HI, I'M JOHN DAVIS AND THIS IS MOTORWEEK !

JOIN US AS WE LOOK AT EVs IN AMERICA TODAY, WITH A ROUNDUP OF AFFORDABLE BATTERY ELECTRICS... PAT GOSS ON CHARGING BASICS... GREG CARLOSS GETS AMPED UP OVER THE EDGE... STEPHANIE HART ON GROWING CHARGING CONVENIENCE... PLUS, BMW'S LATEST X5 PLUG-IN HYBRID...

SO COME DRIVE WITH US, NEXT!

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John: WELL, HELLO AND WELCOME TO A SPECIAL EDITION OF MOTORWEEK...EV, STATE OF CHARGE, WHERE WE'LL TAKE A LOOK AT WHERE THE PRACTICALITY OF THE ELECTRIFIED CAR STANDS TODAY, WITH INSIGHTS INTO HOW THAT WILL PROGRESS IN THE VERY NEAR FUTURE.

WHILE, THE LETTERS EV FOR ELECTRIC VEHICLE CAN MEAN DIFFERENT THINGS TO DIFFERENT CONSUMERS, WE'RE GOING TO FOCUS ON TWO TYPES THAT USE A PLUG.

FULLY ELECTRIC WITH POWER ONLY FROM BATTERIES...BEVS, AND PLUG-IN HYBRIDS, PHEVS, THEY USE BOTH BATTERIES AND A GASOLINE ENGINE.

BUT SINCE, IT IS THE BATTERY ELECTRIC VEHICLE THAT GETS THE MOST HEADLINES, LET START WITH A ROUNDUP OF AFFORDABLE BEVS THAT YOU CAN ACTUALLY BUY TODAY.

* OUR FOCUS IS ON BEVS WITH A STARTING PRICE BELOW $60,000, WE'RE ONLY INCLUDING THOSE WITH A RANGE OF MORE THAN 200 MILES, AS THAT'S WHERE PEOPLE BEGIN TO FEEL COMFORTABLE ABOUT INCORPORATING A BATTERY ELECTRIC VEHICLE INTO THEIR LIVES.

STARTING WITH THE FIRST AFFORDABLE VEHICLE TO ACTUALLY MEET THAT MARK, THE CHEVROLET BOLT EV.

WITH A CURRENT RANGE OF 259 MILES, AND A STARTING PRICE OF JUST $31,995, IT DELIVERED WHAT NO ONE ELSE COULD WHEN IT ARRIVED FOR 2017.

ITS 5-DOOR HATCHBACK SHAPE OFFERED A LOT OF UTILITY AS WELL.

THOUGH NOW, IT'S JOINED BY AN ACTUAL UTILITY, THE BOLT EUV.

RANGE IS 247 MILES, AND STARTING PRICE IS $33,995.

CROSSTOWN RIVAL FORD TOOK A MUCH DIFFERENT APPROACH, WITH THE FORD MUSTANG MACH-E UTILITY.

WHILE NOT THEIR FIRST EV, IT'S THEIR MOST SERIOUS EFFORT YET, AND HAS AVAILABLE RANGE OF 305 MILES; PRICED FROM $44,595.

PUTTING THE MACH IN MACH-E, IS THE MACH-E GT.

WITH 480 HORSEPOWER, THIS ONE'S FOR THE PERFORMANCE-ORIENTED MUSTANG BUYER, THOUGH IT SACRIFICES RANGE DOWN TO 270 MILES.

HYUNDAI, ALSO NO STRANGER TO BEVS, CURRENTLY OFFERS THE KONA ELECTRIC UTILITY WITH A 258 MILE RANGE AND BASE PRICE OF $35,225.

THOUGH, IT'S SOON TO BE ECLIPSED BY THE IONIQ 5 WHICH WILL OFFER UP TO 300 MILES, WITH A STARTING PRICE AROUND $45,000.

KIA WILL MAKE A VERSION AS WELL KNOWAS THE EV6.

RANGE WITH ALL-WHEEL-DRIVE IS 265 MILES FOR SPECIAL $58,500 FIRST EDITIONS.

IT JOINS KIA'S NOW VETERAN NIRO EV WAGON THAT DELIVERS 239 MILES OF RANGE FOR $40,265.

THE NISSAN LEAF HATCHBACK LAID THE BLUEPRINT FOR ALL ENTRY-LEVEL EVs, CONSTANT UPDATES SINCE, HAVE KEPT IT MORE THAN RELEVANT, BOASTING UP TO 226 MILES OF RANGE WITH A STARTING PRICE OF ONLY $28,375.

BUT, IT'S THE ARIYA THAT IS NISSAN'S LATEST EV OFFERING.

THIS SUV COMES WITH UP TO 300 MILES OF RANGE WITH A BASE PRICE AROUND $40,000.

WHILE, EUROPEAN MAKES HAVE MOSTLY EMBRACED PHEVS THERE'S A NEW BRAND MAKING BIG BEV WAVES, POLESTAR.

THE POLESTAR 2 HATCHBACK HANDLES LIKE...A WORLD-CLASS SPORT SEDAN WITH A RANGE OF UP TO 265 MILES, WITH A STARTING PRICE OF JUST $47,200.

THAT BRAND IS OWNED BY THE GEELY GROUP, THE PARENT COMPANY OF VOLVO.

WHICH HAS A PAIR OF EVs TO CHOOSE FROM, THE VOLVO XC40 RECHARGE SUV STARTS AT $56,395, THOUGH WITH 208 MILES OF RANGE, IT JUST BREACHES OUR 200 MILE CRITERIA.

THE VOLVO C40 RECHARGE HATCHBACK UPS THE RANGE A TAD TO 210 MILES, FOR THE PRICE OF $58,750.

AFTER DIESELGATE, VOLKSWAGEN MADE A TREMENDOUS COMMITMENT TO DEVELOPING EVs, AND THEIR ID.4 WAS THE FIRST VEHICLE OF THAT NEW STRATEGY TO ARRIVE.

IT OFFERS TRUE SUV UTILITY AND A RANGE OF 260 MILES FOR THE STARTING PRICE OF $41,190.

AND OF COURSE, THERE'S TESLA, WHERE YOUR ENTRY-LEVEL OPTIONS CONSIST OF THE MODEL 3 SEDAN WITH UP TO 353 MILES OF RANGE STARTING AT $41,190... AND THE MODEL Y UTILITY VERSION WITH A MAX RANGE OF 326 MILES STARTING AT THE SAME $41,190.

THERE ARE MANY MORE BEVS CURRENTLY UNDER DEVELOPMENT FOR THE NEAR FUTURE THAN HAVE ACTUALLY ARRIVED.

BUT, AS YOU CAN SEE, IF YOU WANT TO GO ALL ELECTRIC TODAY, THERE ARE ALREADY A LOT OF IMPRESSIVE DESIGNS TO CHOOSE FROM.

* OUR SUCCESS STORY THIS WEEK TAKES US TO HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT AND A ONE-OF-A-KIND TRAVEL CENTER THAT'S A MUST STOP FOR CLEAN ALTERNATIVE FUELS.

THE PRIDE TRAVEL CENTER ALREADY DISPENSES RENEWABLE GREEN HYDROGEN, AS WELL AS PROPANE AUTOGAS, AND MAY ADD COMPRESSED NATURAL GAS.

FOR THOSE DRIVING ELECTRIC, PRIDE HAS BOTH DC FAST CHARGERS, AND TESLA SUPERCHARGERS.

Bob Bolduc: WE'RE VERY HAPPY TO HAVE DONE IT.

THE REST OF THE WORLD NEEDS TO EMBRACE ALL THE NEW TECHNOLOGY THAT'S OUT THERE AND ADMIT WE HAVE A VERY SERIOUS CLIMATE CHANGE PROBLEM.

WORKING WITH THE CAPITAL CLEAN CITIES OF CONNECTICUT, THE PRIDE TRAVEL CENTER MAKES IT EASIER AND MORE CONVENIENT THAN EVER TO FUEL UP WHILE KEEPING EMISSIONS DOWN.

* [CAR DOOR CLOSES] John: AS AUTOMAKERS LAUNCH MORE AND MORE ELECTRIC VEHICLES, FOLKS EAGER TO REDUCE THEIR CARBON FOOTPRINT MIGHT THINK THAT DITCHING THEIR CURRENT CAR AND BUYING NEW IS THE ONLY OPTION.

BUT, OUR OVER THE EDGE GUY, GREG CARLOSS HAS FOUND ANOTHER WAY OF PLUGGING IN TO THE EV MOVEMENT.

* Greg Carloss: WHETHER, IT'S STEREOS OR TURBOS, THE AUTOMOTIVE AFTERMARKET HAS CONVERSION KITS FOR JUST ABOUT EVERYTHING.

BUT, WHAT IF YOU WANT TO TURN YOUR GAS GUZZLER INTO AN EV?

WELL, HERE AT AMPREVOLT IN LANCASTER, PA, THEY SPECIALIZE IN CLEAN CONVERSIONS.

TWELVE YEARS AGO, BRANDON HOLLINGER WAS JUST A MUSICIAN DRIVING A GAS-POWERED CAR TO AND FROM GIGS.

Brandon Hollinger: SO, I WAS LOOKING FOR ALTERNATIVES TO THE BASIC INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES AND DIESEL ENGINES, THAT WE WERE, YOU KNOW, FORCED TO USE BASICALLY... Greg: SO, BRANDON DECIDED TO CONVERT TO ELECTRIC.

AND, WITH TWO SAAB 96s AND ZERO AUTOMOTIVE BACKGROUND, BRANDON WENT WHERE EVERYONE GOES FOR EXPERTISE: THE INTERNET.

Brandon: I STUMBLED UPON SOME VERY KEY YOUTUBE VIDEOS, AND AFTER ABOUT SIX MONTHS OF RESEARCH, AND ABOUT THREE MONTHS OF BUILDING, I WAS DRIVING TO WORK EVERY DAY RELIABLY.

Greg: NINETY-FIVE THOUSAND ELECTRIC MILES LATER, THE SAAB NOW SITS IN FRONT OF AMPREVOLT'S DOWNTOWN GARAGE WHERE BRANDON AND PROJECT MANAGER, GREG HUNT CONVERT CUSTOMER CARS LIKE THIS '96 BMW 3 SERIES.

Greg Hunt: SOME OF THESE VEHICLES THAT HAVE THIS LOWER POWER LIKE THIS ARE REALLY GREAT BECAUSE YOU CAN GET THEM AROUND TOWN, YOU SORT OF ALREADY HAD THE VEHICLE AND IT'S LIKE GONNA HAVE ITS SECOND LIFE NOW.

Brandon: SO, WE WERE APPROACHED BY A YOUNG FELLOW TO DO AN ELECTRIC VAN FOR HIM BUT AS A SOLAR EDUCATOR, HE WAS ADAMANT ABOUT HAVING SOLAR INVOLVED.

Greg: USING THESE ROOF-TOP PANELS, THIS SOON-TO-BE CAMPER CAN ACTUALLY CHARGE ITSELF, PROVIDING ABOUT 150 TO 180 MILES OF DRIVING RANGE.

BUT THEY ADDED DC FAST CHARGING CAPABILITY FOR A RAINY DAY.

IN THEIR CONVERSIONS AMPREVOLT HAS BEGUN USING COMPONENTS SALVAGED FROM OEMS LIKE TESLA.

BUT REPACKAGING THE BATTERIES PRESENTS A PROBLEM, SO THEY DESIGNED AND PATENTED THEIR OWN BATTERY BOX.

Brandon: THEY SLIDE IN LIKE DRAWERS, AND THERE ARE FEATURES IN THERE THAT ALLOW YOU TO BUILD UP AND ALSO BUILD OUT.

Greg: THEY CAN EVEN MOUNT TO A WALL FOR STYLISH IN-HOME POWER STORAGE.

SPEAKING OF STYLE, BRANDON HAS HIS AWARD-WINNING AUSTIN FX4 LONDON TAXI CHARGED AND READY TO ROLL.

SURE, IT DOESN'T OFFER THE SMOOTH RIDE, SHARP HANDLING OR EVEN BORDERLINE-UNNECESSARY ACCELERATION OF THE LATEST EVs, BUT IT STILL ACHIEVES THE SAME GOAL.

ZERO DRIVING EMISSIONS.

Brandon: GOING WITH AN ELECTRIC VEHICLE IS A START, BUT GOING WITH ELECTRIC VEHICLE THAT DOESN'T RELY ON ANYTHING NEW TO BE BUILT OR MINIMAL NEW PARTS, IS EVEN BETTER...COMBINING THE TWO VEHICLES SEEMS TO BE, WITHOUT A DOUBT, THE MOST CONSCIOUS THING, YOU COULD POSSIBLY DO.

* Jessica Ray: THE LIGHTNING IS BACK!

YES, THE LONG AWAITED ALL-ELECTRIC FORD F-150 PICKUP WILL BE NAMED THE F-150 LIGHTNING.

IT WILL DO SVT PROUD, WITH OVER 560 HORSEPOWER, 775 POUND-FEET OF TORQUE, AND MID 4.0 SECOND 0-60s.

BUT THAT'S NOT WHAT THE LIGHTNING IS ABOUT; WITH A 10,000 POUNDS TOW RATING AND STANDARD 4-WHEEL-DRIVE, IT DELIVERS TRUE TRUCK CAPABILITY.

PLUS, IN AN EMERGENCY YOU CAN EVEN POWER YOUR HOUSE WITH IT.

AS THE EV VERSION OF AMERICA'S BESTSELLER, LIGHTNING IS A BIG STEP FORWARD FOR BATTERY POWER.

Brian Robinson: FORD IS CLEARLY A LEADER WHEN IT COMES TO PICKUP TRUCKS, AND CARS LIKE THIS MUSTANG MACH-E GT ARE PROOF THAT THEY'VE DONE THEIR HOMEWORK WHEN IT COMES TO BUILDING A PRACTICAL, AND POWERFUL ELECTRIC VEHICLE.

PUTTING THE TWO TOGETHER, IN THE F-150 LIGHTNING, THAT'S DEFINITELY A RECIPE FOR SUCCESS.

Jessica: WE'LL HAVE MUCH MORE ON THE 2022 FORD F-150 LIGHTNING SOON ON MOTORWEEK !

John: LEVEL ONE, LEVEL TWO, DC FAST CHARGERS, SUPER CHARGERS, WHAT DOES IT ALL MEAN?

WELL, PAT GOSS HAS THE ANSWERS.

* Pat Goss: SO, YOU NEED A NEW VEHICLE, AND YOU'RE THINKING ABOUT SOMETHING WITH ELECTRIC PROPULSION.

THAT MIGHT BE AN EV, AN ELECTRIC VEHICLE, OR A PLUG-IN HYBRID.

EITHER WAY, YOU GO ABOUT IT, YOU NEED TO RECHARGE THE BATTERY IN THAT VEHICLE.

NOW, MOST OF THEM COME WITH A LEVEL ONE CHARGER SUCH AS WE SEE HERE.

NOW, THIS LEVEL ONE CHARGER PLUGS INTO THE REGULAR HOUSEHOLD OUTLET AND IT'LL CHARGE THE BATTERY SLOWLY, CONSIDER IT KIND OF A WEEKEND CHARGER.

NOW, WHAT THAT DOES IS THAT FOR EVERY HOUR THAT YOU CHARGE THE BATTERY, YOU'RE GOING TO GET 4 TO 5, MAYBE 6 MILES OF TRAVEL OUT OF YOUR BATTERY.

SO, YOU'RE PROBABLY GOING TO WANT SOMETHING BETTER THAN THAT, SO THE NEXT STEP UP IS A LEVEL TWO.

NOW, THIS IS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT BECAUSE YOU MAY HAVE TO HAVE AN ELECTRICIAN COME IN AND DO SOME WIRING, BECAUSE IT REQUIRES A 220 VOLT INPUT.

NOW, THE ADVANTAGE TO THIS IS THAT IT CHARGES THE BATTERY MORE RAPIDLY...

IN OTHER WORDS, FOR EVERY HOUR THAT IT CHARGES YOUR BATTERY, YOU'RE GOING TO GET 10 OR 12 MILES OF TRAVEL OUT OF THE BATTERY.

NOW THEN, LEVEL THREE: NOW THESE ARE MOSTLY COMMERCIAL AND YOU'RE GOING TO FIND THEM IN THE BIG BOX STORE PARKING LOTS AND ALONG THE INTERSTATES AND SO ON.

THEY HAVE THE ABILITY TO GIVE YOU ABOUT AN 80% CHARGE IN UNDER AN HOUR.

SO, YOU SEE SOME SUPER-CHARGERS AND ALL OF THESE DIFFERENT THINGS THAT PEOPLE TALK ABOUT.

WELL, THE THING TO REMEMBER IS THAT NO MATTER WHAT THE CHARGER HAS THE ABILITY TO PUT OUT, THE ONLY THING THAT WILL GO INTO YOUR BATTERY IS WHAT THE ARCHITECTURE AND BATTERY OF YOUR CAR WILL ACCEPT.

IN OTHER WORDS, IF YOU HAVE THE CAPACITY TO ACCEPT 50 KILOWATT-HOURS INTO YOUR BATTERY, INTO THE SYSTEM OF YOUR CAR, AND YOUR PLUGGED INTO A 150 KILOWATT-HOUR SYSTEM, THEN ALL YOU'RE GOING TO GET IS THE 50, NOT THE 150.

SO, IF YOU DO YOUR RESEARCH AND UNDERSTAND THE CHARGERS, AND WHAT YOUR CAR CAN ACCEPT, AND YOU MATCH THE TWO TOGETHER, YOU'LL HAVE A MUCH BETTER EXPERIENCE WITH YOUR ELECTRIC VEHICLE.

John: WASHINGTON AND THE AUTOMAKERS ARE BOTH ENCOURAGING CONSUMERS TO EMBRACE AN ELECTRIC CAR FUTURE WITH MORE AFFORDABLE PRICING AND STEADILY IMPROVING EV DRIVING RANGE.

BUT PROGRESS COULD STALL, IF AMERICA'S CHARGING INFRASTRUCTURE ISN'T READY.

EVEN WITH GOVERNMENT SUPPORT, IT WILL LARGELY BE UP TO PRIVATE COMPANIES TO MAKE CHARGING WIDESPREAD AND CONVENIENT.

STEPHANIE HART SHOWS US HOW ONE LEADING CHARGING NETWORK IS WORKING FURIOUSLY TO BRIDGE THE GAPS.

* Stephanie Hart: ELECTRIFY AMERICA HAS 650 CHARGING LOCATIONS, LIKE THE ONE BEHIND ME ACROSS AMERICA.

EACH LOCATION HAS 4-6 CHARGERS.

THEY'VE BUILT THIS INFRASTRUCTURE UP JUST OVER THE LAST THREE YEARS AND IT CONTINUES TO GROW.

Robert Barrosa: WE GO OUT ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND LOOK AT WHERE VEHICLE ADOPTION IS HAPPENING... WHERE PEOPLE ARE TRAVELING...

WHETHER, IT'S ON VACATION...

WHETHER, TO WORK... AND THEN, SEEK OUT THOSE LOCATIONS TO PUT CHARGING STATIONS IN.

Stephanie: CREATING AN ARMY OF FAST CHARGERS ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

THIS IS THE FUTURE THAT'S NEEDED SOONER RATHER THAN LATER.

Robert: WHAT WE'VE DONE IS DEPLOYED 150 KILOWATT AND 350 KILOWATT CHARGERS, SO WHAT DOES THAT MEAN FOR THE CONSUMER?

FOR A CAR THAT CAN TAKE 150 KILOWATTS OF CHARGE THAT'S ABOUT 7.5 MILES A MINUTE.

IF A CAR CAN TAKE 350 KILOWATTS THAT'S ABOUT 23 MILES A MINUTE SO THINK IN 10 MINUTES YOU GET 230 MILES OF RANGE.

YOU ARE ALMOST TO THE LEVEL OF WHAT IT TAKES TO GAS UP A REGULAR GAS POWERED VEHICLE TODAY.

Stephanie: BUT, HOW FAST A BATTERY ELECTRIC VEHICLE CAN CHARGE, AND HOW LITTLE TIME IT TAKES, DEPENDS ON HOW IT WAS DESIGNED.

WE'VE COME A LONG WAY IN A DECADE.

LONG GONE ARE THE EARLY DAYS OF EVs.

YOU MAY REMEMBER THE MAX CHARGE RATE WAS 50 KILOWATTS.

A 20 MINUTE CHARGE WOULD GET 60 MILES OF RANGE BACK.

NOW AT 350 KILOWATTS, DRIVERS CHARGE FOR 20 MINUTES AND GET ALMOST 400 MILES OF RANGE BACK.

AND IT'S ONLY GOING TO GET BETTER, AS TECHNOLOGY GETS BETTER.

AT ELECTRIFY AMERICA, ADVANCES IN TECHNOLOGY, AND CUSTOMER CONVENIENCE, STARTS AT THEIR CENTER OF EXCELLENCE LAB.

WE WENT BEHIND THE SCENES TO TAKE A CLOSER LOOK.

Robert: VARIOUS AUTOMAKERS ARE MAKING ELECTRIC VEHICLES TODAY, AND SO THAT INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDS TO COMMUNICATE IN A CERTAIN WAY TO THE CHARGING STATIONS, THAT WE'RE PUTTING OUT.

SO IT'S VITAL, WE TEST EVERY VEHICLE THAT COMES TO MARKET, SO THAT WE CAN INSURE THE BEST CONSUMER EXPERIENCE AND A NO ISSUE CHARGING EXPERIENCE FOR THAT CONSUMER.

Stephanie: PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN HAS SET A GOAL THAT 50-PERCENT OF ALL NEW CARS ON THE ROAD BY 2030 WILL BE EVs.

WILL OUR CHARGING INFRASTRUCTURE BE READY, THAT'S THE QUESTION?

ELECTRIFY AMERICA SAYS, "YES, BUT THERE'S A LOT OF WORK THAT STILL NEEDS TO BE DONE."

Robert: WE WORK VERY CLOSELY WITH CITY AND STATE GOVERNMENTS TO IMPROVE PERMITTING PROCESSES TO MAKE THINGS MORE STREAMLINED AND FASTER.

WE ALSO, WORK WITH UTILITIES LIKE, TO HELP UNDERSTAND THEIR PROCESS, LET THEM UNDERSTAND THE NEEDS OF ELECTRIC VEHICLE CHARGING INFRASTRUCTURE, AND WHAT WE NEED TO DEPLOY.

AND TOGETHER WE'RE HELPING TO IMPROVE THE OVERALL PROCESS TO MAKE TIMELINES SHORTER TO GET THAT INFRASTRUCTURE BUILT OUT.

Stephanie: ELECTRIFY AMERICA AND OTHER MAJOR CHARGING NETWORKS KNOW IT WON'T BE EASY.

BUT THE ULTIMATE GOAL OF PROTECTING AND PRESERVING OUR PLANET FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS IS WORTH IT.

John: MORE AND MORE OF OUR QUICKSPINS INVOLVE ALL ELECTRICS THESE DAYS, AND IT LOOKS LIKE, YET, ANOTHER BRAND HAS JOINED THE CIRCUIT.

* MAZDA IS THE LATEST CARMAKER TO JUMP INTO THE BATTERY ELECTRIC ARENA WITH THIS 2022 MX-30 EV.

DESIGNED WITH AN URBAN ENVIRONMENT IN MIND, RANGE FOR THIS SMALL CROSSOVER IS ONLY AROUND 100 MILES, BUT STARTING PRICE COMES IN BELOW $34,000.

PLUS, IT LOOKS JUST AS GOOD AS EVERY OTHER CURRENT MAZDA, AND DELIVERS THE TYPICAL MAZDA DRIVING EXPERIENCE, WE'VE COME TO LOVE.

Jessica: SO, THE MX-30 IS REALLY MEANT FOR THE FIRST TIME EV BUYER.

AND SO, ONE OF THE WAYS, THEY HAVE TAILORED THE DRIVING EXPERIENCE IS THE FACT THAT YOU CAN REALLY CUSTOMIZE THE REGEN BRAKING SETTINGS.

YOU HAVE ABOUT FIVE DIFFERENT SETTINGS, SO YOU CAN EITHER BE ONE PEDAL DRIVING OR YOU CAN HAVE A DRIVING EXPERIENCE THAT IS MUCH CLOSER TO AN INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE.

John: FOR NOW, THE 2022 MAZDA MX-30 EV IS ON SALE IN CALIFORNIA ONLY, BUT THIS IS JUST MAZDA'S FIRST STEP IN THEIR BATTERY ELECTRIC JOURNEY.

AND WE'LL HAVE MORE QUICKSPINS, SOON!

* Greg: FOR THIS STATE OF CHARGE EV SPECIAL, WE'LL CHECK IN ON BOTH PLUG-IN MEMBERS OF OUR LONG-TERM FLEET, STARTING WITH THIS FULLY-ELECTRIC 2021 PORSCHE TAYCAN.

IT'S THE NEW BASE MODEL BEV, WHICH STARTS AT JUST OVER $80,000, AND IS STRICTLY REAR-WHEEL-DRIVE, BUT WITH 469 HORSEPOWER.

OURS FEATURES THE LARGER 93.4 KILOWATT HOUR PERFORMANCE PLUS, BATTERY WHICH GIVES IT A RANGE OF 225 MILES.

WITH US FOR JUST A FEW DAYS NOW, WE HAVEN'T TACKED ON TOO MANY MILES YET, BUT THE SMILES ARE ADDING UP QUICKLY.

LEAVE IT TO PORSCHE TO MAKE A PROPER PERFORMANCE-DRIVEN EV.

THIS TAYCAN FEELS GREAT ON TWISTY BACK ROADS AND THE HIGHWAY.

I'LL CONCEDE THAT THE LACK OF ENGINE AND EXHAUST NOISE DAMPENS THE EXPERIENCE A TAD, BUT THE FEEL COMING FROM THE ROAD INTO THE COCKPIT THROUGH THE STEERING WHEEL AND THE SEAT IS AUTHENTIC PORSCHE.

NOW, OUR 2021 TOYOTA PRIUS PRIME PLUG-IN HYBRID IS OF COURSE, NOT A FULLY ELECTRIC, BUT ITS 8.8 KILOWATT HOUR BATTERY DOES DELIVER 25 MILES OF EV-ONLY DRIVING.

THEN, IT BEHAVES JUST LIKE A TRADITIONAL PRIUS HYBRID, SHUFFLING BETWEEN BATTERY AND ENGINE POWER SEAMLESSLY DEPENDING ON THE CURRENT DRIVING SITUATION.

ON OUR LOT FOR LESS THAN A WEEK, WE MADE A QUICK TRIP DOWN TO GEORGIA; FINDING THE HIGHWAY EXPERIENCE QUITE COMFORTABLE AND COMPOSED.

EXTENDED HIGH SPEED TRAVEL IS NOT THE BEST WAY TO MAXIMIZE THE BENEFITS OF A PHEV, BUT WE'RE PLEASED WITH THE 53.5 MILES PER GALLON, WE'VE AVERAGED OVER THE FIRST 1,500 MILES.

John: AS FAR AS FULL BATTERY ELECTRICS HAVE COME, THEY STILL DON'T FIT INTO EVERYONE'S LIFESTYLE.

THAT'S WHERE PHEVS OR PLUG-IN HYBRID ELECTRIC VEHICLES COME IN.

HERE'S A LOOK AT THE LATEST SUCH VEHICLE FROM BMW.

* John: MUCH LIKE...WE ARE IN A TRANSITIONAL PHASE FROM FOSSIL FUELED CARS TO BATTERY ELECTRIC VEHICLES; PHEVS TRULY PUT THAT TRANSITION INTO PRACTICE.

IT'S A PURE EV WHEN YOU WANT ONE, LIKE COMMUTING AND AROUND TOWN, AND A GAS-ENGINE HYBRID WHEN YOU NEED ONE FOR LONGER TRIPS.

TO THAT, THE 2021 BMW X5 XDRIVE45E ADDS THE CAPABILITY FAMILIES DESIRE, AND THE AMENITIES LUXURY SUV BUYERS LOOK FOR.

BMW HAS BEEN AT THE PHEV GAME FOR QUITE SOME TIME; LONG ENOUGH THAT THIS IS NOW THE 2ND GENERATION OF THE SYSTEM FOUND HERE IN THE X5.

PREVIOUSLY 4-CYLINDER BASED, THE XDRIVE45E STEPS UP TO BMW'S 3.0 LITER INLINE-6 FOR THE INTERNAL COMBUSTION PORTION OF THE DRIVETRAIN.

AN 83 KILOWATT ELECTRIC MOTOR IS ADDED, FOR A COMBINED OUTPUT OF 389 HORSEPOWER AND 443 POUND-FEET OF TORQUE.

BATTERY CAPACITY DOUBLES IN SIZE TO 24 KILOWATT HOUR, PROVIDING 30 MILES OF EV DRIVING.

GOVERNMENT FUEL ECONOMY RATINGS ARE 20-COMBINED AND 50-COMBINED FOR THE MPGE.

THAT'S A MUCH BETTER THAN AVERAGE ENERGY IMPACT SCORE OF 6.7 BARRELS OF YEARLY OIL USE, WITH JUST 2.9 TONS OF ANNUAL CO2 EMISSIONS.

BUT, THIS IS STILL A BMW, SO PERFORMANCE REMAINS A BIG PART OF THE EQUATION.

THE POWERTRAIN DELIVERS BIG TORQUE OFF THE LINE, AND STANDARD XDRIVE ALL-WHEEL-DRIVE ENSURES ALL OF IT GETS TO THE PAVEMENT FOR A VERY QUICK GETAWAY.

WE HIT 60 IN JUST 4.7 SECONDS.

ALL OF THE BATTERY CELLS AND ASSOCIATED HARDWARE ADD A LOT OF WEIGHT TO THE X5.

BUT, IT STILL HANDLED ITSELF WITH GRACE THROUGH OUR HANDLING COURSE.

STEERING LACKS ROAD FEEL, BUT IS QUICK AND HAS A SPORTY WEIGHT TO IT.

BODY ROLL IS MINIMAL, WITH NO EXCESSIVE OVERSTEER OR UNDERSTEER TO CONTEND WITH.

EVERYTHING INSIDE IS EQUAL PARTS LUXURIOUS AND TECHY, WITH A LONG LIST OF STANDARD EQUIPMENT.

THE XDRIVE45E IS BASICALLY TWO VEHICLES IN ONE, YET, ITS STARTING PRICE, AT $64,695, IS JUST $4,300 OVER THE BASE MODEL, AND FAR FROM THE MOST YOU CAN SPEND ON AN X5.

THE 2021 BMW X5 XDRIVE45E PHEV IS A CAPABLE AND LUXURIOUS FAMILY UTILITY AND AN EASY WAY TO GET A TASTE OF WHAT BATTERY POWER CAN OFFER.

WELL, THAT'S OUR MOTORWEEK EV STATE OF CHARGE SPECIAL, I HOPE YOU ENJOYED IT.

NOW FOR MORE MOTORWEEK; INCLUDING DAILY NEWS UPDATES, PODCASTS, AND EVEN COMPLETE EPISODES, WHY NOT PLUG INTO PBS.ORG/MOTORWEEK.

AND I HOPE YOU'LL JOIN US NEXT TIME, WHEN WE'RE BACK TO INTERNAL COMBUSTION WITH THE NEW GEN HONDA CIVIC SEDAN.

AND HIT THE TRACK IN THE LOTUS EVORA GT.

TIL' THEN I'M JOHN DAVIS.

WE'LL SEE YOU RIGHT HERE ON MOTORWEEK !

Announcer: TO LEARN MORE ABOUT MOTORWEEK , TELEVISION'S ORIGINAL AUTOMOTIVE MAGAZINE, VISIT... MOTORWEEK HAS BEEN BROUGHT TO YOU BY... FOR MORE THAN 30 YEARS LUCAS OIL PRODUCTS HAS HELPED PEOPLE TACKLE MECHANICAL PROBLEMS IN THE AUTOMOTIVE, MARINE, AND INDUSTRIAL FIELDS.

FROM OUR ORIGINAL FOUR CORE PRODUCTS... LUCAS OIL HAS DEVELOPED OVER 400 CUSTOM PRODUCTS TO HELP BOTH PROFESSIONALS AND DO IT YOURSELFERS.

TO LEARN MORE VISIT LUCASOIL.COM.

LUCAS OIL, KEEP THAT ENGINE ALIVE.

YOU'RE SHOPPING FOR TIRES ONLINE AND YOU HAVE QUESTIONS.

"I DO."

WE'RE TIRERACK.COM AND WE HAVE ANSWERS, AND, TOOLS TO HELP.

"LIKE, OUR TIRE DECISION GUIDE.

IT'S, UH, TAKE A LOOK."

"OH!"

FIND, DELIVER, INSTALL.

* Announcer: THIS PROGRAM WAS PRODUCED BY MARYLAND PUBLIC TELEVISION, WHICH IS SOLELY RESPONSIBLE FOR ITS CONTENT.

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