The C5 Aircross Hybrid is Citroën’s first plug-in hybrid

Citroën has hybrids already, as well as a battery electric van, but this is the first time it’s done a hybrid that you plug in. You fill it up with petrol in the normal way but also connect it to a domestic supply at home or work, or use one of the public fast-chargers now starting to appear.

A plug-in hybrid (PHEV) is different from a regular hybrid in being able to go short distances on electric power alone; in the new Citroën’s case, its silent, emissions-free electric mode can take it up to 31 miles.

That’s on top of the regular range provided by its 178bhp petrol engine. With another 45bhp from the electric motor, a total of 320Nm of torque and an eight-speed automatic transmission, Citroën says its new technology flagship offers a “high-end” driving experience.

In other ways the C5 Aircross is familiar, an SUV (“silent urban vehicle”, as the company interprets it) that has already struck a chord with buyers for its emphasis on comfort and modular practicality. It features three individual sliding, tilting and foldable rear seats, and what the company claims is best-in-class load space.

The C5 Aircross was a major factor in Citroën being one of the few brands in the UK to increase sales in 2019 – up 2.4 per cent in a market down overall by the same amount. The model’s debut as a plug-in hybrid taps into a booming market for electrified models in the UK in 2019, though by far the biggest rise – up 144 per cent ­– was for purely battery-powered cars.

They are expected to continue their rise in 2020 – despite the government’s electric car grant coming to an end in March – and Citroën has some battery cars coming as well as the hybrids. Alongside the new C5 Aircross Hybrid, the firm showed off some of the concepts it continues to work on – including the Ami One city car. It’s a tiny two-seat battery powered machine… and rather more appealing to look at than the last Ami!