THE hills are alive once again with the sound of silence.

Another new electric model launched to rave reviews, the Hyundai Kona, which is the first of its size to offer a 300 mile range.

Enough for any man.

On the launch event two hacks decided to put this to the test and after an impressive mileage ran out of power on the A56.5 or somewhere.

Now I am sure that Hyundai, being the pros they are, had a contingency for this. I have watched a Nissan being charged off a generator, which sort of defeats the object.

However, if this was your daily grind you can hardly walk down to the local BP for a can of electricity.

Even if you could it would do you no good where I live because no local garage has a facility and the two village charging points are used as general car parking by the sort of person who thinks because his son is 15 they qualify for the parent and child spaces.

The best I can hope for is to head up the M6 to the nearest services then north again coming off at Leyland Garden City which, by the time I negotiate the traffic hell of Chorley, will require another boost.

This could become the circle of life.

Oh, and I have no way of charging at home unless I install a donkey on a bicycle.

This is not to say I am against the idea of electric cars. The Jaguar I-PACE is a very lovely thing, the Nissan Leaf less lovely but a practical commute and the Tesla not lovely at all but expensive and quick.

Bringing me to my love-love relationship with Toyota-Lexus hybrids.

Specifically the RC 300h F Sport.

Lexus only builds hybrids which can be described as 'full'. What that means is that the power source moves continuously between EV and petrol.

This is not an electric vehicle, it switches between the two modes and cannot be plugged in. You can also go and collect a bucket of petrol should you decide to test its range.

This is no family perambulator, not been tick in the box of life but rather a luxurious sports coupe of great quality nota little performance.

In fact the accommodation is about as practical as a cardboard swimming pool but then you don't have to take all your clothes off to have fun in the 300h.

Powered on the combustion side by a 178bhp V6 2.5-litre engine, transmission isCVT driving the rear wheels. All fine and dandy when you add in the 8.6 seconds 0-62mph figure aides by the electric motor.

Over 56mpg is there for the taking but I fear your enthusiasm will reduce thisfigure.

With basic fixtures and fittings this will knock you back £41,645.

And anyway, just look at it. Do you now desire such a thing of beauty before we get to the all leather interior and long-range refinement? This continues in town with a lot of silent running. You can creep up behind people and shout random words like 'cantilever'.

Oh, and a word about the cockpit. Clean instrumentation minimises clutter in the way that modern aircraft are managed via a handful of screens. The effect is clean and easy on the eye, EV advice is central but without masses of good boy green lights.

Much of the standard features aim to keep everyone safe and warm while putting the car through its paces. Brake assist, stability control, sport drive mode and adaptive suspension help with enjoyment.

To this little lot can be added automated functions including high-beam, media screen but Lexus Premium navigation, which you want, adds an extra two grand. Heated seats are electrically adjusted.

There is a boot with 340-litres capacity but remember this is a three-door so best to be past your breeding years because a child seat is awkward to fit.

I don't doubt that in 20 years petrol will be the stuff of the Goodwood Revival but for the moment I'll stick with the hybrid and the donkey can graze in the bottom field.