despite the rather clunky acronym, mitsubishi's outlander phev has been a runaway success on the quiet though not cheap, at up to £40,000, they're selling like hot cakes — largely as a company car because of the massive tax advantages now there's good news for those whose budgets can't stretch to one, because there's to be a smaller, mid size sibling the prototype xr phev (plug in electric vehicle) ii is a compact, lightweight suv powered by a new hybrid electric system clearly aimed at top selling nissan qashqai country, expect prices either side of £20,000 when the production model hits the market in a couple of years' time mitsubishi's xr phev (plug in electric vehicle) ii (pictured) will cost up to £40,000 (prototype pictured) mitsubishi says of its baby phev: 'the system is estimated to achieve very low co2 emissions of below 40g/km while also delivering gutsy and smooth performance with its 163bhp electric motor' it adds that it is developing plug in electric hybrid systems best suited to each model in its line up with a view to introducing them in the near future the outlander phev can be charged overnight at home, run on electric only power or operate in hybrid mode, switching automatically between petrol and electric power, depending on which is most efficient it continues to charge itself as it runs on fossil fuel the result is great fuel economy and low co2 emissions but its real benefit — and one secret of its success — is on the tax front it would be chancellor george osborne's worst nightmare if everybody had one, as his tax take would plummet here's why: bought outright privately, the outlander phev costs £28,249 to £39,999, which includes a taxpayer subsidy of £5,000 but company car drivers can look forward to an increase in their pay packet equal to an average of more than £4,000 every year, says mitsubishi its twolitre petrol engine linked to two high efficiency electric motors gives a combined range of 510 miles, of which 325 miles can be in pure electric mode average co2 emissions are a tiny 44g/km and combined fuel efficiency is 148 mpg but here's the rub, get one as a company car and you pay just 5 per cent 'benefit in kind' tax, compared to the 25 per cent that most business users pay so, for example, a 40 per cent taxpayer with an outlander phev gx4h with a p11d taxable benefits value of £37,899 will pay just £758 in company car tax that compares to £4,301 for a honda crv ec 22 i dtec auto costing £33,605, which is taxed at 32 per cent of its p11d value that's equivalent to a tax saving of £3,543 over a year or £10,730 over three the new prototype's big brother is the mitsubishi outlander phev (pictured) plus, its low co2 emissions mean you are exempt from road tax — and in london, the congestion charge, too there's a benefit for firms, too, notes mitsubishi: 'a company purchasing an outlander phev is able to write down 100 per cent of the cost of the car against its profits chargeable for corporation tax in year one 'this is compared to a traditional company vehicle where a maximum of 18 per cent per annum of the cost is allowable to write down against the profits chargeable for corporation tax 'this means any business with even a small fleet could save tens of thousands of pounds in corporation tax in the first year' less than a year on from its uk launch last april, mitsubishi has sold more than 10,000 outlander phevs it's overtaken every other plug in hybrid and pure electric car, even passing vehicles that have been on sale since 2011, such as the nissan leaf, to become the uk's favourite plug in vehicle, says mitsubishi its uk managing director lance bradley adds: 'this is a satisfying achievement, but more significantly indicates this newly developing market is beginning to decide which electric vehicle technology delivers the right balance of low emissions, value, economy and practicality' seat's 20v20 crossover concept car is pictured at the 85th international motor show in geneva 2015  seat has also jumped on to the growing sports utility bandwagon with a sporty off roader shown at geneva the company, part of german giant volkswagen group, is understood to be planning three crossover or suv style vehicles — with at least one gunning for nissan's qashqai — dubbed the cash cow for the profits it's earned for nissan seat's chief executive juergen stackmann said: 'this is the first step in a family of suvs the car is a lighthouse for our brand' expect this look to carry through on models launched from 2016 to 2020 you don't have to be a member to attend this year's 73rd members' meeting at goodwood next weekend, where drivers including take that's howard donald, pink floyd drummer nick mason and singer songwriter chris rea of road to hell fame will be racing for the first time the earl of march is opening the event to non members the biggest party ever held at goodwood is also promised the aim is to recreate the excitement of the british automobile racing club (barc) held at goodwood from 1949 to 1966 details: goodwoodcom/tickets 
mitsubishi xr phev ii 44g/km phev
mitsubishi's prototype xr phev ii is a compact, lightweight, hybrid suv . co2 emissions are just 44g/km and combined fuel efficiency is 148 mpg . the outlander phev can be charged overnight at home . the model can switch automatically between petrol and electric power 