Mitsubishi Outlander still most common plug-in

The Mitsubishi Outlander plug-in hybrid is still the most common ultra-low carbon car on UK roads, data shows.

Analysis by the RAC Foundation of DVLA data shows that the Mitsubishi Outlander plug-in hybrid remains the most ultra-low carbon car on UK roads.

The data shows that there were 25,447 Outlanders on the road at the end of 2016, which is ahead of the Nissan Leaf at 14,718.

Third came the Mercedes-Benz C350 e (5,890) which pushed the BMW i3 (5,858) down into fourth place in the table. Fifth is the Renault Zoe (4,974).

At the end of 2016, there was a total of 83,169 licensed plug-in car and van grant eligible vehicles in the UK.

Three of the five vehicles with the highest growth in licensed numbers over the quarter were plug-in hybrid, which is believed to be down to the government’s plug-in grant schemes.

It allows car buyers to get a grant of up to £4,500, depending on the model and van buyers a grant of up to £8.000.

Steve Gooding, director of the RAC Foundation, said: “Six years into the plug-in grant scheme and the case for continued pump-priming looks strong if the government really wants to kick-start the market.

“2017 will be critical for the ultra-low emission world as several new models with much-improved range are set to come into the showrooms.”