Category Archives: Plug-in hybrids

Hybrids that can plug to give some range on electric mode

Fisker Karma plug-in hybrid sedan got rated by the EPA

Posted on October 19, 2011 by Laurent J. Masson

The Fisker Karma, that beautiful plug-in hybrid sports sedan, finally got certified by the EPA. The car gets a 52 mpge rating in all electric mode, and a 20 mpg combined gas-electric fuel economy rating. The only other plug-in hybrid … Continue reading →

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Europe’s still waiting, but Toyota has priced its plug-in Prius in the US, is it worth its price?

Posted on September 21, 2011 by Laurent J. Masson

The plug-in Prius was unveiled in its production version at the Frankfurt motor show, but Toyota didn’t revealed its price there. Would it be 10% more than the standard version? 15% more? In the US, where the base Prius sells … Continue reading →

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BMW engines, because Fisker wants its plug-in hybrids to be high speed cruisers

Posted on September 7, 2011 by Laurent J. Masson

Fisker Automotive, the manufacturer of the stunning Karma hybrid, will unveil a second model next year. Code-name is Nina. It’s expected to be substantially smaller, more affordable too, but it shall retain the Karma’s best feature: a plug-in hybrid power … Continue reading →

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BMW i8, a stunning plug-in hybrid green supercar from Munich, but will it be a joy to drive?

Posted on August 2, 2011 by Laurent J. Masson

It was love at first sight. As soon as the BMW Vision EfficientDynamics concept appeared in front of me, I knew I was in love. And so were most of the other people who discovered the car with me. That … Continue reading →

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Surprise: the Ford C-Max as an hybrid only in America

Posted on June 11, 2011 by Laurent J. Masson

The new Ford C-Max has been launched last September in Europe, and it has been a hot seller since then. More than 100,000 have been sold already, and Ford is currently hard at work increasing its production capacity at its … Continue reading →

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The Porsche Panamera hybrid may get a plug

Posted on April 11, 2011 by Laurent J. Masson

Porsche introduced an hybrid version of its Panamera sports sedan last month in Geneva. This model is the second hybrid from Porsche after the Cayenne, and there could a third one pretty soon. It would be a derivative of of … Continue reading →

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In the plug-in race, Fisker will be N°2 in the US, but N°1 in Europe

Posted on March 28, 2011 by Laurent J. Masson

The Fisker Karma should have been the first plug-in hybrid car on the market, but production delays gave this place to the Chevrolet Volt. That’s in the U.S. but not in Europe as the plug-in car from General Motors won’t … Continue reading →

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Volvo V60 plug-in diesel hybrid, a concept with an unique architecture

Posted on February 2, 2011 by Laurent J. Masson

Volvo will show a concept of a plug-in hybrid version of its just introduced V60 model in next month’s Geneva motor show. It is said to be a near-production model, which should be brought to market next year. All that … Continue reading →

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The aerodynamics of the Volkswagen XL1: the recipe to be the best of the world

Posted on January 28, 2011 by Laurent J. Masson

The Volkswagen XL1 promises to be the most fuel-efficient car in the world. Besides its clever plug-in hybrid power train (more about it later), a lot of that efficiency comes from its extraordinary shape, a marvel of free-flowing lines. A … Continue reading →

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Volkswagen XL1, a plug-in diesel hybrid introduced in Qatar because the country wants to reinvent itself

Posted on January 27, 2011 by Laurent J. Masson

Here are some great news: Volkswagen has introduced the concept of a new super-efficient car, the XL1. A 261-MPG plug-in hybrid. This is the kind of vehicle I’m ready to travel to have a closer look, but Volkswagen made a … Continue reading →

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