What does Audi’s upcoming E-Tron GT performance car sound like?

How does a German startup intend to transport hydrogen?

This is our look back at the Week In Reverse—right here at Green Car Reports—for the week ending October 9, 2020.

The Jeep Wrangler 4xe plug-in hybrid took a lot of fine-tuning attention to make sure its complex hybrid system was ready for the nuances of zero-emissions off-roading. FCA’s propulsion chief walked us through its exhaustive development.

Audi E-Tron GT concept

Audi E-Tron GT concept

Audi explained that it’s paid a lot of attention to how its upcoming E-Tron GT sounds—and that won’t be like its cousin the Porsche Taycan. 

Toyota has added another model to its RAV4 Hybrid lineup for 2021—further confirming that it’s repositioning hybrids as a modestly priced option across its mainstream lineup. Although availability remains limited for the plug-in hybrid RAV4 Prime.

EPA range ratings were released this week for two important and soon-arriving electric vehicles quite closely related to each otherThe Polestar 2 hatchback will go 233 miles, while the Volvo XC40 Recharge SUV goes 208 miles, according to the federal fuel-economy protocol. 

2021 Polestar 2

2021 Polestar 2

And by the time U.S. deliveries start for the Polestar 2—soon—cars will have already been given a software upgrade preventing an issue seen in some models already delivered in Europe and China. 

Amazon provided a first look at the electric van designed and engineered by Rivian. The retail and delivery giant will take delivery of 10,000 of them by 2022 and 100,000 by 2030.

The ownership-cost advantages of EVs strengthen as you move to larger vehicles like SUVs and pickups, or if you keep vehicles longer, found Consumer Reports, in a new study released this week. And the market-research giant Ipsos released a study Wednesday finding that interest in electric cars has increased over the course of the pandemic—not a surprise with increased awareness of air quality. 

2020 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid

2020 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid

In our monthly deals roundup on EVs, hybrids, and PHEVs, we homed in on a national $199 lease deal on the Nissan Leaf, plus looked at other lease deals on the Hyundai Sonata Hybrid, Chevrolet Bolt EV, and Toyota Prius Prime and Camry Hybrid.

The Nissan Leaf is the top-selling used EV in the U.S. market, even though there have been more new Tesla Model S fastbacks sold over its span of 8 years. We looked at why this is.

2020 Nissan Leaf

2020 Nissan Leaf

Mullen Technologies has released a little more information—and what sounds like a different plan—for bringing Chinese electric cars to the U.S., via a “pre-production” facility in California.

Honda has dropped out of Formula 1 racing, in favor of a push toward electric vehicles and fuel-cell tech—and a move to supply hybrid powertrains to IndyCar racing, which is more in line with its present U.S. strategy.

In the tech corner, we reported on how Hyundai is investing in a German startup that aims to take advantage of existing oil-industry storage and transportation methods for hydrogen. And James Dyson Award winners in the UK have presented a device that will help curb tire-dust emissions at the source.

Tesla just before last weekend reported record deliveries for the third quarter of 2020—139,000 globally, for the quarter, which is much higher than the previous two quarters. 

2017 Mitsubishi i-MiEV

2017 Mitsubishi i-MiEV

And last weekend, we looked at the Mitsubishi i-MiEV was the first mass-produced electric car in many respects, and its long production run is reportedly due to end within months.

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