Hybrid cars in Britain

The Japanese created hybrid cars, Americans and Europeans have been buying them, and now Britain becomes the first country in Europe to manufacture hybrids. In the photo above (defencetalk) the defence and support services company VT Group, supplied 55 Toyota Prius hybrid cars to the UK Ministry of Defence this May, to help in reducing CO2 emissions.

The UK is the first European country the Japanese car giant Toyota has chosen for hybrid production, and only the third outside Japan. Toyota makes nearly all its petrol/electric hybrids in Japan, with small numbers produced in China and America. The best known of these cars is the Prius, but the hybrid car to be built at Toyota's Burnaston plant near Derby, will be the Auris.

The Auris hatchback hybrid will be smaller and lighter than the Prius, and will cost less, but will have the same 1.8litre petrol engine and electric motor. Burnaston makes the Auris and the larger Avensis in their entirety, using engines built at Deeside, North Wales, but the hybrid’s drive system (engine, motor, batteries and electronics) will be imported from Japan. This Auris will not be a plug-in hybrid.

The British government will assist the manufacture of these hybrid cars with financial aids and grant.

Emma Watson drives a hybrid Prius

Hybrid car sales have been boosted by celebrity endorsements; and in Britain famous hybrid owners include Prince Charles, Thandie Newton, Ewan McGregor, and Harvey Goldsmith. The latest British celebrity to buy herself a Prius is the gorgeous Emma Watson:



Having turned 18 and passing her driving test early this year, the all grown up Emma Watson told the Daily Telegraph, "I’ve got my driving licence and bought myself a car, a grey Toyota Prius. And now I can drink alcohol! I feel more free to to do what I want to do, and I suppose that I have to be more responsible for myself. That’s a big change." Drink alcohol? Wasn't Emma Watson drinking alcohol since she was like 15.....just hope she doesn't go hardcore and just sticks with beer, wine, or Pimms!