Regulators have left carmakers little choice but to embrace plug-in-hybrid technology: In Europe, for example, ultra-aggressive fuel-consumption standards, coupled with testing methods heavily favoring plug-ins, give such models a big advantage. In China, they're favored by legislation at both the municipal and national levels. Here in the U.S., CAFE requirements, environmental concerns, and more are putting pressure on manufacturers to pursue alternatives to conventional powertrains. Sales of reasonably priced plug-ins have begun to increase globally-especially in China-but sales of premium hybrids typically have been abysmal. Witness BMW's struggles with its ActiveHybrid line of vehicles, most of which have been discontinued. READ MORE ››
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