New-generation electric car hailed

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Drivers looking to move to a vehicle in a cheaper car insurance bracket could do worse than consider a new-generation hybrid car that can be charged from the mains.

The Plug-In-Hybrid-Vehicle (PHV) is being hailed by maker Toyota as an important milestone in the move towards cleaner motor technology.

Previous hybrid vehicles, such as the eponymous Toyota Prius, could not be charged from the grid - the battery was charged as the car drove along.

But the PHV, powered by a combination of a battery and a standard petrol engine, can be charged from a normal domestic electricity supply.

The PHV has a maximum range of six miles in electric mode, after which it switches to standard hybrid mode with the battery charging as the car moves.

The car can be charged either from a standard household electrical point or at specially designed charging posts, 40 of which have already been installed in the UK by EDF Energy.

Car insurance companies are expected to view it favourably where premiums are concerned, and tests on the vehicle will take place over the coming year.

In France, tests suggest that for journeys up to 15 miles its fuel efficiency is around 60% better than that of the standard Prius.

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