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Toyota launched the global world premiere of its fifth-generation Prius from Japan this morning. The famed plug-in hybrid sees a new exterior design and will deliver a decent boost to its electric range compared to its previous generation.

The Toyota Prius has been in production for over two decades and holds its spot in automotive history as the first mass produced hybrid electric vehicle in the world. It has been sold as a plug-in hybrid EV since 2012, which was followed by the Toyota Prius Prime first introduced in 2016.

The Prime offered an all-electric EPA range of 25 miles, over twice the range of the first generation model. With today’s announcement of Toyota’s next generation of plug-in hybrid, the Prius can deliver even more all-electric range alongside a more aerodynamic design. Have a look.

New Toyota Prius sees most substantial redesign in years

Toyota shared details of the new Prius via a press release following its global premiere event (seen below). The vehicle features a new plug-in hybrid system complete with a more powerful motor (and engine).

The body of the new Prius has been “aerodynamically streamlined” for better fuel efficiency, handling, and stability. Its second-generation GA-C platform features less weight, increased rigidity, and a lower center of gravity as well.

According to Toyota, the target of this new Prius was to enable drivers to complete a majority of their daily commutes in EV mode, which provides 50% more range than the previous generation (~36 miles vs. 25 miles). This added range comes from the Prius’ new 13.6 kWh lithium-ion battery, integrated with more energy dense cells installed under the rear seat.

Following the debut in Japan, the fifth-generation Toyota Prius will be in display at Automobility LA. Its European premiere will take place on December 5 ahead of sales in the spring of 2023 in the plug-in version only. Check out the world premiere video below.

Electrek’s Take

While the Prius cannot be forgotten for its role in the automotive market as a once-dominant segue into all-electric vehicles, Toyota’s profound emphasis on this latest generation PHEV as a design feat to be celebrated completely undermines its lack of dedication to the BEV industry that is speeding forward without it.

The added all-electric range is nice and all, don’t get me wrong. The new Prius could serve as an excellent affordable commuter car for those consumers who may not exhaust all of their 13.6 kW battery to and from work each day. In that sense it’s good, but this is still a vehicle equipped with a combustion engine that releases carbon emissions. So it’s a non-starter for me.

I can’t help but feel as if I’m sharing news of a brand new DVD player in the age of streaming. Plug-ins are certainly better than traditional combustion vehicles and plain old hybrids, but we’ve already seen BEV models in the $40,000s with several more on the horizon pushing $30k. At that price point, why bother with a Prius?

Perhaps it could serve as a stopgap before your next BEV, especially with such high wait times due to exorbitant demand. We can never knock the Prius for what it helped start for electric vehicles, but its time in the sun sure appears to be fleeting, so forgive me if I’m not as eager to put Toyota up on my shoulders as a champion for delivering yet another hybrid, even if it is a plug-in.

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A dozen Tesla cars burned at store, arson is suspected amid global protests

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A dozen Tesla cars burned at store, arson is suspected amid global protests

A dozen Tesla vehicles burned at a store in Toulouse, France. Arson is suspected amid global protests and vandalism attacks against Tesla and Elon Musk.

Last night, a dozen Tesla vehicles burned down at Tesla’s retail and service location in Plaisance-du-Touch near Toulouse, France.

Firefighters arrived on the scene at around 4 a.m. and contained the fire to the vehicles. Eight of them were completely destroyed, and four were greatly damaged. The damages are estimated at over 700,000 euros.

According to the local news (translated from French), the police suspected arson as a hole was found in a fence, and threats had been made over the last few weeks. The Tesla location remained closed all day.

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Tesla is currently being protested by anti-fascist groups around the world, especially in the US, where many are targeting Tesla to protest against Elon Musk’s involvement in the US government.

In France, there were a few protests planned, but some extremist groups are calling for widespread arson against Tesla stores:

I won’t share the link to the article since it gives step-by-step instructions on how to burn down Tesla stores without getting caught, but the manifesto explains that they are going after Tesla as a “symbol of capitalism,” although they also list a dozen other reasons including the fact that they think it’s “doable and cheap.”

Electrek’s Take

This is getting nuts. It’s not only dangerous, but it’s also not super effective in achieving the goal they claim to want to achieve.

Have they never heard of insurance? Tesla is having issues selling cars right now. You are burning unsold inventory that they can then claim to their insurance.

Sure, it disrupts their operations for a short period of time, but it’s not worth it.

Their manifesto does say to avoid violence and not to target vehicles owned by individuals – though it doesn’t sound like a strict rule for them, but I think these people are likely going to end up in jail for having achieved nothing.

The protests and boycotts are going strong. You don’t need to burn cars to make yourself heard.

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Ford F-150 Lightning sales have been falling for months: What’s going on with the EV pickup?

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Ford F-150 Lightning sales have been falling for months: What's going on with the EV pickup?

Is Ford’s electric pickup in trouble? Sales have been down for months, and February showed no relief. What’s going on with the Ford F-150 Lightning?

Ford F-150 Lightning sales drop again in February 2025

Ford’s US sales dropped by 9% last month. Although electrified vehicles, including EVs and hybrids, both notched double-digit growth, sales of Ford’s gas-powered (ICE) models, which accounted for over 85% of deliveries, fell nearly 13%.

Hybrids saw higher demand with sales up 27.5% to 15,357, while EV sales increased 15% to 7,326. The Mustang Mach-E was a bright spot with 3,312 models sold in February, up 13% from the prior year.

With 6,841 Mach-Es sold through the first three months of 2025, Ford’s electric crossover SUV remains a top-selling EV in the US.

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Ford’s electric pickup didn’t fare as well. F-150 Lightning Sales were down nearly 15% last month with only 2,199 units sold. Through March, Ford has sold 15% fewer Lightning models than it did at this time last year.

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2024 Ford F-150 Lightning Platinum Black (Source: Ford)

Sales of the electric pickup have been slipping for months now. In the final three months of 2024, F-150 Lightning sales were down 10%.

The Lightning, alongside Rivian’s R1T, are no longer the only electric pickups on the market. Ford is facing new competition with the Tesla Cybertruck, Chevy Silverado EV, and GMC Sierra EV, arriving.

Ford-Lightning-sales
2024 Ford F-150 Lightning Flash (Source: Ford)

According to Cox Automotive, the Tesla Cybertruck slipped past the Lightning to become the fifth best-selling EV in the US last year with nearly 39,000 units sold. Ford’s Lightning was sixth with just over 33,500 models sold.

Ford extended its “Power Promise” promo earlier this year to boost demand, giving EV buyers a Level 2 home charger and other benefits, but Lightning sales are still down.

Ford-lightning-sales
Ford Mustang Mach-E (left) and F-150 Lightning (right) (Source: Ford)

The American automaker cut Lightning production at its Rouge Electric Vehicle Center last year, citing slower-than-expected demand. A new report from Automotive News claims Ford is now ending a pilot program to stock and distribute EVs through regional hubs after it failed to catch on. It was designed to speed up deliveries.

Although Ford plans to launch a smaller midsize electric pickup, it won’t arrive until at least two more years. With new competition, like the Ram 1500 REV and Volkswagen Scout pickup, hitting the market over the next few years, Ford may find it even harder to attract buyers.

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Costco members can get up to $10,000 off the 2025 Volvo EX90

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Costco members can get up to ,000 off the 2025 Volvo EX90

Costco’s Auto Program recently introduced some new member-only incentives, and the 2025 Volvo EX90 BEV is now on its list.

Volvo is offering Costco Executive Members $2,000 off the 2025 EX90. Costco Gold Star and Business members are eligible for $1,500 off. The incentives are available on all versions of the Volvo EX90 for members who purchase or lease from February 24 to April 30, 2025. It’s the only non-GM EV that’s that’s eligible for an incentive through the EV program.

The offer is compatible with A-Plan pricing for employees, as well as Affinity Pricing for teachers and first responders. Costco members will have had to have been members as of February 23 and be the primary members on the Costco account to qualify.

Volvo-EX90-interior
Volvo EX90 interior (Source: Volvo)

However, CarsDirect gave the heads up on how buyers can get up to $10,000 off the EX90’s MSRP. As we stated, if you’re a Costco Executive Member, that’s $2,000 off. Then, add the $7,500 EV Lease Allowance and a $500 loyalty discount on leases if you currently own or lease a Volvo or have owned or leased a Volvo within the past six months.

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With the destination fee included, the base EX90 MSRP starts at $81,290, so that brings it down to $71,290, a more than 12% discount, a pretty good deal.

The 2025 AWD Volvo EX90, which can seat seven passengers comfortably, has a range of up to 310 miles and is NACS-compatible. It has a 510 hp engine, 110 kWh battery capacity, and can go from 0-60 mph in 4.7 seconds.

Click here to find a local dealer that may have the 2025 Volvo EX90 in stock. – trusted affiliate partner

Read more: Review: Volvo EX90 is a smooth AWD 7-seat luxury kid-hauler


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