10 Of The Most Exciting Upcoming Plug-In Hybrids

It's a well-kept secret that the automotive industry is well underway with electrifying its entire fleet of cars. Sarcasm aside, we're constantly told that we'll only be driving cars powered by electrons in a decade or so. As recent events have shown us, however, a lot of consumers don't really want to do that.

The saving grace for the proposed immediate transition to electric cars is plug-in hybrids. They can travel short distances on electricity alone, but when needed, they have a gas engine to fill in the gaps. That's one side of the plug-in hybrid coin, but there's another, far more exciting side.

Plug-in hybrids can also be very exciting, thanks to their ability to call for backup from the electric motors, resulting in incredible performance. On the performance side, there are tons of upcoming plug-in hybrids to get excited about. Fire-breathing engines paired with the cutting edge of motor and battery tech have produced some truly exciting performance cars.

First introduced in 1988, the BMW M5 has become the ultimate expression of the performance sedan. Over the years, it has gotten bigger, received everything from six-cylinders to V10s to various V8s, and even started driving all four of its wheels rather than just the rears. Now, the looming prophecy has become a reality: the M5 has gone plug-in hybrid.

BMW recently revealed the latest generation M5, which is obviously based on the latest G60 5 Series. Going by the codename G90, the new M5 gets far more aggressive styling, which includes painting over the odd black details on the lower part of the bodywork. The aggressive aero pairs very well with the bold new paint schemes.

Then, there's the powertrain. The G90 M5 is still AWD and uses a 4.4-liter twin-turbo V8, but there's now an electric motor that results in a massive total output of 717 hp. There's also 25 miles of EV range, so everything balances out. Unfortunately, all of the new hardware means the new M5 weighs a little more than most small countries, but there's no doubt BMW's engineers will do everything necessary to hide that weight figure behind the wheel.

While it seems like it was introduced yesterday, the Lamborghini Huracán was introduced a decade ago in 2014. Powered by a souped-up version of the famous Lambo V10, the Huracán went on to become one of a few cars synonymous with the term "supercar."

The Huracán's time is coming to an end, as the replacement looms over the horizon. The demise of the Huracán also signals the dеmise of the V10 engine, but the replacement promises something very exciting. All but confirmed to be called the Temerario, Lambo's baby supercar will switch to a plug-in hybrid V8.

Justifiably, it was originally believed that the V8 in question would be the 4.0-liter twin-turbo item that powers most of VAG's most luxurious cars. Lamborghini recently confirmed, however, that the Temerario's V8 is completely bespoke, with a sky-high redline of 10,000 rpm and capable of over 900 hp. The V10 may be gone, but the days of ultra-high-revving Lambos definitely aren't numbered.

The name does sound a little like an oxymoron, but the upcoming Audi A5 will take the A4's place in the Ingolstadt automaker's lineup after the decision to make upcoming EV models wear even numbers on the back. With this new decision, the A5 will get an Avant wagon version, and an RS5 Avant follows close behind.

As a refresher, the current Audi RS4 Avant and the excellent RS5 siblings use a 2.9-liter turbocharged V6 engine. The upcoming RS5 Avant is poised to use a version of this exact engine, but it will include some type of hybrid component. Audi hasn't confirmed any sort of power figure at the time of press, but it'll definitely be more than the 444 hp that the current RS4 and RS5 are pushing. Audi is certainly pushing for an output over 500, to match, or maybe even best, the new BMW M3 Touring.

Not much else is known about the RS5 Avant, except that it might just be the last combustion-powered Audi compact sports sedan. Audi certainly knows how to do plug-in hybrids, so it'll be interesting to see how the new RS5 shakes up the world of fast wagons.

Shortly after its debut in 2018, Lamborghini's first-ever SUV became its best-selling model, and it's easy to see why. Almost all the things everyone loves about Lamborghini in a bigger, more practical, albeit quite garish package. Even though the Urus shares a lot of DNA with everything from the ultra-opulent Bentley Bentayga to the relatively humble Volkswagen Touareg, it successfully manages to be the Lambo of SUVs.

After a few years on the market, the regular V8-powered Urus is no longer available, though its effective replacement has a lot to brag about. The new Urus SE, which brings back a badge we last saw on the Gallardo some 20 years ago, adds electrification to the twin-turbo V8, along with updated styling and dynamics.

The 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 under the hood remains pretty much the same, but with the hybrid component, it's capable of pushing 789 hp. That's 139 more than the outgoing Urus, and Lambo claims the SE can reach 60 mph in a ridiculous 3.1 seconds. It can also cover a respectable 37 miles on electric power alone. The Urus SE and the upcoming Temerario will round off Lamborghini's lineup electrification, which was started by the Revuelto.

Since Volkswagen acquired Bentley in 1998, Crewe's cars have stood out for several reasons, one of them being the unique W12 engine. Engineered by Volkswagen, the W12 is essentially what happens when you fuse two VR6 engines together, but there's so much more to it than just that. Since then, the W12 has powered every Bentley model, beginning with the Continental GT.

Unfortunately, the W12 is no longer with us, but Bentley has devised a suitable stand-in for the latest Continental GT. This is the first major facelift for the Continental GT since the third generation's introduction for MY2018, and it marks the first time you can't get the flagship grand tourer with pure ICE power, as the twin-turbo V8 under the hood is now electrified.

Yes, the Continental GT retains the V8 despite the Flying Spur using a V6 in its hybrid version. With 771 hp on tap, the hybrid Continental GT Speed is the most powerful Bentley in history, beating the previous Continental V8 by almost 200 hp. Despite losing four cylinders, Bentley claims the Continental GT Speed can still do 208 mph. The hybrid component has undoubtedly added some weight, but being featherweight has never been the goal of the Continental GT.

The standard Mercedes-AMG GT 63 has 577 hp from its 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8, which is plenty for most people. Clearly, someone at the board meeting at AMG thought it wasn't quite enough, which is why the GT 63 E Performance now exists. In addition to having a mouthful of a name, the GT 63 E Performance seems like quite a handful in terms of performance.

As the name implies, the GT 63 is a plug-in hybrid but doesn't use a four-cylinder engine like the failing C63 E Performance. Instead, the hybrid component is affixed to the regular 4.0-liter V8, which results in an almost comical 805 hp. Thanks to standard AWD, the GT 63 can reach 60 mph in 2.7 seconds, according to AMG.

AMG will be quick to point out that that's faster than its own AMG One hypercar (via Carscoops). You know, the one that uses a literal F1 car powertrain? That one. The much cheaper and less exclusive GT 63 E Performance can outaccelerate the AMG One. If there was ever an embodiment of the excessive current horsepower war, this would be it. Still, for what it's worth, the GT 63 E Performance's numbers are very impressive.

The Bugatti Chiron was one of the ultimate forms of the hypercar. No expenses were spared, and no frontiers of engineering and technology remained unexplored. Mate Rimac, the man behind those really fast electric hypercars that you might have heard of, had something to say about that. The new Tourbillon, the first Bugatti to be fully designed by Bugatti Rimac with no involvement from VAG, is a whole other level of insane.

When the Chiron was nearing the end of its life, everyone assumed the worst: the successor would have to have a smaller engine. In reality, the only thing the engine in the Tourbillon lost was the W, which instead became a V. The Tourbillon is powered by a hybrid V16 engine that makes over 1,800 hp. It also has a wild steering wheel borrowed right from a Citroën from the early 2000s.

A bespoke V16 and three electric motors is plenty, and according to Bugatti, the Tourbillon can reach 60 mph in as little as two seconds. Not 2.5 or 2.7, just two seconds. The non-existent Tesla Roadster now definitely has something to worry about. As we've already seen, the most impressive thing about the Tourbillon will undoubtedly be the attention to detail, and we can trust Bugatti and Rimac's engineers to put together a hypercar that will work as well as the watches that it's named after.

Despite the continued belief that a four-cylinder plug-in hybrid would do the same numbers as a turbo V8, Mercedes knows that other members of its lineup deserve better. Shortly after the reveal of the latest E-Class in 2023, Mercedes showed off the first AMG version, aptly named the E53 Hybrid.

The latest E53, like the previous one, pairs a 3.0-liter turbocharged six-cylinder engine with an electric motor wedged in the transmission. The total output is 577 hp, but it can go up to 604 hp with the Race Start function, which matches that of the previous E63 AMG. This is a very impressive figure for "only" a six-cylinder.

Unlike many of its contemporaries and ancestors, the new E-Class isn't limited to the magic number of 155 mph, as it can do 174 mph. There's a purely electric mode that can go up to 87 mph, natch. Having a six-cylinder engine means significant points in the audio department, and the new E53 Hybrid has the potential to stir the soul much more than Mercedes' four-cylinder hybrids.

While Pagani and Ferrari represent the soul of the supercar and hypercar, Koenigsegg represents both the soul and the brains of the hypercar. With every new model it launches, Koenigsegg and the man behind it continually push every conceivable engineering limit, leaving everyone wondering why no one thought of that. Nowhere is this clearer than in the automaker's first four-seater, the Gemera.

Koenigsegg showed off the Gemera in prototype form back in 2020, powered by a hybrid three-cylinder engine with 2,000 hp, which would drive all four wheels through the Koenigsegg Direct Drive gearbox previously seen on the Regera. When the production Gemera finally broke cover in 2023, it was still a plug-in hybrid, but the powertrain specs changed a little.

Thanks to the design of the new Koenigsegg Light Speed Tourbillon Transmission, room in the rear was freed up for a V8. As a result, the Gemera and its new 5.0-liter V8, with the two turbochargers nestled within the V, make a ridiculous 2,300 hp. The electric motor by itself makes 800 hp, which is crazy enough on its own. And remember, the Gemera is a luxury four-seater, and it apparently has self-park functionalities. We sincerely hope that Koenigsegg never stops pushing the envelope with technology and engineering because it has led to incredible achievements like this.

McLaren showed everyone what it's capable of when it came to plug-in hybrids with the P1 back in 2013. A larger subset of McLaren customers can now enjoy the automaker's plug-in hybrid expertise with the new Artura. Featuring the automaker's first-ever V6 in a production model and being the first series production hybrid from Woking, the Artura has plenty of potential and plenty to live up to.

A turbo V6, on the face of it, may not sound all that exciting, but the new powertrain is perfectly balanced thanks to the 120-degree cylinder head angle, and it can rev to over 8,500 RPM. That sounds like a treat for the senses, and for those who enjoy the singing abilities of the Artura, McLaren now offers the Spider.

Obviously, it's an Artura with a folding roof, so drivers can enjoy the wind in their hair and many more of the sounds of a 690 hp hybrid V6 that revs to 8,500 RPM. The Artura is already a very pretty car, but the Spider and its open roof definitely grab the eye's attention as well. If the regular Artura is anything to go by, the Spider should be a complete thrill ride, possibly even more so than the hardtop counterpart.