Surrey-based eco-business Naked Energy’s finance director Nick Simmons has taken delivery of the UK’s first V60 Plug-in Hybrid from Volvo dealership Squire Furneaux Leatherhead.

The V60 Plug-in Hybrid electric vehicle was launched in the UK earlier this year with first deliveries to customers now taking place.

Typical of Volvo’s expectations that early adopters will be environmentally conscious and eager to embrace new technologies, Simmons is a founding director of Guildford-based Naked Energy, a British design and innovation business developing its own hybrid solar technology.

Simmons said: "Hybrids make so much sense - the product is simply greater than the sum of the parts. With the V60 PHEV I will enjoy amazing fuel economy and low emissions without sacrificing performance, comfort, practicality or safety. It's great to think that I will be able to power my car from the sun's energy.  I'm really excited to be an early adopter and fully expect electric vehicles to be an increasingly important segment of the worldwide automobile market."

Simmons believes the model reflects the technology and ethos of Naked Energy's own hybrid solar technology. Virtu has been developed to be versatile and cost effective and combines output of electrical and thermal energy which results in a far greater energy density than conventional solar products enabling an increased CO2 per square metre offset than conventional solar products. From the end user’s point of view, the technology provides a faster payback and improved overall return on investment. 

Squire Furneaux Leatherhead business specialist, Matt Edgington, said: “The V60 Plug-In Hybrid is a truly innovative vehicle with ultra low emissions and we are delighted to be the dealership making the first delivery to a customer in the UK. By adopting such vehicles and the kind of technology Naked Energy is developing illustrates how it is becoming far more straightforward to reduce carbon footprint either as an individual or as a company.”