Toyota Prius Plug-In wins 2012 sales battle in UK

The Toyota Prius Plug-in Hybrid was the top selling plug-in hybrid vehicle in the United Kingdom, with 470 sold since being introduced to the market in July 2012. That means the Prius Plug-in Hybrid outsold theVauxhall Ampera plug-in hybrid, Toyota says. The sales lead happened even though the Ampera was launched in the UK market three months earlier than the PHEV Prius. The Ampera is GM's European version of the Chevrolet Volt.

Toyota sold 12,840 hybrid vehicles in the UK, an increase of 15.2 percent over 2011. Adding three models to the lineup – the Yaris Hybrid, seven-seat Prius+ (aka the Prius V) and the Prius Plug-in joined the existing Prius and Auris Hybrid models – helped boost sales. The Auris Hybrid was launched in December and is the latest Toyota model to feature a full hybrid powertrain. It offers fuel economy of 76.3 miles per gallon (based on the UK's fuel economy guidelines) and CO2 emissions of 87 grams per kilometer.

The Auris Hybrid offers fuel economy of 76.3 miles per gallon.

Vaxhall is attempting to build consumer enthusiasm for the Ampera by offering UK residents a 30-day holiday-themed "satisfaction guarantee" on the Ampera. During that time, drivers can return the car with "no questions asked." In March of last year, the Ampera and Volt had won the European Car of the Year Award, but it is taking some time to catch on in the UK.

While the Prius Plug-in surpassed the Ampera in sales last year, the numbers are not much compared to the US market, where the Prius Plug-in is number two behind the Volt in 2012 plug-in vehicle sales. There's no clear direction in the UK market on how to further increase plug-in electric vehicle sales, since the government has burned out on offering incentives.

A study by two UK organizations states that giving consumers their own EV driving experience is the way to go. A report by the Royal Automobile Club Foundation and British Vehicle Rental and Leasing Association says that the best way to put more EVs on British roads is by getting more of them into the rental market.