CES 2026: Longbow Motors shows off its Speedster EV with Donut Lab’s in-wheel motors

Posted on 08/01/2026 by Tim Stevens

As an unabashed fan of electric vehicles, even I have to admit that most of them are pretty boring. Their smooth, quiet and calm demeanors don't offer much in the way of intrinsic personality, which has led to many brands slapping on outré designs and fake engine sounds to try and dial up the excitement.

To that end, a pair of offerings coming soon from UK-based EV startup Longbow Motors looks to deliver exactly that. The Speedster and Roadster are high-performance electric machines built using advanced in-wheel motors from Donut Labs. Those motors and a bespoke design enable an astonishing curb weight of just 2,200 pounds.

For comparison's sake, that's over 100 pounds less than a Mazda Miata, the current king of lightweight roadsters. Longbow brought just the Speedster to CES 2026, displaying it on the show floor at the Donut Lab booth. Donut is a spinoff of Verge Motorcycles, which was the debut platform for the company's hub-less electric motor, creating a unique, Tron-style aesthetic.

But the technology is about a lot more than creating physics-defying motorcycles. Donut Lab is expanding its motors to all sorts of platforms, from scooters to heavy-duty trucks, creating a platform for easy adoption by electrified startups.

Donut Labs' motors in the Longbow Motors Speedster

Of all those platforms, though, Longbow's implementation is the most compelling I've seen. The appeal starts with the style. Co-founders Daniel Davey and Mark Tapscott (who, with Jenny Keisu, founded Longbow after stints at Tesla and Lucid) told me they wanted to offer a classic but also modern and compelling look. The roofless Speedster has an edge over its glass-topped Roadster in terms of visual simplicity, but a complete lack of any protection from the elements — even a token windscreen — will make it viable only for the most committed of open-air enthusiasts.

Exposed or protected, you'll find yourself situated in an extremely spartan interior. Things like the gauge cluster and primary controls were covered, set to be revealed later, so I can't say for sure exactly what the Longbow looks like on the inside. But it was designed to be basic and minimal to an extreme, an abject rejection of the rest of the touchscreen-laden machines on the road today.

There is one seemingly unnecessary piece of equipment in the interior, though, and that's a shift knob. EVs, of course, rarely have transmissions, so there's no outright need to shift. The purpose of that lever is also a mystery for now, as neither Davey nor Tapscott would confirm its function, but it seems safe to expect some sort of simulated gearshift action, a la the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N.

The Longbow machines don't just lack a transmission, they lack a traditional drivetrain layout at all. The direct-drive Donut Lab motors are situated right inside the wheel, freeing up space inside the vehicle's chassis and helping it to maintain its pert dimensions.

They also provide a distinctive look, filling up the wheels as they do. There is a downside to this arrangement, that being the heft of these motors hanging on the outer edges of the vehicle. The suspension, then, has to work a bit harder. But co-founder Mark Tapscott told me that the positives outweigh the negatives, and that the handling benefits of having multiple motors alone are worth it.

To keep the rest of the Longbow's weight centralized, the car uses a battery pack that runs largely along the center of the machine, stacked vertically rather than spread throughout the floor. This keeps the mass centralized in the vehicle while also enabling the kind of ultra-low seating you want in a machine like this.

It looks like it'll be quite a fun package to drive, and while exact power output from those Donut Lab motors hasn't been confirmed yet, the Speedster is said to sprint to 60 mph in just 3.5 seconds. That's supercar-like performance, but unfortunately, that performance won't come cheap.

The Speedster starts at ₤84,995, or just under $100,000 by current conversion rates. The Roadster is a fair bit more attainable at ₤64,995, or about $75,000. However, given the wonderfully chaotic state of international tariffs right now, expect the actual pricing here to be somewhat higher when they go into production later this year. Reservations are open now on the company's site.

That's a little too rich for my blood, sadly, but if you've got the budget, a left-hand drive version will be available. And yes, it'll be fully road-legal in the U.S.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/evs/ces-2026-longbow-motors-shows-off-its-speedster-ev-with-donut-labs-in-wheel-motors-192329111.html?src=rss

Volvo’s EX60 electric crossover promises 400 miles of EPA range

Posted on 08/01/2026 by Steve Dent

Ahead of a launch later this month, Volvo has teased some impressive details about its upcoming electric crossover. The EX60, which slots between the EX40 and EX90, will offer an EPA range of 400 miles, beating all other Volvos and most EVs in general. It will also be the first Volvo car to use a megacasting process designed to reduce weight and boost manufacturing efficiency.

"With our new electric vehicle architecture, we directly address the main worries that customers have when considering a switch to a fully electric car," said Volvo CTO Anders Bell. "The result is class-leading range and fast charging speeds, marking the end of range anxiety."

Volvo considered that main worry to be range anxiety, so it focused on maximizing endurance to the largest extent possible. Key to that is Volvo's advanced SPA3 EV architecture, which integrates the battery directly into the structure of the car with cell-to-body technology. Volvo also developed its e-motors in-house to improve efficiency and reduce weight.

The company also made the EX60 fast to charge with an 800-volt electrical system and support for up to 400kW fast charging, letting you add up to 168 miles of range in just 10 minutes. New lighter materials and lower heat generation aid in that, "meaning the EX60 can add over 100 miles or range in just a few minutes," Volvo wrote on its blog.

The megacasting, meanwhile, helped Volvo replace hundreds of smaller parts with a single, high-precision casting to reduce weight. The Volvo EX60 will be revealed on January 21, 2026 at a livestream on Volvo's website.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/evs/volvos-ex60-electric-crossover-promises-400-miles-of-epa-range-130008964.html?src=rss

Brunswick’s latest boats at CES 2026 feature edge AI, self-docking capabilities and solar power

Posted on 07/01/2026 by Tim Stevens

If you've never docked a boat before, consider yourself lucky. There are plenty of popular TikTok channels devoted to shaming those who bring their craft back home clumsily or berth them with something less than finesse. Tricky crosswinds, unpredictable surf and even the jeers of passersby can make it a stressful experience at the best of times.

Brunswick, which owns more than 50 water-borne brands like Sea Ray, Bayliner and Mercury Marine, has a solution. It's demonstrating some self-docking tech called AutoCaptain at CES 2026 that makes this process a cinch, plus a fleet of other innovations that, in some cases, leave some of the smart cars on the show floor looking a bit remedial.

One of those technologies is edge AI. While in-car AI is an increasingly common feature, those agents are exclusively running remotely, relying on cellular connections to offload all the processing power required to drive a large language model.

Sadly, that won't always work on a boat.

"One of the things about AI for boats is you don't have connectivity, so there is some edge compute required," David M. Foulkes told me. He's chairman and CEO of Brunswick.

Many of the company's boats do have active cellular connectivity, but head far enough offshore, and you're on your own unless you're packing Starlink or the like.

To solve that, Brunswick is running advanced SoCs from NVIDIA and other providers that enable running a limited agent offline — on the edge, as it were. When offline, Misty, as the on-boat AI assistant is called, won't be able to make dinner reservations or craft a 3,000-word treatise on the history of America's relationship with Greenland. It can, however, help with navigation or boat settings.

"It'll help answer the kind of questions that you might need to take out a manual to understand and maybe act as an assistant to make your boating a bit smoother," Foulkes said.

When the company's smart boats are connected, they offer some degree of remote control. No, you can't drive it around the docks and freak out your pier-mates, but you can check on the boat remotely to make sure nobody's trying to stow away. You can even precondition it to get the cuddy cabin nice and cool before you come aboard.

Power for that, and a variety of other onboard systems, can come from an integrated power system called Fathom, which has a lot in common with modern smart home tech. Solar panels on the roof (nicely disguised beneath a black mesh) collect power to recharge an onboard battery, with various sizes upwards of 30 kWh depending on the boat's size. That battery can also be recharged by the onboard motors, like the three 425-horsepower V10s the Sea Ray SLX 360 drydocked at the Brunswick booth at CES 2026.

The juice in that battery can then be used to power a variety of onboard systems, even charging a pair of electric hydrofoils, which another of the company's boats, called the Navan C30, had strapped on the roof.

You'll also find cameras on the roof of these boats. That's how the AutoCaptain feature works, numerous fisheye lenses scanning the water in every direction. Approach a pier and the AI assistant asks if you'd like some help docking. Just tap the button on the touchscreen, then kick back and let Misty do the driving.

Between automated docking, the in-cabin AI assistant and the smart power distribution system, Brunswick's boats offered some impressive tech. But then they'd have to, given the cost. The Sea Ray SLX 360 Outboard has a starting price of $586,000. The smaller Navan C30 is a rather more attainable, but still extreme, at $227,500. That’s still probably cheaper than hiring a real captain, though.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/brunswicks-latest-boats-at-ces-2026-feature-edge-ai-self-docking-capabilities-and-solar-power-185500213.html?src=rss

At CES 2026, Sony Honda Mobility’s latest Afeela 1 still feels woefully out of date

Posted on 07/01/2026 by Tim Stevens

It's been six years since Sony first rolled out its prototype car at CES 2020. It was called the Vision-S back then, and I remember everyone endlessly debating just how serious the consumer electronics powerhouse was about making a car. Over the subsequent half-decade, Sony has proven it is not only serious, but absolutely hell-bent on making this thing a reality.

At CES 2026, we're still somehow about 12 months away from that car hitting the roads. Now called the Afeela 1, instead of being built by Sony proper it will come from the joint venture Sony Honda Mobility. It will start at $89,900, offer around 300 miles of range, and wear an exterior design so sedate that even the 31.5-inch-wide "Media Bar" micro-LED integrated into the nose barely makes an impact.

With the Afeela up on stage again this year, what's new in 2026? I'm fresh from getting a closer look at the sedan here in Las Vegas and, sadly, there's little more to see than what so underwhelmed me last year. From the outside, 2026's Afeela looks nigh identical to 2025's, save for one change: I'm happy to report that the unfortunate seam running down the middle of last year's nose-mounted Media Bar has been fixed. It now appears to be a single, contiguous panel.

On the inside, the interior seems to have a higher degree of fit and finish than last year's. To get in, you either push on a little button hidden in the trim or pull out the smartphone app and request that the door open automatically. There are no door latches as such, something that might raise a few eyebrows given Tesla's current door handle woes. (I was told there are physical door releases hidden below the car on the outside, and low in the door card on the inside.)

The door closes automatically once you're inside, instantly hushing the manic drone of the crowd on the always-packed CES floor. This creates a great soundscape for the whopping 28 speakers Sony is deploying here. The car's interior shape was actually designed to optimize the placement of those speakers, and the few moments of music I heard were impressive.

There's Dolby Atmos support, so you can take full advantage of the spatial audio features in the cockpit. You can even toggle the sound on or off for individual seats, perhaps helping a little one stay asleep in the back seat — or simply sparing your kids from the depths of your guilty pleasure playlist.

The most noticeable feature inside the car, though, is the sweeping display that runs across the dashboard. There's a 12.3-inch LCD gauge cluster on the left conjoined with a 28.5-inch display that goes all the way to the right. Sony's infotainment software effectively splits that rightmost panel in two, enabling you or the passenger to drag apps left or right as needed.

Media or other distracting apps running on the passenger's side of the display will trigger an integrated privacy shield, blacking it out ensuring minimal distraction for the driver. But Sony is still pushing the envelope a bit here in a few other areas. You can dial into Zoom meetings from the driver's seat, for example, and while the Afeela 1 won't be the first car to do this (Mercedes-Benz included the service in the car in its 2024 E-Class), Sony will actually let the driver participate in the video while driving. This seems a little unnecessary to me.

Zoom uses the ceiling-mounted camera, one of 40 sensors in and around the Afeela 1. That includes the pods for a LiDAR sensor and more cameras protruding rather conspicuously from the roof. These sensors will provide Level 2+ driver assistance at launch. Over time, Sony promises to upgrade the car to Level 4, meaning that you, the driver, could theoretically take a nap behind the wheel. The car certainly looks to have enough sensors and processing power to make that work, but as we saw with Tesla's Full Self Driving, these sorts of automotive upgrades have a tendency to take longer than anticipated.

Some of that digital processing power comes courtesy of Qualcomm's Snapdragon Digital Chassis, which also powers the infotainment experience. The software that runs the dashboard and rear seat experience looked far more comprehensive than before. That includes a functional AI voice assistant providing advanced routing guidance, like telling you which of the dozen taquerias on your route has the best guac.

Personalization is a big part of the sales pitch here, with downloadable packages changing everything from the car's ambient lights to the gauge cluster, engine sound, and even whatever's displayed on the nose-mounted display.

The idea here is to give you an emotional connection with the car -- despite its decidedly emotionless exterior design.

"Our brand, Afeela, is built on a vision to redefine the relationship between people and mobility," Izumi Kawanishi, Sony Honda Mobility's president and COO, said. "Being in a car will no longer be about driving. It will be about making the most of your time and space while you move."

I got to sample a number of these customizations at the show, including a particularly cool one that replicated the dashboard of Honda's first-ever Grand Prix-winning machine, 1965's RA272. The Afeela even picked up the raspy sound of its 1.5-liter V12.

The pre-production car on the Afeela stage had about a dozen such experiences installed, but the plan is for many, many more. Sony Honda Mobility will launch what it's calling the Afeela Co-Creation Program, a set of software developer tools and interfaces enabling third-party developers to not only create their own customizations, but to sell them.

Yes, alternate revenue streams are a big part of the equation here, including premium audio and video purchases, but Sony seemingly isn't factoring that in to help make the Afeela 1 more affordable. Again, you're looking at $89,900 to start, a price that hasn't changed from last year.

In fact, the biggest change to the Afeela 1 since CES 2025's showing is a delay. The sedan now isn't hitting the road until the very end of 2026, with first, limited deliveries happening in California. Arizona is next in 2027, but it could be years more before it's available anywhere else in the world.

Don't call it vaporware, though, because it is coming. Trial production work is already happening at Honda's plant in Ohio. In fact, the Afeela 1 you see here is an early, pre-production machine assembled there.

But just because it's going to happen doesn't mean that it will be a compelling product. An EV that costs $20,000 more than a more-powerful, longer-range Lucid Air Touring is a difficult proposition today, never mind 2027 or later, when the Afeela 1 will finally become readily available.

With sedans increasingly on the outs in the American market, an SUV shape would make more sense. Sony confirmed that one is coming by rolling out the Afeela 2026 Prototype, but despite its name, it isn't coming until 2028 at the earliest.

As much as I respect Sony's stubborn commitment to this project, the numbers are just not working out in the Afeela 1's favor. I asked Sony Honda Mobility America president and CEO Shugo Yamaguchi what would make the car stand out in an EV segment that's increasingly crowded with quality machines, many available for tens of thousands less.

"We do have that LiDAR, which is expensive, and introduces more safety. We have better entertainment, amazing displays and 800 TOPS of processing power. So, we believe that through our applications and our development, we are going to more than make our customers happy," he said.

Will customers pay more for a luxury and safety experience topped off by an expensive sensor that likely won't be fully utilized for years to come? After making a similar pitch in its 2025 EX90, Volvo has decided to delete LiDAR from the 2026 model. I can't say I'm more bullish here.

The Afeela 1 was an audacious product when it was announced at CES 2020, but with each subsequent year it feels more and more out of touch. It'll undoubtedly be the ultimate expression of brand loyalty for the true PlayStation fans out there. But with even established luxury brands like BMW and Mercedes-Benz shifting their focus to more affordable EVs like the new CLA, a $90,000 sedan with specs that sounded good in 2020 makes it awfully hard to stay excited for this PlayStation on wheels.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/evs/at-ces-2026-sony-honda-mobilitys-latest-afeela-1-still-feels-woefully-out-of-date-163513001.html?src=rss

WheelMove gives manual wheelchairs the power and height to handle rough terrain

Posted on 07/01/2026 by Cheyenne MacDonald

French startup WheelMove demonstrated a compact motorized wheelchair add-on at CES 2026 that not only acts as a power-assist device, but can also lift up a chair's small front wheels so it can ride over rough terrain. The accessory upgrades a manual wheelchair with a 10-inch extra wheel and a 250W motor that can drive at up to six miles per hour (10 kilometers per hour) and handle slopes up to 10 percent, with a range of 15.5 miles (25km). The battery is swappable, too, so a person could pack an extra for a longer outing to avoid having to stop and recharge.

As the WheelMove team showed at its booth, the accessory can be attached to a wheelchair in a matter of seconds while seated, and its control panel can be strapped onto an armrest or even a bodypart. There are five speed options, which also work to keep the speed consistent when a person is traveling on a downslope. With the WheelMove attached, its creators say a manual wheelchair user can traverse rough and uneven surfaces — like cobblestones, grass and dirt paths — as well as ramps with far less effort than would normally be required. In some cases, it could open up travel in places that would otherwise be completely inaccessible.

The startup says it's worked with wheelchair users who have field tested the device for months ahead of its launch. It weighs less than eight kilograms (17.6 lbs) and packs up in a backpack. Pre-orders for the WheelMove have opened for buyers in France, where it's expected to ship later this year before expanding internationally. It costs roughly $6,000.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/wheelmove-gives-manual-wheelchairs-the-power-and-height-to-handle-rough-terrain-143000560.html?src=rss

Navee’s CES lineup includes a speedy e-scooter, a golf cart and… a seaplane?

Posted on 06/01/2026 by Will Shanklin

The Chinese micromobility company Navee has some wild new stuff at CES 2026. The lineup is headlined by the UT5 Ultra X, a dual-motor e-scooter with an advertised top speed of 43 mph. And who among us isn't in the market for an auto-following golf cart and a seaplane?

The flagship UT5 Ultra X is a sleek-looking e-scooter with a pair of 2,400W motors. Navee says it can reach a top speed of 43 mph and has a max range of 87 miles. (However, in the world of e-scooters, it's safe to expect the real-world range to be around half of what manufacturers promise.) It has a front and rear hydraulic suspension and front and rear hydraulic disc brakes. Navee claims it can accelerate from 0 to 12 mph in 1.98 seconds.

Rendering of a helmeted person riding the UT5 Ultra X e-scooter on a racetrack. — Navee UT5 Ultra X

If you want something that can hold its own on rougher terrain, there's the NT5 Ultra X. A pair of 1,200W motors helps this e-scooter reach a top speed of 40 mph and an advertised range of 56 miles. It has dual-disc brakes and an electronic anti-lock braking system. To help manage the bumps, it has two suspension types: a front telescopic suspension and a rear spring one. Navee claims its steel frame supports up to 330 lbs.

Then there's the Eagle F1X, which could put golf caddies out of work. This electronic cart can carry your clubs (up to 44 lbs). It has a "smart auto-follow" feature that uses a combination of AI and ultra-wideband. It also responds to voice and gesture controls. The 33-lb. cart uses a pair of 250W motors, and Navee claims it can handle 36-hole games. Strangely, the bottom portion looks like an F1 racer because, hey, why not?

Render of a golfer using the Navee Eagle F1X as its caddy, following behind. — Navee Eagle F1X

To further prove that Navee isn't afraid to jump the shark, the company has a product that could, well, jump over sharks. The WaveFly 5X is an electric seaplane that can "glide on the water and ride into the sky." The company claims a max speed of 53 mph, a cruising speed of 40 mph, and a maximum flight time of 70 minutes. I'm not ready to put my life in its hands, but surely some deep-pocketed adventurer will.

In addition to real-world ranges almost always being much lower than advertised, there are other caveats. First, post-purchase customer support in the world of micromobility is almost always a sketchy prospect. I once had to file a Better Business Bureau claim to get support from even the most well-established brand, Segway. Don't be shocked to experience the same or worse from lesser-known companies.

Second, Navee hasn't yet listed pricing or release dates for its new models. Based on their specs and the company's older gear, you'll likely see prices of well above $1,000 for each one. (And that’s not even counting the seaplane.) Regardless, you can learn more at the company’s website.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/evs/navees-ces-lineup-includes-a-speedy-e-scooter-a-golf-cart-and-a-seaplane-180000473.html?src=rss

Uber reveals the design of its robotaxi at CES 2026

Posted on 05/01/2026 by Jackson Chen

Waymo is getting a good look at the competition as Uber revealed the design of its robotaxi that's due to launch in San Francisco later this year. The upcoming robotaxi is a result of a partnership announced in July between Uber, Lucid and Nuro. The plan is still to deploy at least 20,000 Lucid EVs that will use the Nuro Driver autonomous driving tech and be available through the Uber platform.

It's important to note that the robotaxi reveal will be a "production intent design," so there may be some modifications to the version that will eventually hit the streets. However, the partnership started on-road testing last month in the San Francisco Bay Area, with Nuro using more than 100 robotaxi prototypes supervised by autonomous vehicle operators.

The robotaxi, which is a modified Lucid Gravity, will feature a multi-pronged sensor system, including high-res cameras, lidar sensors, and radar. The design also incorporates a halo mounted onto the EV's roof, which will increase sensor visibility and double as a display that uses LEDs to display helpful info to passengers.

As for the interior, Uber designed the "in-vehicle rider experience," which can accommodate six passengers and luggage space. Inside, the robotaxi will have a display that lets you activate heated seats, adjust climate controls and throw on music, while also offering options for emergencies, like contacting support or requesting the robotaxi to pull over. Even though the passenger isn't behind the wheel, the robotaxi's interactive screen will show its planned path in real-time and all the decisions it makes while driving, like interacting with pedestrians, traffic lights or lane changes.

The partnership said the design is still awaiting final validation, but that the robotaxi production is slated to start at Lucid's factory in Arizona later this year. Before its official launch in late 2026, Uber's robotaxi will be on display at CES 2026.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/uber-reveals-the-design-of-its-robotaxi-at-ces-2026-230056302.html?src=rss

Volkswagen is bringing physical buttons back to the dashboard with the ID. Polo EV

Posted on 03/01/2026 by Jackson Chen

We could be witnessing the start of the renaissance for real buttons in cars, courtesy of Volkswagen's ID. Polo. The German automaker unveiled the interior of its upcoming compact EV, which features real buttons, switches and even a knob for audio controls.

"We have created an interior that feels like a friend from the very first contact," Volkswagen's chief designer, Andreas Mindt, said in a press release. "Clear physical buttons provide stability and trust, warm materials make it appealing, and charming details such as the new retro views of the instruments show the typical Volkswagen wink."

Full view of the Volkswagen ID. Polo's dashboard

Last year, Mindt told Autocar that Volkswagen would commit to reintroducing physical buttons for the most important functions "in every car we make from now on," starting with the ID. 2all concept car that has since evolved to become the ID. Polo. The EV maker backed up those claims since the ID. Polo will feature tangible buttons underneath the infotainment display, along with a steering wheel that's packed with even more clear buttons. Between the driver and passenger, Volkswagen even included a knob that can adjust audio volume or shuffle between tracks and radio stations.

Besides the renewed emphasis on physical controls, Volkswagen still included a 10.25-inch digital cockpit behind the steering wheel. In the center, there's a nearly 13-inch touchscreen that serves as the infotainment system. For a retro throwback, the ID. Polo can swap its cockpit display to one that's inspired by the classic Golf I from the 1980s through a button on its steering wheel or with the infotainment touchscreen.

The ID. Polo is expected to be the first of four new EVs in Volkswagen's small and compact car segment, which will see releases in European markets starting this year. However, it's not all good news, since Volkswagen has no plans to release the compact EV in the US.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/evs/volkswagen-is-bringing-physical-buttons-back-to-the-dashboard-with-the-id-polo-ev-190246116.html?src=rss

Toyota’s Prius Prime saved me gas money but probably not the environment

Posted on 24/12/2025 by Steve Dent

I’ve always wondered what it would be like to own a plug-in hybrid, and recently, fate handed me that opportunity. On a recent trip to Vancouver, I rented a 2024 Toyota Prius Prime for nearly two months — the ideal scenario to try out North America’s most popular PHEV.

My experience with the Prius Prime

Previously, the words "Prius" and "sexy" were rarely used in the same sentence. However, I think the wedge-shaped Prius Prime introduced for 2023 is much sexier than its frumpy predecessors. The sleek shape also pierces the wind better to improve efficiency. It’s lower to the ground than before, though, which can make entry tough for taller or older people.

I was comfortable in the Prius Prime once seated, even though the materials and options aren’t quite as luxurious as other PHEVs sold in the US. On two 10-hour highway drives from Vancouver up to northern Canada I never felt sore (or cold) in the well-bolstered, heated seats. However, visibility wasn’t the greatest due to the low seating position and thick front pillars that occasionally blocked my view of traffic.

Driving Toyota’s Prius Prime showed me the perks (and problems) with plug-in hybrids

With its wraparound dash and 8-inch touchscreen, the interior is reasonably high-tech but not to the standard of some EVs I’ve tried recently. It came with wireless CarPlay and Android Auto support that gave me seamless streaming entertainment on long highway stretches. The driver safety features (lanekeeping, adaptive cruise, automatic braking and more) also boosted my confidence in Vancouver’s gnarly traffic. The Prius Prime doesn’t offer true one-pedal implementation, but it has a mode that’s close to that.

With a two-liter 150 HP gas motor and 161 HP electric motor (net 220 HP combined), the 2024 (fifth generation) Prius Prime has a whopping 100 more horsepower than the previous model. The electric drivetrain is supplied by a 13.6kWh battery (10.9kWH usable) that takes four hours to charge at 240 volts, or double that with 120-volt household electricity. That means you can juice it fully overnight, but it doesn’t have DC fast-charging for speedy power-ups on longer trips. The EPA electric range is 44 miles, 19 more than the fourth-gen Prius.

It accelerated surprisingly well (from 0 to 60mph in 6.7 seconds) and was agile, but had a fair amount of body roll since it’s not designed for the race track. Still, considering the Prius’s reputation as a staid hippie econobox, the new model was downright sporty. I enjoyed driving in the all-electric mode much more than the hybrid mode, though — it was quieter and smoother, with lower noise levels and vibration.

So, how far was I able to drive on that electric motor alone? On the highway at about 65 MPH, I eked out 30 miles and just over 40 miles in the city. On one trip, I drove from the city center to a suburb 30 miles away and made it there and partially back on a full charge. On another voyage, I was able to drive back and forth between the east- and west-most points of Vancouver (13 miles) — a typical commute for many city-dwellers — with about a quarter charge to spare.

With consistent charging, my fuel consumption over a two week period (averaging 25 miles per day) was about a quarter of a tank or around $7.50. In terms of electricity, I used nearly 70.5kWh during that time at $.085/kWh, for a total of $6. All told, I spent $13.50 for gas and electricity over 350 miles of mixed driving, so the Prius Prime was clearly cheap to operate.

For longer trips, it’s still as inexpensive as it gets for a gasoline-powered vehicle, thanks to the efficient ICE motor and hybrid system that’s among the best in the industry. With a full battery charge and tank, I set out on a 547-mile drive and travelled 470 miles before stopping for gas, with a quarter tank to spare. That fill-up cost around $25.

The true savings and the problem with plug-in hybrids

The timing for my test of this car was ideal. In October, I spotted a European study concluding that PHEVs aren’t as economical as expected over a large sample size. Engadget’s article about that stirred up some passion among owners and potential buyers, so I wanted to compare my experience with points in the study.

First, let’s see if a PHEV is worth the extra money compared to a regular hybrid. My calculations are for the average US buyer and don’t take state or federal clean air rebates into account.

When I chose to rent a "compact" car, Avis assigned me a mid-range Prius Prime XSE — a model that lists at $37,320 but typically sells for $34,590, according to Edmunds. That suited me well as it only lacked a few features of the high-end XSE Premium, notably the larger 13.2-inch infotainment display and solar roof option. A fully equipped 2026 XSE Premium model with those features costs $41,665.

Since Toyota also makes a regular hybrid Prius, that vehicle offers an ideal comparison. The equivalent Prius XTE model has a list price of $31,995 in a similar configuration, making it $5,325 cheaper than the Prius Prime XSE.

The average US driver covers 13,662 miles per year and gasoline currently has a median $3 per gallon price. Over that distance, a non-PHEV Prius driver could expect to burn 273 gallons at 50 MPG (EPA combined) in a year, spending $819 on fuel.

A Prius Prime driver, on the other hand, would use 70 to 85 percent less fuel by current EPA or WLPT estimates. If we generously take the high end of those numbers at 85 percent, that cuts fuel costs to $160. That would require using about 2,500 kWh of electricity, though, so at an average US price of $0.18/kWh, that amounts to $450, for a total of $610 (gas plus electricity). That means you’d save just $209 in a year, or $2,090.00 over 10 years — not enough to justify the extra price. (Fuel and electricity prices, usage and other factors vary by region and can have a big impact on those figures.)

It could be even worse than that, according to a European automotive thinktank called Transport & Environment (T&E). After gathering real-world OBFCM data from 800,000 vehicles, they determined that PHEVs only run in all-electric mode 27 percent of the time, rather than 84 percent as estimated by Europe’s WLPT standard. As a result, plug-in hybrids in Europe emit five times more emissions and cost users €500 ($586) more per year than previously thought. Those figures are likely similar in the US.

How could regulators be so wrong about this key data? The first, obvious reason is that they underestimated how often people charge their vehicles. With their relatively short range, plug-in hybrids often need a full charge to get through the day in electric-only mode — but many people aren’t doing that.

Why? One reason may be a lack of easy charger access away from home. I found them to be difficult to find and use, often requiring a sign-up or app rather than just letting me tap a credit card (I’m looking at you, ChargePoint, Flo and Switch Energy). It can also be more expensive than just buying gasoline, since many companies charge triple or more the market rate for electricity. Another factor is that drivers of company or fleet PHEVs charge their vehicles less often than private owners.

There's one additional and especially pernicious reason: The ICE engine often kicks in when PHEVs are supposedly running in all-electric mode, particularly with heavier sedans or SUVs. That’s because the electric motors alone aren’t powerful enough for maneuvers like passing.

Larger batteries can boost all-electric usage, but only to a point. Beyond 45 miles of range, emissions actually increase. The reason is simple: "Long-range PHEVs are the heaviest in the dataset, averaging 28 percent more mass and 33 percent more engine power than the group just below," T&E wrote.

Overall, I enjoyed my time with the Prius Prime and found it to be fun, practical and cheap to drive. It’s the most economical PHEV because it has excellent electric range and enough power that the ICE engine rarely needs to kick in. At the same time, it offers the highest EPA mileage rating of any non-EV sold in North America. If I were in the market for a new vehicle, the Prius Prime would be high on my list.

However, I also learned that PHEVs aren’t reducing emissions or saving buyers as much as regulators and manufacturers have promised. Governments are to blame for much of that, as they overestimated all-electric use in PHEVs and failed to support the charging infrastructure needed to make them practical.

Responsibility also falls to automakers and buyers. Consumers want SUVs, but manufacturers aren’t making the electric motors in PHEVs powerful enough to run all the time in EV mode or offering fast DC charging. At the same time, drivers are failing to charge their vehicles consistently. Until those issues are solved, in my experience plug-in hybrids are a poor substitute for EVs in terms of emissions and a less economical choice than regular hybrids.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/toyotas-prius-prime-saved-me-gas-money-but-probably-not-the-environment-133027378.html?src=rss

Waymo vehicles are operating again in San Francisco following a power outage

Posted on 22/12/2025 by Steve Dent

Waymo has resumed its robo-taxi service in San Francisco after a power outage stranded vehicles around the city, CNBC reported. The blackout, caused by a Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) substation fire, caused traffic light disruptions that affected Waymo's automated driving systems.

"Yesterday’s power outage was a widespread event that caused gridlock across San Francisco, with non-functioning traffic signals and transit disruptions," a Waymo spokesperson told Engadget in a statement. "While the failure of the utility infrastructure was significant, we are committed to ensuring our technology adjusts to traffic flow during such events."

Following the outage, which began at around 1:09 PM Saturday and peaked around two hours later, Waymo responded by suspending its ride-hailing services in the city. However, images and videos on social media showed the autonomous taxis stopped at intersections with hazard lights on.

The company blamed its disruption on the size of the outage. "While the Waymo Driver [automated system] is designed to treat non-functional signals as four-way stops, the sheer scale of the outage led to instances where vehicles remained stationary longer than usual to confirm the state of the affected intersections. This contributed to traffic friction during the height of the congestion," the spokesperson explained, adding that Waymo's actions were "closely coordinated with San Francisco city officials."

Still, the service disruption is a black mark for Waymo, as the sudden halt in service exacerbated traffic problems caused by the blackout. Elon Musk bragged on X that Tesla, Waymo's latest robo-taxi rival in the city, was "unaffected" by the power outage. However, Tesla's ride-hailing service is not yet fully autonomous and requires a human driver behind the wheel at all times.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/waymo-vehicles-are-operating-again-in-san-francisco-following-a-power-outage-112924838.html?src=rss

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