Toyota RAV4 Prime, Volvo XC40 Recharge, automated charging: Today’s Car News

The Toyota RAV4 Prime is a finalist for Green Car Reports’ Best Car To Buy 2021. The Volvo XC40 Recharge is also a nominee for Green Car Reports’ Best Car To Buy 2021. VW’s developing an automated charging setup. This and more, here at Green Car Reports.

Toyota’s dragging its feet as the world moves toward electric cars, but its hybrid game is strong. The latest hybrid from the Japanese automaker comes with a plug and dons the popular small crossover SUV body style. The Toyota RAV4 Prime’s plug-in hybrid powertrain offers 42 miles of all-electric range thanks to its 18.1-kwh battery pack. It’s a nominee for Green Car Reports’ Best Car To Buy 2021 award, but does it deserve to win?

Volvo is transitioning to an electrified lineup by 2030 and aims for a fully electric lineup thereafter. The Volvo XC40 Recharge is the first product in that offensive. The compact crossover SUV is an electric car with 208 miles of EPA-rated range from a 75-kwh lithium-ion battery pack. It’s a finalist for Green Car Reports’ Best Car To Buy 2021, but is Volvo’s first EV worthy of the award?

In 2015, Tesla showed off a snake-like charging robot concept that never went further than a video posted online. Now, five years later, Volkswagen is developing a mobile robot to automate the charging process. Unlike Tesla’s snake-like concept, VW’s prototype looks like it might be a droid in a “Star Wars” movie. The robot can charge an electric car when no human is present and charge multiple cars in a garage without individual charging stations.

Green Car Reports Newsletter

Sign up to get the latest green car and environmental news, delivered to your inbox daily!

I agree to receive emails from Green Car Reports. I understand that I can unsubscribe at any time. Privacy Policy.