CITROEN C5 AIRCROSS

Hybrid technology isn't new, but it has been improved over the years, thankfully

- Pete Gibson

SOME would argue that the Sinclair C5 was ahead of its time. But Sir Clive Sinclair's shoe-shaped, part battery/part pedal-powered trike never caught on with the public, and it's now a transport curiosity. That's not something you can say about SUVs, as represented here by the Sinclair's namesake, the Citroen C5 Aircross. But is a name all they have in common?

Well there is another piece of common ground-they're both hybrids. Okay, so the Sinclair C5's mix of 12-volt car battery and leg muscles probably didn't help its cause, but the Citroen's combined petrol and electric power sources mean it's a small step towards electrification for those - including me - who still aren't best suited to EVs.