London car hire company, Openstart Ltd, has ordered 80 Toyota Prius Plug-in , making them available to private hire operators for the first time through the Public Carriage Office (PCO).
Prius Plug-in has the potential to offer emissions-free driving around the capital, thanks to its 15 mile all-electric driving range.
The lithium-ion battery means a full recharge can be achieved in just an hour and a half, simply by connecting the car to a workplace, home or roadside power supply.
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.
“Prius Plug-in can deliver lower running costs, lower emissions and ease of use in the urban environment. And unlike all-electric vehicles it’s a ‘best-of-both-worlds’ proposition, as the hybrid petrol engine is automatically engaged should energy levels be depleted, or extra power be needed.”
Openstart has already taken delivery of 50 of its new Prius Plug-in, joining a fleet that has already added more than 60 standard Prius and Prius+ cars this year. All of its new vehicles are being supplied with a charging cable that will allow connection to the majority of public charging points across London.
Toyota
