Car leasing news: Toyota announces European trials of new EV

Car leasing customers may catch a glimpse of one of Toyota's new electric vehicles (EVs) on the roads from next year.

The automaker has announced that it will undertake trials of its iQ EV in Europe from 2011, with the intention of assessing its potential in various markets, including Japan and China.

However, Toyota is concentrating on developing its hybrid models, with 11 such vehicles set to be launched by the company in 2012.

This will include the Prius plug-in hybrid which can currently be seen on the streets of London as part of a demonstration programme for the new car.

The manufacturer also announced its intention to bring a hydrogen fuel cell saloon model to the market by approximately 2015.

But carmakers all over the world may need to do more to convince motorists and car leasing customers to opt for green models.

According to a recent survey from Bosch, only five per cent of drivers would be influenced by the environmental credentials of a vehicle when buying a new car, although 69 per cent of those surveyed claimed to "do their best for the environment".