Mitsubishi says it is enjoying a wave of interest in its Outlander PHEV (plug-in hybrid electric vehicle) ahead of a reduction in the plug-in car grant (PICG) for plug-in hybrids from 1 March.

The Government’s plug-in car grant scheme allows for a nine-month delivery period, which was introduced to allow for car companies’ different lead times. This means vehicles ordered before the end of February 2016 will still qualify for the full £5000 plug-in car grant, even if they are not delivered and paid for until November 2016.

Vehicles order after the end of February will attract a grant of only £2,500. The grant will now continue until at least the end of March 2018.

Toby Marshall, Sales and Marketing Director said: ‘We are having many more enquires than usual, as buyers are looking to order their Outlander PHEV before the grant reduces. Dealers are reporting a huge increase in interest and website traffic is higher than ever ’.

The Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV still leads the market as the UK’s best-selling plug-in vehicle. It has achieved 16,000 sales from launch and accounts for around half of all plug-in car grant applications. The 4×4 SUV combines an all-electric range of up to 32.5 miles, enough for average daily driving distances, with a 2.0-litre petrol engine to deliver a combined driving range in excess of 500 miles.