There has been a sharp rise in the sale of hybrid electric cars over the past few months, according to new figures from the Rai motoring organisation.

So far this year almost 18,000 plug-in hybrids have been bought, compared with 5,100 in 2012 as a whole. The rise comes as buyers rush to beat the increase in tax on company electric and hybrid cars next year.

Company cars bought in 2013 will have a zero tax rate for the next five years, but electric cars and hybrids bought in 2014 will be taxed at 4% and 7% respectively.

The most popular is the Mitsubishi Outlander. Demand has been so great, dealers can barely keep up, the Rai organisation said.