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California adapts ZEV mandate with PHEVs for smaller automakers

California is the nation's largest market for zero-emissions vehicles with over 100,000 of them estimated to be on the roads there. The state's goal is to keep that number growing every year. To that end, the California Air Resources Board is now tweaking its rules in a way that might not boost ZEVs but could mean more plug-in hybrids for the Golden State. Jaguar Land Rover, Mazda, Mitsubishi, Subaru, and Volvo asked for an exemption to the state's zero-emissions vehicle mandate last year due to their relatively small development budgets compared to larger automakers. CARB denied their request but did craft a compromise, according to Automotive News. Rather than being required to offer a ZEV in the state, companies with an annual global revenue of less than $40 billion, like those in this group, may instead sell plug-in hybrids to earn ZEV credits. The companies aren't completely off the hook, though. If these plug-in hybrids don't earn enough credits, the corporations must buy them on the market to make up the difference. Automakers with popular electric models like Nissan and Tesla have made a big business through this trading system by selling their surplus to rivals. Tesla alone pocketed $51 million in the first quarter from this part of its business, according to Automotive News. The changes to the regulations also aren't set in stone, yet. CARB is meeting in 2016 and could adjust things further at that time. Related Video: News Source: Automotive News - sub. req. via Hybrid CarsImage Credit: Justin Sullivan / Getty Images Government/Legal Green Jaguar Land Rover Mazda Mitsubishi Subaru Volvo Emissions Electric Hybrid California zev credits zero emissions vehicle

Watch the Jaguar I-Pace live reveal

The day has finally come for the Jaguar I-Pace electric crossover to be revealed, and you can watch as the sheet is pulled off the company's first full EV. The reveal starts at 1:00 p.m. ET, and can be viewed in the embedded video above. The I-Pace was first revealed in concept form in Nov. 2016. Jaguar claimed it had a range of 220 miles, 400 horsepower, and 516 pound-feet of torque. Jaguar has also promised very fast charging at 100kW DC chargers. Apparently it can regain 80% of its charge in 45 minutes at such a charger. Jaguar has claimed this charging capability for the production model, but we have yet to see if the power and range numbers held up. Jaguar will also run a one-make I-Pace race series alongside Formula E. We'll see if any further announcements are made about the racing version of the car and the series. Related Video:

2020 Jaguar XE updated inside and out, diesel engine dropped

For the 2020 Jaguar XE sports sedan, less is more, at least in terms of powertrain offerings and trim levels. But the new, slimmer lineup adopts additional tech features, and the model also sees design tweaks inside and out. The diesel engine and the 3.0-liter V6 have been axed. The 247-horsepower 2.0-liter turbocharged Ingenium inline-four is the base engine. It's mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission and can be had with rear-wheel drive or all-wheel drive. This base engine's new model designation is P250, versus 25t previously. The step-up engine is the 296-hp version of the Ingenium 2.0-liter. Cars so equipped wear a new P300 badge, in place of the previous 30t. All-wheel drive is now standard with the 296-hp engine, and Jaguar claims a zero-to-60-mph time of 5.4 seconds for this powertrain. The exterior design tweaks include new bumpers front and rear, a reshaped rear valence, as well as new LED headlights and taillights. A wider grille with lattice mesh is supposed to draw the XE closer visually to the I-Pace EV. The previous thicket of trim levels — Premium, Prestige, R-Sport, S, Portfolio, and Landmark — have been pruned to just two: S and R-Dynamic S. Newly available is Jaguar Land Rover's InControl Touch Pro Duo infotainment system, which uses a second screen for climate control, flanked by two large knobs that can operate different functions (temperature, fan speed, and seat heating/cooling). The new rearview camera mirror eliminates blind spots, and wireless device charging has been added to the center console. Jaguar also has ditched the rotary shifter in favor of pistol-type shifter found in the F-Type and elsewhere, while surrounding it with a variety of controls, including a flipper switch to toggle among the car's different drive modes. A beefier steering wheel includes capacitive-touch switches. Newly designed seats, with standard leather, are claimed to be more comfortable, while redesigned door panels incorporate wider, softer armrests as well as increased storage capability. Base pricing climbs from $37,990 for the old rear-wheel-drive 20t to $40,895 (including destination) for the new P250. The AWD P250 is $42,894, while the P300 is $47,290. The 2020 Jaguar XE is on sale now. Related Video: