petrol-electric

He added that a diesel engine tends to be more reliable and cheaper to repair than petrol-electric hybrid powertrain.

Petrol-electric hybrids are not the only alternative to all-battery cars.

There's also a chance that VW may build an SUV model, as well as a petrol-electric hybrid version and all-electric model.

Instead, Toyota, a Japanese company, has made itself the market leader, with its fuel-sipping petrol-electric hybrid, the Prius.

however, VW will launch several other versions including a petrol-electric hybrid, MPV model and possibly even a sporty cabrio.

So what next, a hybrid petrol-electric version of the most macho of luxury SUVs, the Range Rover?

Toyota picked nickel-metal-hydride batteries for the new hybrid petrol-electric car it launched in 1997, the Prius.

The sharpest rises will apply to petrol-electric hybrids, including the Prius, which are in demand because of surging fuel costs.

JPMorgan analysts expect cheaper petrol-electric hybrids to account for 13 per cent of sales by 2020.

In return, the Japanese group hoped to gain access to expensive VW technology such as petrol-electric hybrid drives.

Carmakers are now racing to build petrol-electric hybrid vehicles, and these are widely seen as steps on the way to all-electric ones.

The car will be offered with a 3. 7L V6, a 3. 0L V6 turbodiesel and a hybrid petrol-electric version.

To the end of November of last year, SUV sales were up 41% from the end of 2009, while sales of petrol-electric hybrids were down slightly.