Honda has announced that sales of its Integrated Motor Assist (IMA) petrol electric cars have reached more than 100,000 sales since its launch six years ago.

To date, America has been the biggest market for Honda’s clean air vehicles, accounting for almost 90% of Honda’s global hybrid sales: last year the company sold more than 27,000 Insight, Civic and Accord IMAs in America alone.

But Britain has been an important secondary market. Alone the UK accounts for more than half of Honda IMA sales in Europe, with more than 2000 sold in the UK since September 2000.

More Civic IMAs have been sold in Britain than are sold in Japan, where the model is produced.