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Los Angeles - Toyota Debuted today the Toyota RAV-4 Prime, a plug-in version of their RAV-4 hybrid. The RAV-4 Prime ups the ante with a big bump to the horsepower figure, 302 horses combined between the gasoline engine and electric motors. The gives the RAV-4 Prime a projected 0-60 of 5.8 seconds, the second fastest 0-60 in the Toyota lineup, while also delivering 90 MPGe. The RAV-4 Prime is capable of driving up to 39 miles in EV mode, making it the highest range PHEV SUV on the market. In building the Prime, Toyota added a new higher capacity lithium-ion battery and a booster converter. That, combined with more powerful motor/generators give the electric side of the hybrid system an 83 horsepower boost. The engine is a variant of the 2.5 liter Atkinson-cycle gasoline unit found in the standard RAV-4 Hybrid and it produces the same 176 horsepower. The larger battery is mounted under the floor so there is no compromise on interior space and it adds to a level of stability by giving the RAV-4 Prime a lower center of gravity. RAV-4 Prime's electric on-demand all-wheel drive system is the same setup as found in the RAV-4. Rear mounted electric motors power the rear wheels on demand, including heavy acceleration situations. The AWD system also works to reduce understeer during cornering for better handling performance. Starting with the 2020 model year, every Toyota Hybrid Battery Warranty has been increased from 8 years or 100,000 miles to 10 years from original date of first use, or 150,000 miles, whichever comes first. Available in SE and XSE grades, the RAV-4 Prime will be available mid-summer 2020 as a 2021 model year.

Los Angeles - Volkswagen has rolled out the 7th vehicle on the MEB platform at the Los Angeles Auto Show. Known as the ID. Space Vizzion, it is an all-electric wagon concept that previews a potential production vehicle for North America and Europe. It has a super efficient drag coefficient of 0.24 and carries and 82 kWh battery for a range of up to 300 miles. The concept car is powered by a 275-horsepower motor mounted in the rear. A second motor could me mounted up front giving a total system output of 365 hp and all-wheel drive. Inside, the ID Space Vizzion is chock full of modern touches such as an augmented reality heads up display, new "AppleSkin" material is used in the seats and doors. The color spectrum of the infotainment system also changes according to the selected background lighting color. If the ID. SPACE VIZZION detects a stressful situation, such as rush hour traffic jams, the system suggests switching to a relaxation mode in which a calming ambient lighting shade is activated. No word yet on when and if the ID. Space Vizzion is coming to market, but with the expansion of Chattanooga already underway to build the ID cars, the ID Space Vizzion's production counterpart could be here sooner rather than later.