Category Archives: Hybrids and Electrics

BMW I4 M50 is a Very Good Electric Sports Sedan

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The BMW I4 M50 from the makers of the self-clamed Ultimate Driving Machines made us fans of electric vehicles. This EV, based on the 4 series Gran Coupe, has 4 doors, seats 5 passengers, and is equipped with a hatchback opening into the passenger compartment. But most importantly, this EV makes full use of the electric engine’s instant torque to propel this I4 from 0 to 60 in 3.7 seconds. The I4 M50 is a great daily driver, with all the comforts and segment perks of the legendary 3&4 series BMWs spanning the last 4 decades. However, what we loved most about this EV is that it felt like a proper sports sedan. While behind the wheel, we often forgot that we were driving an electric vehicle. With nearly all the excitement of the gasoline-powered BMW M4, you never have to worry about waiting in line at a gas station: win-win!  

The car is set up for great handling, with Bavarian engineers imbuing this sports sedan with some voodoo and magic to make the extra heft of the hefty battery pack feel almost weightless; the car doesn’t feel heavy when hugging corners, and is not as prone to heavy understeer like most EVs. It is somewhat unusual to accelerate in silence as the whispering electric motor does its job, although when you’re ready to have some fun with it, the sport mode will pipe a whooshing sound through the speakers to make you feel like you are accelerating the Starship Enterprise. 

The home charger that comes with it is easy to use, and if your commute only involves short trips, you could probably get away with using just the home charger with a standard electric outlet, versus having to install the 240v fast charger. The car also features regenerative breaking, so you get to recoup some energy when stopping. 

While a comfortably docile vehicle for the everyday commute, be prepared to fight an uncontrollable urge to slap it into Sports Mode and go warp 10 at every stop light. This car begs to be driven fast, and rewards you with an interactive and encompassing driving experience complete with the sound and feel one expects of the best gasoline-powered sports sedans. Overall this was a fun, smooth ride, perfect for zooming down the highway, or just getting to work on your daily commute, and a great purchase for anyone interested in purchasing an electric vehicle without sacrificing sports and performance. 

Polestar 2

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This totally electric vehicle starts at a price of just under 40k, which is a true bargain for an electric vehicle that is this well-built. The Polestar 2 is extremely solid, making even simple things like shutting the door have a nice, concrete feel to them. 

The car accelerates well, and the electric drive terrain provides instant torque, which is a nice feature for smooth driving. The vehicle also comes equipped with 408 horse power, so it’s a powerful drive for an electric vehicle. I tried the long-range, dual motor version, which can spring from 0-60 in 4.5 seconds. This was surprising for the heaviness of the car, which weighs in at 4680 pounds, though it doesn’t feel heavy when going around a corner because it’s surprisingly well-balanced and composed. 

The Polestar 2 can achieve about 270 miles per charge, which isn’t bad, though it’s no Tesla; speaking on Tesla, while they do offer superior range and are quicker off the line, I would say the build quality, fit, and finish of Polestar 2 is lightyears ahead of its main competitor, the Tesla model 3 or Y. 

The only thing I didn’t like about this car was the infotainment center, which was clunky and not intuitive. For example, the tire pressure monitor system came on, but instructed to open an app to check which tire was low instead of showing the correct tire on the display. Other than this minor inconvenience, however, this was a great vehicle for anyone considering buying an electric car. 

Kia Sorento Hybrid

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First things first, this car gets great gas milage. At 40 miles to the gallon in real world driving, you’ll definitely save a buck at the pump. 

The car is also extremely safe; in addition to Kia’s standard automatic emergency break it comes equipped with rear cross-traffic collision avoidance technology and is available with blindspot detection, so it’s perfect for drivers who prefer a few added protections while they’re on the road. Also featuring adapted all wheel drive with torque vectoring, the car has great corner control so is perfect for maneuvering around tight spaces. 

The hip and edgy design is a stylish bonus, and the spacious interior makes it a great option for big families or lots of friends. As a three-row SUV with plenty of space you’ll have all the room you need for a long road-trip or cross-country sojourn. 

I also appreciated the 10-inch touch screen display and Bose audio sound system, which made for easy GPS monitoring and provided high-quality listening for favorite tunes and podcasts while on the road. 

Spacious, stylish, and safe, this is overall a great ride. Starting at $34k, it is also a good bang for your buck, especially considering the amount you can save on gas. 

Ford Maverick

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First things first: this car is a bonkers great deal. Starting at just 20k, it is easily the cheapest pickup truck on the market in the USA, and a great value for the price. With the plethora of modern features, such as automatic rollup windows, a backup camera, a remote control key, and working AC, it is nicer than a 50k luxury pickup from 20 years ago and will be in better condition to boot. The lane change alert is a nice modern safety feature as well. 

Speaking on modern features, the touchscreen digital display with Apple Car Play and Android Auto are convenient for use, and a nice touch to the no-frills interior, which has a modern design and is surprisingly luxurious for the simple plastic and cloth from which it is made. The inside was also surprisingly spacious for a pickup truck; one of my coworkers hitched a ride in the backseat and commented on the relatively ample legroom and roomy seating. 

The truck is on the smaller side for pickups, which is limiting for utility, but makes driving and parking significantly easier. It drives like a small SUV, feeling planted on the ground even at highway speeds. 

This truck also comes with a variety of engines, including hybrid, though all get great fuel economy. It is by no stretch of the imagination a luxury vehicle, however, for a basic utility vehicle it is perfect for cruising around town or as a secondary vehicle for hauling.  

Hyundai Kona Electric

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Usually when writing these reviews I save the price point for the end, but for the Hyundai Kona Electric I have to start by saying how impressed I am that for about the price of a new Camry you can get an electric vehicle. Coming it at $34k, plus an optional federal tax credit of $7500, the ride makes purchase of an electric vehicle within the realm of the possible even for budget buyers and is, in my opinion, one of the best bargains on the market. 

Perfect for drivers converting from a gas-powered to electric vehicle, this car drives with a similar gait to a gas-powered car; oftentimes I even forgot I was driving an electric car, which I have often noticed to have more quirks that require adjusting to if you’re not used to driving electric. The automatic cruise control was another great driving feature that allowed for an effortless ride. 

The regenerative breaking feature converts breaking energy into electric power, which is great for recharging the vehicle – especially while driving in the city where breaking frequently is a standard. The car boasts an average of 258 mile range, however while driving on the highway I noticed I was getting closer to an average of a 200 mile range. With a respectable horse power of 201, the car was fast enough, though not faster than a Tesla; although, speaking on Tesla comparisons, I will say the Hyundai Kona Electric is a better value and has a better build quality overall. 

Some notable interior features include the heated steering wheel, and heated and cooling seats, which make for comfortable driving in any temperatures. I also appreciated the large digital displays of the entertainment screen and instrument cluster, which felt very high-tech. The car is also notably compact, making for easy maneuvering, but didn’t sacrifice spaciousness on the inside. It also featured a rear hatch with folding seats, making it great for hauling larger items. 

Overall this car is a great ride for the value, and the perfect pick for those transitioning from gas-powered to electric. If you’re considering going electric, consider the Hyundai Kona Electric.

The first ever 4XE: The Jeep Wrangler Goes Electric

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The future is electric vehicles, there is no doubt about that. Certain parts of the European Union, as well as California have gone on record banning the sales of gasoline powered vehicles at a future date. Electric vehicle are great when it comes to saving the planet and lowering your cost per mile, but they are terrible for road (or off-road) trips. If you are in the middle of nowhere, an electrical outlet is hard to come by. Also, electric vehicles take forever to charge. This is why I am a fan of electric plugin hybrid vehicles. It gives you the freedom to use both gasoline or electric depending on your needs.

Luckily, Jeep has recognized the dual-purpose practicality of the Wrangler and has given us a vehicle that an act as an electric car around town, and act as a gasoline vehicle when in the middle of nowhere. To test how well it works, Jeep sent me the Wrangler Rubicon 4XE. The “E” stands for electric, because you can drive this Jeep at highway speeds for up to 20 miles without a single ounce of pollution. Past the 20 mile mark, a powerful, but fuel efficient gasoline motor picks up the pace by both driving the wheels and charging the batteries. The batteries are also able to charge using regenerative braking. The system worked flawlessly for me, with smooth transitions for both braking and power types (gasoline vs electric). I frequently forgot that I was driving on electric. In Hybrid Mode with a fully battery, the Jeep Wrangle Rubicon 4XE will intelligently switch between electric and gasoline drivetrains based upon maximizing fuel economy. When aggressive on the throttle, electric motors act as turbo chargers to give you that extra bit of pep.

To highlight the specialness of the Wrangle Rubicon 4XE, Jeep gave this vehicle cool blue touches on both the interior exterior: special decals, blue outlines on the lettering, blue tow hooks, and thick blue stitching on the interior. This Jeep feels extra uniquely special, which is refreshing because most hybrid versions just “borify” a vehicle. The only downside of the Jeep Wrangler Rubicon 4XE is the cost. My test vehicle was priced at just over $61,000, which is super reasonable for a sporty plug-in hybrid, but really expensive for a Wrangler that is going to traverse through mud and go rock crawling in the desert.

A Solar Powered Car? The 2020 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid

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To say the 2020 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid is a solar powered car is a bit of a stretch, but I am not too far off. Instead of a traditional sun roof, the production vehicle that I drove for a week featured a large solar panel on the roof. This allows the car to re-charge its batteries while sitting in the hot sun. Effectively allowing you to drive an electric vehicle up to 2-miles per day on solar alone. Hyundai did a great job with this; not only from an engineering side, but from an understated design perspective. It look like a sleek Hyundai sedan from a distance, which I like. Solar powered roof only gets noticed when you closely look at the roof. Click Here To Continue Reading

The Bolt… It’s Electric!

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2018 Chevrolet Bolt EV

There is no doubt that electric cars are taking over. Tesla started the modern day electric war, but GM was the first to give us an everyday affordable EV – one that you could theoretically use as one an only car.

I want to stress affordable and only car in previous statement, because yes the Nissan Leaf is affordable, but its range is poor. The Leaf will go only go 124 miles per charge. BMW’s and Smart’s options are not any better. The Chevy Bolt on the other hand will go 238 miles per charge. Tesla’s model S will go 335 miles on a charge, but the Tesla costs over twice as much the Bolt: $82,000 versus $36,000.

The Bolt’s range is key to me for being a one car household. The 200+ mile range means that you can drive all over town or to the next town over without having to worry about mobile charging stations. With the Leaf and BMW electric vehicles I tested, I felt range anxiety. Versus with the Bolt, I was able to drive it all week on one charge – and I drive a lot!

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Some may argue the Bolt looks too sci-fi for their tastes, even more so than a Tesla, but shouldn’t a car from the future look high tech. I enjoyed the minimalist design and the use of recycled plastics – it made me feel as if I was doing my part to help the environment. It has that Silicon Valley California vibe, which is a good thing. I could get use to the look…

The only thing I couldn’t get use to was ultra power saving mode. In this mode, you use the accelerator pedal (the gas pedal) to speed up the car by pressing it down as well as slow down the car significantly by lifting off the pedal. In this mode, the regenerative brakes are applied to charge the battery whenever possible – ie when you are not adding accelerating. Luckily you can turn this feature off and drive the Bolt like a normal car with the use both an accelerator pedal and brake pedal.

Visit your local Chevrolet dealer to test a Bolt out yourself or learn more about this all electric vehicle on Chevy’s website.

Going green with the Land Rover Range Rover Hybrid

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Luxury SUV drivers who want supreme off-road capabilities will be pleased to know that they can finally “go green” on their way to the next polo match. That is because the 2020 Range Rover is now offered as a plug-in hybrid. That means you have the option of driving the 2020 Range Rover P400e as you normally would under gasoline power with 25 MPGs, or you can drive it as a fully electric vehicle for up to 25 miles.

If you ask me, the 2020 Range Rover P400e is the best of both worlds, because it has all of the benefits of a luxury gasoline powered SUV combined with the benefits of an electric vehicle. For instance, the average driver commutes less than 20 miles per day. So if you plug the SUV into a wall outlet every night, you would never have to go to the gas station during the week. But for those weekend road trips, you never have to worry about range anxiety because their are over 100,000 gas stations in the United States.

Electric vehicles no doubt save fuel and are better for the environment due to reduced emissions. But, another key selling point is how quite electric vehicles are to operate. You no longer have a fire breathing gas guzzling motor making a bunch of racket. Instead, you drive down the road an absolute bliss. You want peace and quote in a luxury vehicle. So by all standards, the Range Rover P400e Hybrid should be considered Range Rover’s most luxurious vehicle. I am personally a petrol head, but the eerie sound of nothing is quite soothing under electric only drive mode.

The electric drivetrain component of the Range Rover P400e is also a benefit for off-road use because you have instant and linear torque. If you are rock crawling, you want to be able to give over a bolder slowly do you don’t damage the vehicle.

At a starting price of $95,950, the Range Rover P400e does command a $5,000 premium over the base engine model. But you do get more horsepower, more torque, and better fuel economy. Plus like I said previously, the ability to never go to the gas station again for your normal commute is priceless.

The CT6 Hybrid Is The Cadillac Of Cadillacs

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The introduction of the CT6 in 2015 marked Cadillac’s return to the full-size luxury segment. Historically driving Cadillac represented that you have “arrived.” I am sure you have heard of the phrase: “This is the Cadillac of [Insert Product Category Here.]” For decades, showing up in a big luxury vehicle was a status symbol, but the brand needed a new image in the mid 2,000s as consumer’s tastes had changed. The transformation resulted in the company focusing on smaller and sportier versions of their sedans, as well as, their growing SUV/CUV lineup. Their top of line luxury vehicles were forgotten.  Click Here To Continue Reading