Toyota USA has refreshed its RAV4 for 2026, and, in a significant step forward for efficiency, Toyota has axed the non-hybrid version of the vehicle. The RAV4 will now only be available in HEV and PHEV versions starting in the 2026 model year.
However, in an act of greenwashing reminiscent of many things Toyota has done before, it’s confusingly calling its vehicles “100% electrified” – despite that every single RAV4 includes a gas engine.
The improvements include new looks and trim lines, including an outdoorsy Woodland model (like the bZ just got) and a higher-performance “GR SPORT” model (though, we must remind everyone, that SUVs are not sportscars and will never be sportscars), and higher power from both PHEV and HEV models.
The PHEV model also boasts improved range, bumped from 42 miles to 50 miles – still lower than we’d typically consider worthy of coverage on Electrek, but the number is at least usable to keep the average driver on electric power for most of their daily driving (if they bother to plug it in).
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Some trims will have DC fast charging, and you’ll be able to charge from 10-80% in 30 minutes.
Notably, the RAV4 no longer includes any option for a non-hybrid powertrain. All trims are either hybrid or plug-in hybrid. Previously, it had been anticipated that an EV model might join the lineup, but it looks like Toyota is just sticking with the newly-renamed bZ model for that purpose.
Toyota calls its new RAV4 options “highly efficient electrified powertrains,” but did not specify anticipated EPA mileage numbers for the HEV model, or for the PHEV when operating on gas power. The current RAV4 hybrid gets 39mpg (that’s about 10mpg better than the non-hybrid), and we would imagine something in that ballpark for the updated model.
The 2026 RAV4 will be available in Toyota dealerships across the US “later this year.” Pricing has not yet been announced.
Electrek’s Take
But the real issue here is the use of the word “electrified,” and specifically, “100% electrified.”
Toyota has a longhistory of deceptive advertising when it comes to its electrification efforts. Its lies have gotten it in trouble before, both in Norway and in the US.
So its use of the word “electrified” should be looked at with some skepticism, since the company has used it before to confuse consumers into thinking that its vehicles are more efficient than they really are. For some previous coverage on that, see the FTC complaint filed against Toyota over its false electrification claims.
In this case, Toyota has upped the ante, not just claiming that its vehicles are electrified, but “100% electrified.”
There are a lot of terms that get used confusingly in the EV industry, oftentimes purposefully, in order to greenwash companies’ efforts. EV, PHEV, EREV, FCEV, HEV, BEV, electrified, all-electric, and so on.
But one thing that has heretofore been reserved for models that do not include a gasoline engine is any variation on “all-electric,” “100% electric,” “fully electric” or the like.
So, moving from “electrified” to “100% electrified” certainly seems like intentional phrasing by Toyota here. “Electrified” was already questionable, but “100% electrified” is well over the line.
So despite that we should be happy about a step-change improvement in powertrain availability on the RAV4, and the elimination of the non-hybrid model, Toyota just had to play one of its tricks and remind us why they’re the greatest enemy of electrification in the auto industry (well… save one).
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Dodge is calling it the “world’s only” four-door muscle car. The four-door Dodge Charger Daytona EV will join the lineup for the 2026 model year, but that’s not the only change.
Dodge Charger Daytona EV adds four-door trim for 2026
Last week, we learned Dodge would not offer the entry-level Charger Daytona R/T in 2026. CEO Matt McAlear told Motor1, “Production of the Dodge Charger Daytona R/T is postponed for the 2026 model year as we continue to assess the effects of US tariff policies.”
It looks like Dodge has another idea. The four-door electric Charger officially debuted Wednesday during a first drive event in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin.
According to McAlear, the new sedan “embodies the same look and feel as the coupe, with the same widebody exterior, driver-centric interior, muscle car performance and standard all-wheel-drive capability, combined with four-door practicality.
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The two and four-door models share a similar coupe-like design and a wide body (the widest of any car in the industry). Dodge said the four-door design only further accentuates the Charger’s powerful presence.
2026 Dodge Charger Daytona four-door EV sedan (Source: Stellantis)
Like the two-door version, the four-door model arrives with a spacious “hidden hatch” interior, boasting best-in-class rear cargo and passenger space. With up to 38.5 cu ft of rear cargo space, the four-door variant offers 133% more than the outgoing Charger.
Meet the world’s only four-door muscle car
The interior features a 16″ infotainment system at the center with a 12.3″ driver display, featuring wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay capabilities.
Both two and four-door 2026 Charger Daytona Scat Pack models come with different drive modes (sport, track, drag, custom, etc.), Dodge’s Fratzonic Chambered Exhaust system, and Powershot (delivering an extra 40 hp for 10 seconds at the push of a button).
The available Track Package is the largest brake package offered for any Dodge vehicle. It adds 16″ Brembo vented rotors and red six-piston front/four-piston rear fixed calipers, which increase swept area by more than 30% compared to the outgoing SRT model.
With a level 3 charger, the 2026 Dodge Charger Daytona EV can recharge from 20% to 80% in as little as 24 minutes.
2026 Dodge Charger Daytona with Fratzog dual stripes (left) and gloss black painted hood (right) (Source: Stellantis)
New “Fratzog dual stripes” and gloss paint hood options will be available on two and four-door 2026 Dodge Charger EV models.
For every 2026 Charger model (two- and four-door), Dodge is offering the chance to visit Radford Racing School for a day, the official high-performance driving school of Dodge and SRT.
2026 Dodge Charger Daytona EV Scat Pack four-door (left) and two-door (right) (Source: Stellantis)
Both variants offer “Hellcat Redeye levels of performance,” with 670 hp and 627 lb-ft of torque, capable of a 0 to 60 mph sprint in just 3.3 seconds.
Orders are now open for the four-door and two-door 2026 Dodge Charger Daytona EV and will begin arriving at dealerships later this year.
To make room for the 2026 models, Dodge is offering massive discounts, with up to $13,500 off on the outgoing Charger Daytona EV. If you’re interested, you can use our link to view 2025 Dodge Charger Daytona models near you today.
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All-electric, autonomous aircraft developer Wisk Aero announced a fresh five-year research partnership with NASA to establish advanced air mobility standards to eventually introduce autonomous aircraft into the National Airspace System (NAS).
Wisk Aero is a wholly owned subsidiary of Boeing based in California. The company’s flagship model, the Cora, is an all-electric aircraft that predates the Wisk Aero brand and has seen several generational variants over the seven years or so.
In 2020, Wisk Aero joined NASA’s Advanced Air Mobility Project, part of the space administration’s Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate, to address key AAM industry challenges and lay the framework for future autonomous passenger flights.
Since then, Wisk and NASA have continued collaborating to develop key guidance for the safe integration of autonomous aircraft systems for urban air mobility (UAM) operations under that initial Space Act Agreement.
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This week, Wisk Aero and NASA committed another five years to their research partnership. They hope to bring regulated and autonomous aerial flight to the public by the end of the decade.
Source: Wisk Aero
Wisk and NASA extend partnership another five years
Per Wisk, this new agreement focuses on critical research led by NASA’s Air Traffic Management Exploration (ATM-X) project, which is centered around the advancement of commercialized autonomous aircraft travel under Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) in the National Airspace System (NAS).
As a specialist in autonomous, zero-emission aircraft, Wisk intends to continue its research alongside NASA to help regulators determine future eVTOL flight procedures and capabilities in the US. Regulatory developments on the to-do list for the latest NRSAA include optimizing airspace and route designs for highly automated UAM operations, establishing critical aircraft and ground-based safety system requirements for autonomous flight in urban environments, and establishing Air Traffic Control (ATC) communication protocols and procedures for seamless integration of future UAM aircraft.
To achieve these goals, Wisk said its research with NASA will more specifically focus on utilizing advanced simulation and Live Virtual Constructive (LVC) flight environments, which combine live flights with a simulated airspace to enable researchers to assess future operations. Erick Corona, Director of Airspace Operational Integration at Wisk, elaborated:
This new, long-term agreement with NASA is a significant step forward for Wisk and the broader UAM industry. With NASA’s simulation and LVC capabilities, we can accelerate the development of our Gen 6 autonomous systems to safely and efficiently integrate into the US NAS before the end of the decade.
The teams from Wisk and NASA already met last month, continuing their research while beginning to determine how instrument flight procedures and advanced technologies can work together to enable safe autonomous passenger flights by 2030.
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Fluence Energy has officially started production at its new factory in Goodyear, Arizona, where it’s now cranking out steel enclosures and battery management system (BMS) hardware for its grid-scale energy storage systems.
This plant is part of the Washington, DC-headquartered global battery storage company’s larger push to build and source every major part of its battery energy storage systems in the US. The company’s domestic supply chain spans Arizona, Texas, Tennessee, and Utah, covering everything from battery cells and thermal systems to Fluence’s inverter supplier in South Carolina.
The partnerships represent around $700 million in investment and more than 1,200 manufacturing jobs in 2025 alone. Add another 450 construction jobs and growing, a significant economic spark.
John Zahurancik, president of Fluence Americas, says the rapidly expanded domestic supply chain helps customers steer clear of global supply chain snarls while ensuring the company’s systems stay safe, reliable, and cybersecure. “Enclosure and BMS production at the Goodyear facility is another strong step forward in this commitment,” he said.
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The American Clean Power Association (ACP) recently unveiled the US energy storage industry’s bold plan to invest $100 billion into American-made grid batteries by 2030. The goal is to meet 100% of domestic energy storage demand using US-based supply chains and create 350,000 jobs in the process.
“Fluence is leading the way,” said ACP CEO Jason Grumet. “Their investment in Arizona – a national leader in energy storage – underscores the momentum behind expanding US manufacturing, strengthening energy security, creating high-quality jobs, and supporting key suppliers, including American steel.”
Fluence’s products will also be critical in helping to keep the grid stable as the demand for power rapidly increases. The company already has more than 20,000 megawatt-hours of battery storage deployed or in the pipeline across 80+ projects in the US.
“Our goal is to fully onshore production, as quickly as possible,” said Peter Williams, Fluence’s chief product and supply chain officer. “This facility brings us closer to that goal.”
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