Latest news with #PHEV
The Herald
14 hours ago
- Automotive
- The Herald
Omoda to launch new C9 plug-in hybrid in Mzansi in June
Omoda has confirmed its new C9 plug-in hybrid (PHEV) will launch in South Africa next month. The mid-size crossover SUV features a 1.5 l turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine paired with a 34kWh battery pack and four electric motors. According to Omoda, this set-up delivers a combined output of 440kW and 915Nm. Fuel consumption is rated at 1.4 l /100km on the combined cycle, with a claimed electric-only driving range of up to 150km. The battery can be recharged from 30% to 80% in 25 minutes when connected to a DC fast charger. While final specifications for the local market are yet to be confirmed, the C9 PHEV will be offered exclusively in the high-spec Explore trim. Standard equipment is expected to include 20" alloy wheels, a panoramic sunroof, Nappa leather upholstery, power-adjustable front seats and heated seats for front and rear passengers. Further details will be announced closer to launch.
Auto Car
2 days ago
- Automotive
- Auto Car
The Volvo XC70 is BACK - and now it's a PHEV SUV with 112 miles of EV range
The new Volvo XC70 plug-in hybrid has been outed ahead of its official debut, courtesy of new images published by China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT). Earlier preview images gave a good idea of the reborn XC70's design, confirming that it would morph from high-riding estate into full-blown SUV, but these new images show just how closely it will be related to the larger XC90. It measures 4815mm long and 1890mm wide, making it roughly the same size as the Volkswagen Tayron, Hyundai Santa Fe and Peugeot 5008, but unlike those cars – and its larger sibling – it is being offered from launch with five seats. The MIIT filing also reveals some of the XC70's technical specifications for the first time, confirming that it will be offered exclusively as a plug-in hybrid, with either a 21.2kWh battery giving 62 miles of range, or a 39.6kWh pack which bumps that up to 112 miles - both according to China's generous CLTC cycle. That larger pack, for reference, is about the same size as that fitted to the pure-electric Abarth 500e, and larger than the battery in the Mazda MX-30 EV. The XC70 will be available with front- or four-wheel drive, in both instances with a 160bhp 1.5-litre petrol engine working in collaboration with an EV motor of undisclosed capacity. Further details will be given closer to the XC70's China-market launch in September, where Volvo could announce plans to sell the new PHEV globally in response to sustained strong demand in certain markets for hybrid cars. Volvo CEO Håkan Samuelsson believes extended-range plug-in hybrids could play an important role in Europe's electrification transition, particularly, strengthening the possibility of the new XC70 being sold here. Speaking at the Financial Times Future of the Car conference earlier this month, he said: "In certain regions in Europe, the charging network will be developed later. If you look into the south and east of Europe, it will be slower. "The ones leading are Norway all the way in the west. There, there will be faster transition to electrification. But in other regions, it's really a good solution to have a long-range hybrid, because if you look into the environmental aspect, if you have a long-range hybrid, the absolute majority of the transport work will be done with electricity. And so in that way, it will be an 'electric car'. "If you have a very short range, a large part of the transport work will be done with the petrol. And then, of course, it's not fossil-free anymore. So a long-range plug-in hybrid, I would argue, is an electric car with a back-up engine when the battery is flat, which will happen not so often.
RTÉ News
2 days ago
- Automotive
- RTÉ News
Toyota to launch Rav 4 plug-in with extended range
Toyota's latest iteration of the Rav 4 plug-in is to have a significant increase in battery capacity that the company says will allow it to drive in electric mode for up to 100 kilometres. The revised vehicle should be in Ireland by early next year and will be similar in size to the current model. The new car's designers have opted for a more rugged look compared to the softer profile of the current car, with more prominent wheel arches and a boxier, more angular shape overall. There's a new 22.7 kWh battery to increase the electric range to 100 kilometres, which Toyota says will be sufficient to meet most drivers' needs. In addition, a new 50 kWh on-board charger will be able to get the battery from 10 to 80 per cent capacity in about 30 minutes, which will be a welcome development for PHEV drivers used to slower charging times. Non-fast charger times have also been improved. The 150 kWh motor - an increase of 16 kWh - delivers better acceleration, and a new cooling system has been developed to keep the battery operating at optimum efficiency. A full hybrid version, with a 2.5 engine, will also be introduced. In what should be a welcome development, Toyota will introduce a new software package with the new Rav4, and a 12.9" infotainment screen will have better and faster connectivity. The car's standard safety package has also been improved, with an enhanced pre-collision system and better lane-changing capacity. Voice commands will allow the driver to direct navigation, media, in-car temperature, and vehicle control. The driver's screen will be a 12.3" unit. On the EV front, Nissan has revealed its electric version of the Micra - one of the world's enduring city cars. Closely related to the new electric Renault 5, the Micra has some retro touches, such as the front and rear lights, that nod to previous versions of the car, first launched in 1982. The electric Micra will have two battery options - a 40 kWh unit with a claimed range of 310 kilometres and a 52 kWh unit with a claimed range of 408 kilometres. Nissan says the car should be capable of a fast charge capacity of 15 to 80 per cent in 30 minutes. A heat pump, which allows for better efficiency in colder weather, will be standard. Interestingly, the car weighs in at 1,400 kg, which should help significantly with range. The boot capacity is a practical 326 litres. From the mid-range up, the Micra will have a Google-powered infotainment system for its 10.1" screen and the interior has been given a significant upgrade. A comprehensive safety system is also included.
Mail & Guardian
2 days ago
- Automotive
- Mail & Guardian
Review: Land Rover Defender PHEV
Since the relaunch of the Land Rover Defender in 2019, the vehicle has become a favourite due to its good looks, its luxury showing and, most importantly, its off-road capabilities. In 2021, the local market was introduced to an electrified Defender, offering South Africans a new option in the line-up. The Mail & Guardian spent a week in the Defender 110 PHEV, a plug-in hybrid vehicle (PHEV) that has the engine working together with a 19.2 kilowatt-hour battery that gives up to 50km of range. That is not a lot compared with vehicles like the BMW X5 xDrive50e M Sport which offers up to 110km of range. However, the hybrid drivetrain that powers the Defender is meant to assist what is normally a fuel guzzler in an urban setting. The charging time is fast — if you are using a direct-current charger, which takes the battery from 0 to 80% in 30 minutes. You also have the option of driving in three modes: a hybrid mode which combines the engine and battery; a full EV mode that only uses the battery and a save mode which uses petrol and charges the battery while you are driving. But here's the thing. While not having a great range on the battery, the Defender maintains its off-road prowess in EV mode. It can perform off-roading duties in low range while being a pure EV and that is simply astonishing. On the road, it is a beast. Boasting 297kW of power and 640Nm of torque, the drive is effortless. Don't get me wrong, you can feel that you are sitting in a 3.2 tonne car, and that is exactly what it's supposed to feel like, but the power at your disposal is incredible, especially because the vehicle is aided by the electric motor providing near-instant torque delivery. The vehicle is also extremely high and the driver and passengers sit in an elevated position, making road imperfections a breeze. It was so satisfying to know that I was in a vehicle that could give Hilux bakkie owners a taste of their own medicine, and move them out of the right lane, just as they do to us when we drive our tiny vehicles. On the inside, you are treated to luxury while the vehicle still manages to maintain that rugged feeling. It has spacious leather seats, a fighter-jet like centre console, a rugged but polished dashboard and, one thing I appreciate about Land Rover, insanely neat and tidy door panels that always fit the theme of the vehicle. For example, in the Range Rover, you have a very classic, classy, door panel. In the Range Rover Sport, the door panel design edges more towards sleek and sporty and, in the Defender, it brings tightly fitted screws, to give that rugged feel, while retaining the leather and keeping it luxurious. The interior also sports a large infotainment screen that contains all your driving information. The centre storage unit can be used as a fridge that can store up to four 500ml bottles for your long days of off-roading. All in all, I don't think there is any vehicle out there that can do what the Defender does in terms of offering ultimate off-roading capabilities and ultimate luxury. The fact that it is now available in a PHEV variant just takes it to a new level. However, to get into a Defender 110 PHEV, you have to pay the price. While most of us picture ourselves in this vehicle only in our wildest dreams, the highest earners can enjoy this model from R2 261 200. Luckily for the rest of us, there are many copycats out there who aim to give us the same experience at a more affordable price. But nothing does it quite like a Defender.
South China Morning Post
6 days ago
- Automotive
- South China Morning Post
BYD overtakes Tesla in Europe for the first time as battery EV sales jump 169% in April
BYD sold more battery electric vehicles (BEVs) than market leader Tesla in Europe for the first time last month, as the Chinese carmaker continued to make inroads despite hefty tariffs on cars imported from the mainland. Advertisement Shenzhen-based BYD, which also makes plug-in hybrids (PHEVs), sold 7,231 BEVs in April, a year-on-year increase of 169 per cent, according to data compiled by market research firm Jato Dynamics from 28 countries in Europe. Tesla's sales fell 49 per cent to 7,165 units in the same period. 'Although the difference between the two brands' monthly sales totals may be small, the implications are enormous,' said Felipe Munoz, a global analyst at Jato Dynamics, on Thursday. 'This is a watershed moment for Europe's car market, particularly when you consider that Tesla has led the European BEV market for years, while BYD only officially began operations beyond Norway and the Netherlands in late 2022.' Tesla's sales fell despite steady demand in Europe last month. BEVs accounted for 17 per cent of the 1.1 million new cars registered on the continent in April, compared with 13.4 per cent a year earlier, while PHEVs accounted for 9 per cent of sales, up from 6.9 per cent a year earlier, according to Jato Dynamics. 10:08 How Chinese companies have pulled ahead of Tesla in the electric vehicle race How Chinese companies have pulled ahead of Tesla in the electric vehicle race Chinese carmakers were behind much of that growth, according to the research firm. Despite huge tariffs imposed by the European Union (EU), Chinese firms' BEV sales jumped 59 per cent year on year in April to nearly 15,300 units, while carmakers from Europe, Japan, South Korea and the US posted a 26 per cent increase in sales, it added. Advertisement
