Despite the strength of some of the competition, the Volvo V60 Plug-In Diesel Hybrid took a clear lead in the poll run by TheGreenCarWebsite.co.uk, collecting more than double the votes-at 30 per cent-than the second place Volt/Ampera.
The new car from Volvo might be exciting news for UK car buyers, but fans will have to be quick as less than 150 examples of the V60 Plug-In Hybrid are expected to arrive here this year.
The Chevrolet Volt/Vauxhall Ampera is another highly anticipated model, coming second in the poll with 11 per cent of the vote. Both models boast the flexibility to drive on battery power alone in suitable conditions with a back-up petrol engine to boost the range to over 300 miles.
With Volvo’s new model taking first place in the survey, the website’s editor, Faye Sunderland explains why she thinks the UK public is so excited by it: “The V60 Plug-In Diesel Hybrid is a car we’ve been buzzing about for the past year, closely following its development into a production-ready model.
“While likely to find homes in the company car sector as a premium priced product, the V60 Plug-In is a no-compromise model which offers luxury, performance and yet emits as little as 49g/km CO2 and achieves up to 134mpg on a combined cycle. It’s green without being mean to human desire.”
Nick Connor, acting managing director for Volvo Car UK, said: "This survey is great news for Volvo as it shows there is a genuine demand for a new type of plug-in vehicle that combines the benefits of electric cars with the long-distance range of a diesel model.
"The V60 Plug-in Diesel Hybrid is a car that you really could use all the time – whether it's with zero tailpipe emissions in electric mode on the daily commute, or using a combination of electric and diesel power for a 500-mile cross-country journey. It's also world-first technology for Volvo so we're delighted to see that the UK's drivers are just as excited about its arrival as we are."
Richardfieldhouse - 02/04/2012 18:44
The plug-in hybrid story always seems to be about jam tomorrow! If your review doesn't include a firm date when the car can actually be bought and driven away, I'd like to hear a detailed explanation of how you trod upon the private parts of the company's PR person in order to try and extract said date... And the best guess that you have been able to get.