Private hire company Openstart has ordered 80 Toyota Prius Plug-in models, making them available to private hire operators for the first time through the Public Carriage Office (PCO).

Openstart has already taken delivery of 50 of the vehicles, which can achieve around 15 miles in EV mode. They join a fleet that has added more than 60 standard Prius and Prius+ cars this year.

Hamid Tehrani, Openstart’s owner and managing director, said: “We have always been pioneers of new technology in the PCO, right from when we first introduced automatic transmission to our fleet, something that’s gone on to become a default feature.

“We are delighted now to be including Prius Plug-in, introducing our customers to the great benefits of Toyota’s simple, reliable, low emissions plug-in hybrid system.”

Stuart Ferma, Toyota’s national fleet sales manager, said: “Our hybrid Prius and seven-seat Prius+ are proven favourites as private hire vehicles and we’re delighted that we are able to help Openstart develop the potential of Prius Plug-in as another strong proposition through the PCO."