EDF Energy and Toyota have teamed up to road trial the first Plug-in Hybrid Vehicle (PHV) introduced by a car manufacturer to the UK. Trials start today and will continue for more than one year.

Toyotas right-hand drive PHV will make its on-the-road debut as part of EDF Energys company fleet and will be tested by employees under every-day driving conditions. The results are expected to play a pivotal role in the development of Toyotas PHV technology, which represents a further improvement on Toyotas hybrid technology, one of the world's most environmentally friendly mass-produced vehicle powertrain technologies.

For those of you who are wondering whats the hype all about , A plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) is a hybrid vehicle with batteries that can be recharged by connecting a plug to an electric power source. It shares the characteristics of both conventional hybrid electric vehicles, having an electric motor and a backup internal combustion engine for power, and of battery electric vehicles, also having a plug to connect to the electric grid.

Most PHEVs on the road today are passenger cars, but there are also PHEV versions of commercial passenger vans, utility trucks, school buses, motorcycles, scooters, and military vehicles. PHEVs are sometimes called grid-connected hybrids, gas-optional hybrids, or GO-HEVs.

Enough talk people , lets get the show on the road!

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