Modified green rally car 'banned for being too fast'

A modified rally car that has been described as the greenest ever has been disqualified from the Formula 1000 rally championship for being too fast.

An Oaktec team from Lancaster has been developing the low-emission vehicle over the last six years using a Honda Insight as its base, creating a petrol-electric hybrid that can run for more than 100 miles per gallon.

The performance of the finished vehicle has been so high that it has stormed into a 19-point lead after only three rallies, prompting other competitors to complain that it has an unfair advantage.

Organisers of the event have now persuaded the team to withdraw the vehicle from this class and look to compete in a higher category.

Oaktec boss Paul Andrews said: "I think our project has made people realise that there is a real future for genuinely green technologies in motorsport and other leisure activities."

Earlier this week, a poll by Elektromotive revealed that two-thirds of UK motorists would be more likely to buy an environmentally-friendly electric car if more charging points were installed across Britain.

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