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Solar panels mean no fuel bill for Roz

LONDON, England - A mum-of-two from Christchurch, England, is enjoying free motoring, thanks to the solar panels on her home also recharging her hybrid car.

Roz Drinkwater (50) doesn’t pay a cent for the electricity she uses during the day, which means she can charge her Mitsubishi Outlander Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV) and drive without having to pay for fuel.

The family-sized SUV has both battery and petrol power but the Outlander PHEV can travel 50km on batteries alone, more than enough to accommodate Roz’s journeys, whether it’s a school run, shopping or visiting local family.

‘NEVER NEED A FUEL STATION’

Roz said: “There’s plenty of battery power to do everything I need to do. I just stick it on charge when I get home and I never need to go to a fuel station. “It’s brilliant, I absolutely love it.

"Even if you take away how economical it is, I would still love the car. It doesn’t feel like you’re driving an electric car, it’s really comfortable.”

The Outlander PHEV, Mitsubishi says, has a claimed overall fuel consumption of 1.9 litres/100km with emissions of 44g/km.

Roz bought the vehicle in July 2014 and says she only filled it up with petrol once since then, for the occasional longer journey. The solar panels on the family home are on a 20-year lease and, as part of the deal, their electricity is free during the daytime.

Roz, who has an 11-year-old son and 15-year-old daughter, said: “I’m literally running it for free. There’s no road tax because of how environmentally friendly it is and I’m not paying for charging it. It’s fantastic.

“It’s the perfect car for me. It’s got great boot space for all the children’s stuff and the dog. It blends the practicality and economy with space and comfort. It's great.”
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