Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin test-drove Russia’s new Yo-mobile hybrid car on a ten kilometer route from his residence to President Medvedev’s country house outside Moscow on Friday.
Putin praised the Yo-mobile project and hailed it as an example to the government’s innovation commission. He said the co-owner of the project – the Onexim Group – had done the right thing by investing in a new technology product.
Yo-mobile is to be produced in three modifications – hatchback, van and cross coupe. It will eat 3.5 liters per 100 kilometers and have a maximum speed of 130 km per hour. The new car will cost 450,000 rubles (almost $16,000) and come on the production line in July-August 2012.