with a 120-volt convenience charger plugged into a standard household outlet, but that’s rarely a good option since the charging time at 120 volts is so long, while charging at 240 volts is comparatively short. The goal in achieving maximum benefit, of course, is to keep a PHEV charged in any event so you’re operating on battery power whenever possible.
What range do you really need? If your daily driving or commute is about 20 miles – as is the case for so many – then choose a PHEV with a battery electric range offering that capability, or more. Drivers with longer average daily drives should choose a PHEV with greater all-electric range. If you charge every night and wake up with a fully-charged battery ready for your day’s regular activities, you’ll likely find trips to the gas station unnecessary until longer drives are needed. In those cases, there’s nothing to think about because the transition from battery to combustion power happens seamlessly behind the scenes, with no driver action required. Yes, you’ll want to keep gas in the tank for those eventualities, but if your daily use fits within your rated electric range then fill-ups will be infrequent.
From my perspective, the ability to drive electric most of the time with the ability to motor on for hundreds of additional miles without thought is a win-win. I’ve been doing this for years with a variety of PHEV test cars, and more than a year-and-a-half now over 30,000 miles in a Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV. As much as possible, my driving is electric with zero localized emissions, as long as I’m consistent about plugging in at night and my charger isn’t required for another test car. I’m driven to do that not only because driving with zero emissions is the right thing to do, but also because electricity offers a cheaper cost-per-mile driving experience. If you’re on a utility’s electric vehicle rate plan and charge at off-peak hours, there’s even more money to be saved. And let’s not forget the blissful and effortless convenience of charging at home, right?
Any claim that PHEVs won’t deliver their desired environmental benefit is based on assumptions that drivers won’t plug in. That isn’t likely, given that PHEV drivers have paid, sometimes significantly, for the privilege of having a plug-in capability. The notion may have its roots in an unrelated alternative fuel story years ago, when we witnessed the phenomena of motorists driving flexible-fuel E85 ethanol/gasoline vehicles without ever fueling up with E85 alternative fuel. That occurred because of a loophole that allowed automakers to gain significant fuel economy credits by offering flexible-fuel vehicles without any consideration whether drivers would ever fuel up with E85 ethanol. Those vehicles were sold at no premium by the millions, with most drivers unaware their vehicle had an alternative fuel capability or whether E85 fueling stations were nearby.
But this is different. While you have the option to use public charging stations, and that’s a nice benefit enjoyed by many EV and PHEV owners, if you do this right there will be a plug in your garage that requires no effort at all to keep your PHEV charged up. Consider, too, that if a buyer spends the extra money for the plug-in hybrid variant of a popular model, there’s clearly an incentive to plug in most of the time to make the most of one’s PHEV investment.
PHEVs will be with us a long while because they are a sensible solution for many who wish to drive electric, and when used as intended they represent a logical pathway for the all-electric future many envision. There’s no doubt that the increasing number of plug-in hybrids coming now, and in the years ahead, will aim at greater electric driving range than the models that came before them. More choices and greater range will provide an even more compelling reason to step up to a plug-in hybrid for the daily drive.
Clearly, Chrysler’s original minivans had a great run, and for good reason. All were based on the same platform featuring a low floor and an overall design that allowed the ability to park in a typical garage. Plus, they drove like cars and not trucks due to their passenger car-like construction. Offering different flavors of the minivan under the Dodge, Plymouth, and Chrysler brands – with varying levels of sophistication – was a smart move as well. But alas, change is inevitable even within notable success stories. Enter the Pacifica Hybrid.
The company’s sixth-generation minivan broke new ground in 2017 as the Chrysler Pacifica replaced the Town & Country. Featuring an exciting new design on an all-new platform, among its many innovations was the inclusion of the Pacifica Hybrid variant, the first and only plug-in hybrid minivan in the U.S. market to this day.
Four years later, the Pacifica Hybrid now features a redesign with deeper sculpting and sport-utility influences. It’s available in Touring, Touring L, Limited, and Pinnacle iterations, all powered by a 3.6-liter Atkinson V-6 engine mated with electric motors and a nine-speed electrically variable transmission.
This transmission incorporates two electric motors that drive the front wheels via a clutch, rather than using just one motor for propulsion and the other for regenerative braking. The one-way clutch is located on the input side of the transmission and the output shaft of the motor. This one-way clutch enables power from both ‘A’ and ‘B’ motors to act in parallel, delivering the full torque of both motors to the wheels. The system provides a combined 260 horsepower. All Pacifica Hybrid models feature front-wheel drive, with all-wheel drive available on the Touring L model.
Energizing the electric drive system is a 16 kWh lithium-ion battery pack comprised of six 16-cell modules. The pack is located under the second row of seats. The benefit of this battery placement is that it doesn’t infringe on interior space, so cargo-carrying capacity is not sacrificed. The battery pack provides 32 miles of battery electric range and charging to full capacity can be done in two hours using a 240-volt charger. Total hybrid driving range is 520 miles.
A suite of driver assistance systems is available either as standard or optional equipment, depending on trim level. Among these are a 360° Surround View Camera, Rear View Camera, Full-Speed Forward Collision Warning with Active Braking, Pedestrian Automatic Emergency Braking, Blind Spot Monitor, Adaptive Cruise Control, Parallel/Perpendicular Park Assist, and Lane Departure Warning with Lane Keep Assist.
Pacifica Hybrid’s Uconnect 4 system comes with a standard 7-inch or optional 8.4-inch touchscreen, standard Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and available 4G Wi-Fi. Uconnect 4 with the 8.4-inch touchscreen displays vehicle performance, power flow, driving history, and adjusts charging schedules for less expensive off-peak hours.
The conventionally-powered Pacifica minivan offers a base price of $35,045, while the Pacifica Hybrid starts at $39,995 for the Touring L model and travels upward to $50,845 for the Pinnacle edition.
The efficient plug-in hybrid variant of BMW’s third-generation X3 premium compact crossover, the X3 xDrive30e shares drivetrain components, technology, and driving characteristics with the automaker’s 330e plug-in sports sedan. Manufactured in Spartanburg North Carolina on BMW’s refreshed cluster architecture (CLAR) platform, the X3 x30e PHEV blends the efficiency of a hybrid powertrain, super low emissions, and instantaneous low to midrange torque for a spirited drive experience.
Motivation comes from BMW’s 2.0-liter direct injected, turbocharged 4-cylinder engine paired with a 107 horsepower electric motor. The result is 288 total combined horsepower and 310 lb-ft torque that provides a zero to 60 mpg sprint in 5.9 seconds. Fuel efficiency is EPA rated at 60 MPGe while driving on battery power, with a combined city/highway rating of 24 mpg on gasoline. It features an overall driving range of 340 miles on 13.2 gallons of gas plus 18 miles on battery power.
A frame-cradled, air-cooled 12.0 kWh lithium-ion battery supplies energy to the motor. Charging is via an on-board 3.7 kWh charger. Charge time is 3.5 to 6 hours depending on source. Gear shifting is delegated to the time-tested ZF 8-speed Sport Automatic transmission featuring sport and manual shift modes, steering wheel-mounted paddle shifters, and launch control. All-weather traction is enabled by BMW’s xDrive all-wheel drive.
The 5-passenger compact SUV features a driver-centric cockpit layout with premium materials like Sensatec upholstery, dark oak wood trim inlays, and quality hard and soft touch surfaces. Front seats feature 10-way power adjustment, with the rear offering 40/20/40 split and fold-down functionality with adjustable seat backs for passenger comfort. A 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and 10.25-inch center information display provide information and controls, along with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility.
Standard equipment includes ‘smart key’ recognition and personal settings memory, a futuristic yet comprehensive electric drive monitor, remaining electric-only range minder, and navigation-controlled chassis efficiency monitoring. The latest in driver assist and active safety technology is offered. Rounding out this very comprehensive package are voice-activated commands, integrated navigation, optional 360-degree surround camera, premium audio, and automatic three-zone climate control. A two-way power glass moonroof is optional.
All this comes at a base price of $49,600, about $6,600 more than the conventionally-powered X3 xDrive 30i.
The Q5 is offered in three models, two of which combine electrification with Audi’s 2.0-liter TFSI four-cylinder turbocharged engine. The Q5 55 TFSI e plug-in hybrid positions an electric motor between the engine and seven-speed S tronic dual-clutch automatic transmission to produce a total of 362 horsepower and 369 lb-ft torque, and earn an EPA rating of 50 MPGe. Those output numbers rival the 3.0-liter, 349-horsepower TFSI V-6 in the range-topping SQ5. The Q5 45 is powered by a new, mild-hybrid variant of the TFSI engine that produces 261 horsepower and 273 lb-ft torque.
Audi is marketing the Q5 TFSI e as part of a ‘Plug-in Trifecta’ for 2021, with its A7 and A8 sedans also available with TFSI PHEV powertrains. These additions move Audi closer to its goal to electrify 30 percent of its U.S. model lineup by 2025.
The Q5 TFSI e can be operated in all-electric, hybrid, and battery-hold modes. A 14.1 kWh battery pack, located under the rear cargo area, enables the Q5 to travel up to 19 miles on electric power alone, according to EPA estimates. Audi says the battery can fully charge in 2.4 hours when plugged into a 240-volt charger. The maker also engineered the battery to act as a source of heat for the Q5’s cabin via a heat pump integrated into the pack.
A standard feature aboard the PHEV Audis is Predictive Efficiency Assist, which is designed to increase the energy regenerated under braking when the vehicle is rolling downhill or approaching a slower-moving vehicle. When the Q5 is equipped with optional satellite navigation, additional input is factored into the energy regeneration, including road curves, speed limits, a the road’s vertical profile. The system prompts the driver, via feedback from the accelerator pedal and a signal in the head-up display, to let up on the accelerator to take advantage of as much kinetic energy as possible.
External cues that set off the TFSI e from other Q5 models are subtle. The plug-in hybrid is equipped with S Line exterior trim, including a honeycomb version of the automaker’s Singleframe’ grille and more aggressive front and rear diffusers. It rolls on standard 19.5-inch double-spoke-star wheels or optional 20-inch, 10-spoke wheels. An optional Sport Plus package combines the 20-inch wheels with adaptive air suspension.
The Audi Q5 TFSI e plug-in hybrid comes at a base price of $52,900, just over $9,000 more than the conventionally-powered Q5.
It’s no secret why the RAV4 is such a global hit. Beyond its obvious style, this is a model that carries a lot of gear, gets excellent fuel economy, and exhibits the traditional high standards for fit and finish found with Toyota products. What’s not to like? Toyota's latest variation, the RAV4 Prime, brings a plug-in hybrid variant to the model that adds to its appeal with 42 miles of all-electric driving range and 600 miles of total range.
RAV4 Prime is powered by the automaker’s 177 horsepower, four-cylinder DOHC engine and a pair of electric motors, one at the front and another at the rear, for on-demand four-wheel drive. Total combined power is a stunning 302 horsepower, which Toyota points out makes it the second-fastest car in its lineup behind the marque’s Supra sports car.
Available in two models, SE and XSE, RAV4 Prime combines lessons learned with Toyota’s other hybrid success stories like the groundbreaking Prius. While many competitors have focused on moving toward all electric power, Toyota has opted to focus on refining hybrid technology to motivate its electrified models. The RAV4 Prime presents an excellent example: Simply, it’s a popular and appealing plug-in crossover SUV offering on- and off-road capability with exceptional drivability, handling, and performance.
There’s a wealth of technology at work beneath the skin in the RAV4 Prime that makes it not only powerful, but exceptionally functional and efficient. Its 18.1 kWh battery is positioned beneath the floor, so it doesn’t impact interior and cargo space. Beyond its truly usable all-electric driving range, the RAV4 also delivers a 94 MPGe rating while operating on battery power. Recharging the battery is handled via a 240-volt home or public charger in about 4 ½ hours, or in about 12 hours when plugging into a conventional 120-volt AC outlet. When faster 6.6 kW charging is available, the RAV4 Prime can charge up in about 2 ½ hours.
Inside, driver and passengers enjoy heated and cooled leather seats, Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, JBL audio, and a handy conductive phone charging pad. The RAV4 Prime also comes will all the advanced safety and driver assist systems desired these days including Toyota's Safety Sense 2.0, which includes pre-collision with pedestrian detection, dynamic radar cruise control, lane departure alert with steering assist, lane tracing assist, and road sign assist. Also available is front and rear parking assist with automated braking, and rear cross traffic braking.
On the outside, the Prime edition features special badging and 19-inch alloy wheels, the only indications that call out this new and advanced version of the RAV4. Cost of entry for the RAV4 Prime is $38,100.
