To paraphrase an old anti-drug campaign, one of Russia's wealthiest men is just saying "nyet" to building what would be the country's first home-produced hybrid-electric vehicle. Mikhail Prokhorov's Onexim Group, which first announced the Yo-hybrid line of vehicles in 2010, is walking away from the effort. Onexim is selling the company to the state-owned Nami Institute for a grand total of 1 euro, according to RT News.
Hybrids are generally known more for their fuel economy than speed. True to form, Russia's first gas-electric model just got a little slower.
Yo-Auto, the hybrid-vehicle maker launched in part by Russian billionaire Mikhail Prokhorov, is pitching a crossover hybrid that can run on both gasoline and compressed natural gas (CNG) and can get about 65 miles per gallon. The company, which is owned by Prokhorov's Onexim Group and Russia-based truckmaker Yarovit, is also investing in a second assembly line at its St. Petersburg plant to double production capacity, HybridCars.com reported, citing a press conference held by Prokhorov in Russia
building – Click above to watch video Sebastian Blanco
Mikhail Prokhorov, also known as the Richest Man in Russia and hopeful new owner of the New Jersey Nets NBA franchise, is reportedly planning to launch a new city car through his Onexim Group. Reports coming out of Russia are saying that the vehicle will sport some kind of "advanced technology," which many are taking to mean either a hybrid or fully electric drivetrain.
