The very first rechargeable diesel hybrid is the UK’s most highly anticipated new green car for 2012, according to a new survey.
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 ground-breaking 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. Sadly, the car will be limited to just 1,000 models for its first year with just a fraction of that first production run coming to the UK, arriving from November this year.
While other diesel hybrids will have started to arrive in the UK before the V60, including the Citroen DS5 (which came third in the poll with 10 per cent* of the vote), what makes the V60 Plug-In special is its rechargeable nature, the first car to combine a diesel engine with the function to top up the battery for increased electric range. The only plug-in hybrid to beat it to the market will be the petrol-driven Toyota Prius Plug-In (in seventh place), which arrives this summer. What’s more, Volvo is promoting the car as ‘three in one’ and calling the model its ‘most technically advanced model’ ever thanks to its unique combined qualities as a car that can operate on electricity alone, as a hybrid or as a four wheel-drive vehicle.
2012 is set to be an exciting year for ‘green cars’ with many new hybrids, full battery electric and super fuel-efficient petrol and diesel cars set to arrive over the coming months. The Chevrolet Volt/Vauxhall Ampera is another highly anticipated model, coming second in the poll with 11 per cent of the vote. Although essentially the same car, the Volt will arrive in the UK ahead of its Vauxhall-badged cousin. 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.”
