Electric and Hybrid

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2023 Lexus NX450h: SUV plug-in hybrid prowess

One year after its second-generation debut last year, the high-end Toyota relative has introduced the 2023 Lexus NX450h into its lineup returns in 2023 with a collection of small crossover sport utility vehicles, including two hybrid offerings. The 450h+ is the upscale carmaker’s first plug-in hybrid and it joins the NX 350h conventional hybrid. The NX lineup was first introduced nearly a decade ago and is slotted between the subcompact UX and the mid-sized RX. Who knew there was a need for a slew of “Nimble Crossovers,” the meaning of the vehicles’ two-letter identifier? Buyers, apparently. The NX joined two siblings in the top 10 luxury hybrid SUV sales for 2022. The 2023 models are a holdover. The Lexus 450h+

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VinFast VF8 SUV arrives in US from South Vietnam

A dual-motor, all-electric, all-wheel-drive drivetrain powers the VinFast VF8, a new midsize sport utility vehicle that combines performance and efficiency. The design of the vehicle was created by Pininfarina, the renowned Italian design house. The VF8 has a long wheelbase and short overhangs, which give it a balanced and attractive appearance. VinFast is a new electric vehicle brand from Vietnam, founded in 2017 by Vingroup, a leading conglomerate in the country. Vinfast aims to produce high-quality electric vehicles for the global market, with a focus on innovation and sustainability. VinFast has already established a presence in several countries, including the U.S. where it has 10 California dealerships and plans to expand to other states. Vinfast is also confident in its

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2023 Genesis GV60 launches as top luxury EV crossover

Six years after the carmaker’s launch as a standalone luxury brand, the 2023 Genesis GV60 debuts as the marque’s first dedicated electric vehicle. It delightfully further blurs the definition of automotive innovation and gadgetry. Available in Advanced and Performance trims, the GV60 is operated by two electric motors and a 77.4-kWh battery pack. Using a 120-volt (Level 1) household-style outlet, the GV60 takes about 68 hours to charge. A 240-volt (Level II) outlet will charge the GV60 in around seven hours. Using a DC Fast-Charging (Level III) station, the GV60 will advance from a 10 to 80 percent charge in around 18 minutes (250-kW/800 volts). The battery can also be used to power external equipment, including appliances. The relevance of

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2023 Mercedes-Benz EQE 500 challenges rivals

With the addition of the 2023 Mercedes-Benz EQE lineup, the German manufacturer approaching its centenary now offers more than 30 vehicles. They’re all named with numbers and letters and acronyms requiring code-breaking expertise. The EQE series arriving this year, one year after the debut of the EQS, the carmaker’s first all-electric sedan available in the United States. The EQE 500 4Matic is the mid-level of three available trims. It has two motors, a 90.6-kWh lithium-ion battery, 402 horsepower and all-wheel-drive. Like its siblings, it’s a smaller version of the EQS. Smaller by definition doesn’t mean small. The EQE 500 is a spacious luxury sedan, handsomely styled inside and outside. It’s marketed with seating for five, but like many mid-size sedans,

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Radical Ferrari LaFerrari successor spied upon

Ferrari’s top-of-the-line hypercars are unveiled once a decade, and the newest addition to the bloodline won’t be hard to miss. Automotive YouTuber “Varryx” uploaded initial footage of a Ferrari test mule wearing full digital camouflage. No amount of camouflage, however, can cover the prototype’s colossal rear wing and other potential styling cues. The public testing comes eight months after Ferrari announced the successor to the decade-old LaFerrari will “arrive soon.” Varryx’s first look is only 40 seconds in duration but provides critical information regarding design and aerodynamics, and the powertrain configuration possibilities. Additional clues can be found in leaked documents published by Motor1 pointing to a LaFerrari successor. The documents state the new vehicle is internally known as the F250

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Bugatti-Rimac hybrid hypercar will be ‘totally bonkers’

If you’re a Bugatti fan and have wondered about the successor to the Chiron in the wake of the manufacturer’s merger with Croatian EV manufacturer Rimac, wonder no longer. Mate Rimac, founder and CEO of Rimac Automobili said an interview with Auto Express the Chiron’s successor will be a “hypercar rearranged as a hybrid,” and that the engine powering it is already in development. It will the first time Rimac will use combustion power and Bugatti hybrid technology. For those not sold on the idea of electric power, don’t worry. Rimac, leading the development of the post-Chiron hypercar, told Auto Express the vehicle will be “totally bonkers” and that “everybody will be blown away when they see what we did.”

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2022 Lexus LC 500h: unheralded luxury

The 2022 Lexus LC 500h, now in its seventh year, provides a superior example of one vehicle with complementary multiple personalities. The mesh of traits results in a car greater than its individual strengths combined. A hybrid-electric coupe, the LC 500h features two electric motors with a 3.5-liter V6 producing 354 horsepower and a manufacturer-estimated 4.7-second effort from 0 to 60 miles per hour. It’s propelled with a 10-speed automatic transmission. The top speed is 155 miles per hour. Key Takeaways Hybrid V6 delivers 354 hp and a 4.7-second 0-60: A 3.5-liter V6 paired with two electric motors and a 10-speed automatic gives the LC 500h genuine sports-coupe pace while topping out at 155 mph. Unheralded luxury coupe of the

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Mercedes-AMG debuts most powerful S Class

Mercedes-Benz S Class fans wouldn’t typically associate the historically plush ride with supercar-rivaling performance figures. But that’s what the newly debuted S63 E Performance delivers. Mercedes’ next-generation S63 is equipped with nearly 800 horsepower, four-digit torque figures and sophisticated hybrid technology. All are firsts for the S Class AMG. The S63 also retains the turbo V8 synonymous with top-tier AMG models unlike the recently launched, four-cylinder C63 E Performance. The Mercedes-AMG achieved a 3.2-second 0-60 launch and 180-mph limited top speed. The S63 and its renowned 4.0-liter, twin-turbocharged V8 pump 603 horsepower and 664 pounds/feet of torque. These numbers are boosted to 791 and 1,055 respectively when factoring in the rear-mounted electric permanently synchronous motor (PSM) and 13.1-kWh, 400-volt battery.

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Volvo EX90 accelerates toward its electric future

Volvo‘s push for an all-electric future ramped up as the Swedish automaker recently unveiled in Stockholm the Volvo EX90, its largest and most expensive electric vehicle to date. The debut of the Volvo EX90 follows the carmaker’s pledge to eliminate all gas-powered vehicles from its lineup by 2030. Volvo currently sells two EVs — the C40 Recharge and XC40 Recharge — yet the electric architecture of the EX90 has been built from the ground up for peak ergonomics. Volvo’s newest model is propelled exclusively by two electric motors sending power to all four wheels. Currently no single-motor option is available but this could change. The standard, Twin Motor model generates 402 horsepower and 568 lbs/ft of torque. Volvo EX90: Engine

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2022 Kia EV6 debuts as worthy three cars in one

Introduced 19 months ago as a 2022 model, the Kia EV6 is the South Korean manufacturer’s debut as it transitions from internal combustion engines to battery-electric vehicles. The launch has been an unqualified success. The spacious five-passenger utility vehicle also further blurs the definition of car segments. The EV6, part of Kia‘s EV1 through EV9 lineup plans, is simultaneously a station wagon, hatchback and crossover utility vehicle. Kia marketed the EV6 toward first-time electric vehicle buyers. Available in Light, Wind and GT-Line trims, the EV6 starts with a base price of $40,990 and continues to $51,200. It also further erases KIA’a formerly maligned quality. It’s now a fast climber in overall brand rankings, including from J.D. Power, the respected Michigan-based

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Ferrari launches first Le Mans Hypercar in 50 years

Ferrari has unveiled its long-anticipated Le Mans Hypercar (LMH) endurance race car, named the 499P, following months of teasers and a 50-year absence from top-class endurance racing. The vehicle is set to compete in the 100th running of the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2023. The 499P has been in design since March of 2021 and is debuting after several prominent automakers, including Porsche, Cadillac and BMW have announced their own prototype racers. Ferrari is unique because it will compete in the LMH class instead of the Le Mans Daytona Hybrid (LMDH) class, a costlier series due to the powertrains used. Hypercar entrants also have far greater control over their vehicles, as noted by Ferdinando Cannizzo, Ferrari‘s GT track

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2023 Kia Sportage Hybrid: Upscale looks, value price

More than a dozen hybrid compact crossover sport utility vehicles vie for the expanding number of consumers seeking improved efficiency without transitioning into fully electric vehicles. Welcome the 2023 Kia Sportage Hybrid. Kia, the South Korean manufacturer partially owned by Hyundai, introduced the Sportage in 1993. It was originally classified as a compact SUV, but since 2004 the Sport has been labeled as a crossover. It’s built on a unibody chassis as opposed to the body-on-frame option used by most pickup trucks. The new Kia is part of the manufacturer’s trio of SUVs, and it’s positioned between the Seltos or Niro and the three-row Sorento. Kia and its vehicle relative Hyundai, have made quantum improvements in the past decade. Several

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2022 Ford Lightning bolts quickly into fame

Not quite with the quickness of its name, the 2022 Ford Lightning arrived a year after it was announced. There was much fanfare, an avalanche of deposits and now there’s an estimated three-year backlog for delivery. First teased at the 2019 Detroit Auto Show, Ford beat all the others — Tesla to GMC, Chevrolet to Rivian — to the streets to further add to manufacturer’s truck legacy. The industry’s best-seller for decades, hadn’t Ford already offered every conceivable truck necessary to maintain its sales advantage? The Lightning boldly adds to the mix. It’s a luxury-oriented, full-size electric pickup truck with top-level performance and a 300-plus mile range. Available in Pro, XLT, Lariat and Platinum trims, the F-150 Lightning splits its

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Electric vehicles aren’t new, just new again after 200 years

Approaching 200 years ago, a few smart, innovators with big dreams began experimenting with vehicles propelled by electricity, the original Electric Vehicles. Two Scotsmen respectively introduced an electric carriage and locomotive with galvanic cells with limited lives. The contraptions quickly gained notoriety. They were revolutionary for the early 1830s, but are best remembered as pre-historic precursors to the current electric vehicle surge. All major and niche car manufacturers — Chevrolet to Ford, Tesla to Lucid —have electric cars and trucks or are preparing an alternative fuel or electric vehicle. The automotive future is now, accelerated in California by Gov. Gavin Newsom’s executive order announced in September 2020. The state will require by 2035 that all new car and passenger trucks

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Volkswagen hints toward new electric pickup truck

Nearly 40 years after Volkswagen stopped selling pickup trucks in the United States, it will do so again. At least that’s what VW of America CEO Scott Keogh suggested recently during an interview with Business Insider. “I think it’s the chance of a lifetime in this segment because electrification gives you a reset moment,” Keogh said. “It gives you a chance to bring some, let’s say, alternatives and some new ideas into this great segment.” VW leaning toward pickup truck return Keogh said an electric pickup is something VW is “actively investigating.” Volkswagen has twice suggested it would re-enter the U.S. market. Its previous pickup was last offered in 1983. In 2018, the automaker unveiled at Atlas Tanoak concept which

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Tesla in space rings true with skyrocketing price increases

There once was a time when Elon Musk unveiled a plan to change the automotive landscape and offer his Tesla performance electric car for about $35,000. Musk has changed the car industry but his marketing promise never materialized. The original Tesla Model S debuted in March 2009 with a base price of $57,400 ($49,900 after federal tax credits). With the company founder’s pricing increase announcement March 15, the entry level price for Tesla is now about 40 percent more than originally promoted nearly 15 years ago. The latest price hike is far from the first price increase for the performance car. But it’s the second time in a week and the latest increase affects the brand’s entire line-up of electric

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