An electric car beloved of green-minded celebrities and promoted as the environmentally friendly alternative for city drivers may be banned after failing a basic crash test carried out by the Department for Transport.

The Government is so concerned by the lack of protection offered by the G-Wiz that it rushed out a statement last night stating that it was urgently seeking a review of the European regulations covering the sale of the cars.

The tiny car, made in Bangalore, India, has enjoyed a recent surge in popularity in London because it is exempt from the congestion charge and parking fees in dozens of car parks.

Several celebrities, including Jonathan Ross, Kristin Scott Thomas and Bamber Gas-coigne, have bought one and have publicly praised its very low emissions and the ease of parking it in the tightest spaces.

A total of 750 are already being driven in London and another 100 are about to be delivered to customers.

Reva, the Indian company which makes the G-Wiz, did not have to carry out the crash tests which are compulsory for cars because its vehicle is technically defined as a quadricycle.

Until the G-Wiz was introduced, most quadricycles were four-wheel motorbikes and were considered a special case which could be exempted from minimum occupant protection standards.

But Reva describes itself as a car company and markets the G-Wiz as a greener alternative to a conventional car.

The DfT decided to buy a G-Wiz and carry out its own crash test after becoming concerned by the rapid growth in sales. It found “serious safety concerns” after crashing a G-Wiz at 35mph into a deform-able barrier, which is the normal test for cars.

Stephen Ladyman, the Transport Minister, said: “The safety regulations that govern this type of vehicle were designed at a time when it was thought they would cover four-wheeled motorcycles and some small, specialised commercial vehicles. Not city runabouts that resemble small cars.

“But, given increasing envi-ronmental concerns, new vehicles that qualify as quadricycles have come to the market and are becoming more popular for urban use. Therefore it is right that we reconsider the regulations for this type of vehicle and whether safety regulations should be made more stringent.

“Now we have the initial findings of our tests we will be taking this up with the European Commission and manufacturers, and will publish more information when the full programme of tests is complete.”

The DfT carried out the test on April 24 and received the preliminary results last Friday. They were so poor that it decided to act immediately rather than wait for a few weeks until the full report was available. The Government has found itself in an awkward position because it has encouraged drivers to switch to low emission cars and has exempted the G-Wiz and other electric vehicles from paying vehicle excise duty.

A DfT spokeswoman said: “We want to help people explore environmentally friendly forms of transport but they must be safe.”

She added that a further crash test would be carried out on another electric car classed as a quadricycle. She refused to name the model.

GoinGreen, the British company which imports the G-Wiz, said it had a very good safety record, with no reported deaths or serious injuries associated with the 2,000 vehicles sold in Britain and India to date.

Keith Johnston, the company’s managing director, said the G-Wiz tended to be driven short distances in cities at low speeds. It is certified to travel on motorways but has a top speed of only 45mph. He added that the review requested by the Government should consider raising the maximum weight for quadricycles to allow safety features to be added. The G-Wiz only just complies with the existing weight limit, which is 400kg without the battery.

“We could add airbags but that would add to the weight,” he said.

Mr Johnston said that Reva had done some simulated crash tests but he did not know the details.

The G-Wiz

— There are more than 750 G-Wiz cars on the road in London and more than 2,000 worldwide. The makers claim that it is the world’s best-selling emission-free vehicle

— It has been on sale in Britain since 2004 but has not been widely advertised because the makers say marketing costs would add to the price of the car

— The starting price is now about £7,000

— GoinGreen, the company that imports the G-Wiz to Britain, says drivers could save up to £8,000 a year in London, due to fuel savings of up to £1,000, exemption from road tax and free or discounted parking

— The car has a top speed of 45mph and a range of about 40 miles

— It can be charged up overnight, costing 30p in electricity each time

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