Top Hybrids and Electric Cars Must Buy 2016 [ Buying Guide ]
Top Recommended Hybrids and Electric Cars
List Car you need to buy:
====== 2016 Tesla Model S ========
We owned a 2013 Tesla Model S for 18 months and despite numerous dealer visits and maintenance issues, we were ultimately sad to see it go. It's quick, comfortable, quiet, spacious, and can tote as much cargo as some crossover SUVs. The "85" version can go 265 miles on a charge, so range anxiety is a nonissue. We even drove ours from L.A. to New York in less than three days using Tesla's free Supercharger quick-charge network. We definitely have gripes, including some underwhelming interior trim pieces and a lack of small item storage. There's also the below-average reliability, although our dealer experiences were exceptional. So even though it's not perfect, the Model S remains our favorite electric car.
============2016 Kia Soul EV============
Kia's first real foray into the electric vehicle world is a success. In fact, the funky Soul is arguably more appealing when it swaps out its internal combustion engine for an electric motor. In our testing, the Soul EV went farther on a charge than its similarly sized and priced competitors, and then recharged quickly thereafter. It also doesn't suffer a reduction in cargo space versus the non-EV Soul, meaning it provides the utility of a small SUV rather than that of a small hatchback like its rivals. A long warranty and generous features are other benefits.
===============2015 BMW i3=============
BMW's i3 is a remarkable vehicle. Its main structure is made of light yet strong carbon fiber instead of the usual steel or aluminum. This helps reduce the i3's weight, which pays dividends for both electric range and performance. With its electric motor in back and the battery under the floor, the i3 boasts sporty acceleration and handling.
======= 2015 BMW i8 ===========
You want your plug-in hybrid to be a head-turning sports car? Look no further than the BMW i8, the two-door supercar for the environmentally conscious. Like the more attainable BMW i3, the i8 is built around a carbon-fiber passenger cell. But in the i8 an electric motor drives the front wheels and a turbocharged three-cylinder gasoline engine pushes from behind.
===== Luxury Hybrid 2016 Porsche Panamera E-Hybrid =====
Porsche's flagship sedan is the Panamera, a low-slung four-door with a hatchback trunk. The 2016 Porsche Panamera S E-Hybrid is the plug-in hybrid version, and it offers 16 miles of pure electric driving before the supercharged 3.0-liter gasoline V6 engine takes over. Acceleration, handling and braking are pure Porsche, which is something of a trick for a car this large. It's perfect for those shoppers
======= Hybrid SUV 2016 Toyota Highlander Hybrid =========
No other automaker bothers to offer a hybrid version of its three-row SUV. But Toyota's Highlander Hybrid doesn't earn a spot in our Buying Guide purely by default. It continues to show just how well the hybrid formula can be applied to a big, family-friendly crossover SUV. The hybrid version earns a 28 mpg combined estimate, or 7-8 mpg better than the V6-powered Highlander. In addition to that, the Highlander Hybrid offers solid build quality, respectable acceleration, a sophisticated and quiet ride quality and plenty of standard and available features.
====== 2016 Toyota Camry Hybrid 2016 Toyota Prius =====
Substantial changes last year vaulted the Toyota Camry Hybrid onto our top-recommended list. Although it doesn't quite match the fuel economy of some competitors, the real-world cost of that difference is negligible. Plus, dismissing the Camry simply because of an mpg or two would mean missing out on an otherwise compelling sedan. Comfort remains a Camry priority, but this latest Camry Hybrid also handles pretty well.
====== Hybrid Cars 2016 Ford Fusion Hybrid / Energi =====
The 2016 Ford Fusion Hybrid is a great choice for car shoppers who are new to hybrids. It's quiet, comfortable and feels very much like a normal family sedan, while delivering the fuel economy you expect from a hybrid. It's also a Ford Fusion, which means you also get impressive refinement, good road manners and plenty of standard and available high-tech features.
======= 2016 Volkswagen e-Golf =====
Among entry-level EVs, the Volkswagen e-Golf is our favorite. It handles well, has a handsome interior, delivers class-competitive range and has the optimal equipment for quick battery recharging. What's even better, cargo space is unchanged from the non-EV Golf because the batteries are located under the floor.
Just because it has a hybrid badge doesn't mean you have to break the bank to buy one. CNET's Brian Cooley offers his Top 5 cheap hybrid cars that you can afford.
http://cnet.co/10vutag
February 24 -- There are more than one billion cars on the road worldwide today, and only one tenth of one percent of them have a plug. OPEC contends that even in the year 2040, EVs will make up just one percent. But don't be so sure. By 2020, some electric cars and SUVs will be faster, safer, cheaper, and more convenient than their gasoline counterparts. What if people just stop buying oil? In the first episode of our animated series, Sooner Than You Think, Bloomberg's Tom Randall does the math on when oil markets might be headed for the big crash.
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Are electric cars really the future? Tesla is innovating not only the electric vehicle, but the way we think about energy. They're working to revolutionize the automotive industry and reduce the country's reliance on fossil fuels.
In this episode, THNKR talks to Pamela Fletcher, Executive Chief Engineer for Electrified Vehicles at GM, Jerome Guillen, Model S Director at Tesla, and Franz von Holzhausen, Chief Designer at Tesla.
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EPIPHANY is a series that invites impassioned thought leaders across all disciplines to reveal the innovative, the improbable, and the unexpected of their worlds.
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Auto and tech companies are coming together to put driverless cars on the road. Data is what's powering the race. From design and manufacturing to safety and services, data is informing every step of the process towards fully autonomous vehicles. As transformative as they are, self-driving, connected cars are just one component in a much-larger data-collection network soon to be on the world's roads and highways.
What's the future of transportation look like with self-driving and human-driving cars side-by-side? How will the data--some estimates go as high as 1GB per second--from driverless cars be put to use?
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7889731-bloomberg-western-digital-bgovdata/
Volvo Cars, the premium car maker, has revealed its distinctive approach to developing autonomous cars with the introduction of a family of four at the Detroit Motor Show.
The Hain family, from Gothenburg in Sweden, are the first people chosen to take part in a real-life autonomous drive research program using real cars, in real traffic.
“We do things differently at Volvo Cars – we always have,” said Håkan Samuelsson, President & CEO, Volvo Car Group. “Our main focus has always been on people and making their lives easier.
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/uk/8017451-volvo-cars-develop-autonomous-cars/
The Lincoln Continental, the Mercedes-Benz E-Class and the Toyota Avalon come out at the top of a group of six large cars recently evaluated by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.
The three cars qualify for TOP SAFETY PICK+, the Institute’s highest award. The Tesla Model S, the Chevrolet Impala and the Ford Taurus fall short of any award because they each earn only an acceptable rating in the small overlap front test.
Vehicles qualify for either the TOP SAFETY PICK or TOP SAFETY PICK+ award if they have good ratings from IIHS in five crashworthiness tests — small overlap front, moderate overlap front, side, roof strength and head restraints — and an available front crash prevention system that earns a superior or advanced rating. To qualify for TOP SAFETY PICK+, a vehicle also must come with good or acceptable headlights
A new crash test program from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety aims to ensure that manufacturers pay attention to the safety of front passengers as well as drivers.
The test was developed after it became clear that some manufacturers were giving short shrift to the right side of the vehicle when it comes to small overlap front crash protection. A good or acceptable passenger-side rating will be required to qualify for the Institute’s 2018 TOP SAFETY PICK+ award.
The first test group in the passenger-side small overlap front test program did better overall than vehicles IIHS previously evaluated for research. Ten out of 13 midsize cars tested earn a good rating, while one is acceptable and two earn a marginal rating.
In contrast with a group of 2014-16 model small SUVs tested for research, none of the 2017-18 midsize cars had a poor or marginal structural rating. Instead, the biggest problem in the new group was inconsistent airbag protection in five cars, which would put passengers’ heads at risk.
You’ve heard a lot about GM in the news lately. Now meet the GM employees who contribute their passions and talents to develop the best cars and trucks in the world. Holly Wendt, a Senior Program Quality Engineer for GM’s rear-wheel drive vehicles, shares why she loves her job and what it’s like to be part of GM’s exciting reinvention. Read more about Holly at http://www.facesofgm.com/.
Meet the people working behind the scenes to bring you the world’s best cars and trucks. Mel Fox, a Battery Integration Engineer for the Chevy Volt, loves to combine her personal passion for energy efficiency with her job in developing the latest technology in alternative vehicle propulsion. Read more about Mel at http://www.facesofgm.com/.
