It’s the first time a leasing company has trialled the new model, and follows a pan-European deal with Toyota aimed at raising the profile of the plug-in hybrid prior to its launch. LeasePlan’s clients in Italy, Germany, Switzerland, and the Netherlands are being offered similar opportunities to drive the vehicle.

In the UK, the car will be used in a one-week internal trial before being made available to clients on a two-week basis. It also marks the next step in LeasePlan’s EV trials – last year it was the first to launch the Nissan LEAF in a Europe-wide demonstration programme, delivering the first vehicle to health and well-being company Philips in August 2011.

David Brennan, managing director of LeasePlan UK said: ‘We believe it is important for our team to gain first-hand experience of new green vehicles to ensure we can deliver the best advice to our customers.

‘We have enjoyed a longstanding partnership with Toyota, and we are all excited to see what this innovative new model can bring to the table. This trial will represent another step in delivering the best possible value and innovation to our clients across the UK.’