Britain's Hybrid Car Sales Soar

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Tue, 23 Oct 2007

The sale of Hybrid cars in Britain is rising significantly, making the UK one of the top five markets for hybrid car sales in the world, a new study has revealed.

Last year’s sales of hybrid vehicles, such as the Toyota Prius, grew by roughly 23 per cent in the UK and by a similar margin in other developed markets such as America and Japan, according to the study carried out by consultants Frost and Sullivan.

One of the main factors behind the rapid rise in UK hybrid sales is the introduction of the London congestion charge, which has resulted in commuters in the capital saving an average of £1,600 a year.

The report predicts that the Asia Pacific countries should soon experience a similar uplift in sales, ensuring that the global growth of the hybrid market will gather speed over the next five years.

The study also found that growth in the petrol/electric market had "significantly exceeded" sales forecasts.

The market has achieved six consecutive years of growth since 2000 without recording a single decrease in the growth rate .