Toyota's Prius Plug-in hybrid, which offers an electric-only range of more than 30 miles, has gone on sale with a starting price of £29,195 .

The electric-only range of the new generation model is more than double that of its predecessor, and Toyota says this has been achieved through a number of new technologies including a dual motor EV drive system and a battery warming system.

It also features a larger, higher capacity lithium-ion hybrid battery, as well as an EV range-extending solar roof and gas-injection heat pump air conditioning.

The Prius Plug-in is available in the UK in two specifications – Business Edition Plus and Excel.

Toyota Safety Sense will be standard on both versions, including the pre-collision system with pedestrian detection, lane departure alert with steering control, adaptive cruise control and road sign assist.

Additional safety features include a blind spot monitor and rear cross traffic alert.

Comfort and convenience items include dual-zone automatic air conditioning, rear passenger footwell heating and smart entry and start.

The Business Edition Plus specification includes the Toyota Touch 2 with Go touchscreen multimedia and navigation system, heated, auto-dimming door mirrors with an automatic retracting function, rear view camera, dusk-sensing LED headlights, colour head-up display, Bluetooth, six-speaker audio with DAB reception and heated front seats.

The solar roof system can be specified as an option for the Business Edition Plus model.

Excel models extend the specification with rain-sensing wipers, Simple Intelligent Park Assist and front and rear parking sensors, a 10-speaker JBL premium audio system, voice recognition control for the Toyota Touch 2 multimedia and navigation system and leather upholstery.

The new Prius Plug-in costs £29,195 for the Business Edition Plus model (£30,695 with the solar roof option) and £31,395 for the Excel including the Government plug-in vehicle grant.

Deliveries of the model will begin from March 1.