Hybrid cars

Australia’s van segment finally has its first plug-in hybrid: the 2025 Ford Transit Custom PHEV.

Volkswagen has unveiled three new electrified concepts at the Shanghai auto show, including the brand’s first range-extender electric vehicle.Intended as a preview for VW’s future product plans in China, the three concept vehicles, which appear to be near production-spec, have been co-developed with the brand’s local partners SAIC Motor, FAW Group and Volkswagen Anhui.The concept range kicks off with the ID.ERA, a full-sized three-row SUV sporting the brand’s first range-extender platform. While specific powertrain details remain under wraps, Volkswagen says it can provide 300km of range in EV-only mode and deliver a comprehensive range of at least 1000km.As a smaller Jetta-sized sedan targeting younger buyers, the fully electric ID.EVO has been developed with high-performance 800-volt architecture that can support faster charging times and longer range than its 400-volt equivalents.And finally, the ID.AURA is a medium-sized electric SUV designed exclusively for the Chinese market. It utilises Volkswagen’s China-specific Compact Main Platform (CMP), with zonal architecture and AI integration. VW said the model has been developed for the “cost-conscious consumer”.The move represents Volkswagen’s desire to get back to competitiveness in China, where the once-dominant brand is losing ground to emerging domestic rivals such as BYD and Xiaomi.Volkswagen’s future product plans for the world’s largest car market consists of 30 new models by 2027, with a major emphasis on drastically cutting the time it takes to develop new products.The new approach, dubbed “China-speed”, will see VW aim to develop a new car in less than 34 months to keep apace with its Chinese rivals.In the pre-EV era, development of a car with a traditional internal combustion engine (ICE) could take up to five years, but new Chinese EV brands have shown they can cut that time to as little as 18 months.Nissan has similarly said it is looking to cut the time it takes to develop a new model to 37 months as it seeks to return to profitability.All research and development of the new VW models will take place at Volkswagen’s new facility in Hefei, China. It remains unclear whether any will be sold in overseas markets.

GWM to launch brand new 4.0-litre V8 by 2027 despite Australia's increasingly tough emissions laws

Lexus has revealed an all-new ES prototype at the Shanghai auto show, marking the first time the now eighth-generation sedan has been offered with the choice of a battery-electric powertrain.

A Nissan Americas executive has hinted at the future of the brand’s ute and pick-up family becoming much more streamlined.

More information about the upcoming electric sibling to the CX-5 has come from the Chinese joint-venture between Mazda and Changan - take a look inside the EZ-60.The 2025 Mazda EZ-60 SUV is an electric car that looks ready to take on the likes of the Tesla Model Y and XPeng G6, both also built in China. It’s also available as a range-extender, details of which were confirmed last week.Set to be called the Mazda CX-6e for global markets, the EZ-60 was revealed in mid-April but without details of its interior and features, until now.Inside, it seems Mazda has taken the trending approach of minimal physical buttons, instead relying on a huge central touchscreen for multimedia controls and no driver display screen, similar to a Tesla or the Volvo EX30.Instead, driving information is displayed on a head-up display. The screen measures 26.45-inches according to Chinese auto media, with CarNewsChina also reporting the car boasts a 23-speaker sound system with Dolby Atmos.There’s a rear touchscreen for passengers in the second row, a 350-litre boot that expands to 2036 litres with seats folded, and 126 litres of storage under the bonnet in the EV version.On that, the pure-electric version of the EZ-60 is said to be closely related to the EZ-6 sedan underneath, although specifications are yet to be officially confirmed.The range-extender on the other hand will come with a 31.7kWh LFP battery and a 1.5-litre naturally aspirated four-cylinder engine with no mechanical links to the wheels. A 190kW electric motor solely powers the range-extender EZ-60, the engine only charging the battery. The EZ-60 range-extender boasts a claimed 160km electric-only driving range.While the model is intended for markets outside China, more details of its global presence (including a probable European launch) are expected in the future. Mazda Australia has previously indicated interest in bringing any models that might appeal to the local market here where possible, so don’t be surprised if the EZ-60 (as the CX-6e) ends up Down Under if it's made available.

Our Swift engages in a circa-1000km road trip with us in its second month - exactly the kind of territory where small, city-focused cars like this can fall downSo, how did our GLX Hybrid fare, and what else has cropped up in our extended time behind the wheel?There are some good and bad things as well as a few surprises along the way. Read on to find out what's been happening.We travelled north of our Sydney home to the NSW mid-north coast for a week, allowing plenty of time to explore the local area. The result was a trip of nearly 1000km, which revealed a few things about the car.For example, it’s not just the cabin up front which is tight on storage. It’s the boot, too. Measuring in at 265 litres, it’s not terrible for the class, but if you’re away for a week or more you’ll definitely use the space available.With just two large duffel bags, an Eski (for the beach, of course) and some chairs, we had no room left.Everything else, groceries, bedding, the works, had to be left in the footwell of the back seat, or worse still, on the back seat itself. If you have kids or a pram, I can’t imagine it would be fun to try and pack for a similar trip.We'll often spruik the benefits of a small car for use inside city limits, but it’s unlikely to be a road-trip hero.On the other hand, this little car surprised me with just enough refinement to not get on your nerves on a long trip.Yes, it’s not as quiet as many mid-sized SUVs or more expensive size-up hatchbacks, but it’s also not bad considering its size.The ride is comfortable over a long journey and so are the seats, which are plush enough to have you hopping out after a few hours in a decent state.Still, cabin storage continues to be a sore point. With a frozen Coke and water in the front cupholder, a phone on the charger, and another cabled up to the system in the third rear cupholder, it left only the doors for storage, neither of which could fit our additional 1.25-litre water bottle, which was consigned to the floor. At the end of the day, it’s a city-focused hatch, and not really designed with inter-city running as a primary consideration. But then again, I’ve seen more clever designs in this class, like Honda’s sorely-missed Jazz, which offered a masterclass in city car floor planning.This was a big surprise, because when it comes to hybrids their fuel efficiency benefits can taper off at freeway speeds.This is generally because the way they are geared means the combustion engine gets more use, and the electric motors can do little to help at such velocities, let alone benefit from the recycled energy from regenerative braking which makes them such fuel-sippers in stop-start traffic.Yet, it's here the Swift’s 'not-a-real-hybrid system' comes into its own. Without a hybrid transaxle with tricky variable ratios to work with, and just a lean and efficient pairing of a three-cylinder engine and continuously variable automatic, the freeway portion of our journey had little to no impact on overall fuel consumption.In fact, the sustained higher speeds had the consumption drop by 0.1L/100km to 4.8L/100km.Real hybrid or not, this Suzuki continues to prove you don’t have to overthink the solution.As good as its fuel consumption may be, I find myself refilling this car a little too often. The computer says I get about 650km from a tank, which I have discovered is because the Swift hybrid’s fuel tank is only 37 litres.Sure, it’s less bill shock when you pull up at the pump and only need to put 25 litres in, but there are now electric cars which can travel as far on a single charge.Oh, and the kicker? This hybrid’s new 1.2-litre three-cylinder engine requires mid-shelf 95RON unleaded which undoes some of your efficiency gains when it comes time to pay.Part of our adventures included some curvy hilly roads, which let the Swift put some of its best traits on display. Specifically, its ride and handling.While Chinese automakers focus on packing in features while offering a clean-sheet design aesthetic, Suzuki’s engineers clearly still have their heart on the art of the drive.The Swift isn’t a masterpiece to drive by any stretch of the imagination. This is, after all, an affordable light hatchback with a small efficiency-focused engine. However, considering its price and class, this is a fun little car to steer.The steering is weighted just right while the ride is tight enough to keep it from leaning too hard in the corners, but forgiving enough to not make you cringe every time you see a bump.Grip is middling from the stock Yokohama eco tyres, and sound levels are only okay. But the whole package feels more sophisticated and refined than the previous-gen car.The biggest detractor from the drive experience is, as usual, the continuously variable automatic transmission, which pairs with the mild engine outputs to make for disappointment when powering out of a corner.The little three-cylinder engine might have an agreeably gruff tone, but when you’re foot to the floor it’s happy to make a lot of noise while not much is happening in terms of road speed.It’s easy to imagine how much more fun this car could be with more poke, which makes the death of the GLX Turbo a shame. We can only hope the brand follows this hybrid up with a new Swift Sport, which is always a gem of a car.Overall, I came away from our trip impressed with the Swift. I didn’t have high hopes for the city hatch spending extended time on the open road, but every time I got out of it I didn’t come away feeling fatigued or frustrated.Tune in next month for some final thoughts on the Swift Hybrid, and our farewell video.Acquired: February 2025Distance travelled this month: 1291kmOdometer: 6313kmAverage fuel consumption this month: 4.8L/100km

You might not have heard of CATL, but you’ll have heard of the brands its electric car batteries are used in: Toyota, Hyundai, Tesla and plenty of others.

Chinese brand BYD is plotting an SUV and ute-lead takeover of the Australian new-car market, with the carmaker's local executives promising ladder-frame SUVs and even a tougher Shark 6 ute as part of a broad product rollout.

With the eagerly-anticipated Ford Ranger plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) finally hitting showrooms in the middle of this year to give the BYD Shark 6 PHEV a run for its money, is that where this level of electrification development stops on the T6.2 platform?