Volkswagen eco up! triumphs in Greece

© VolkswagenThe "eco" in the name stands for both eco-friendly and economical

Covering 582 km in the eco up! cost as little as 13,7 euros. The Toyota Prius that came second in the rally needed as much as 36,3 euros to travel the same distance. The event was organised by the Hellenic Institute of Electric Vehicles and took place in Athens in early October 2013. It featured 22 vehicles – hybrids, EV's and ones powered with alternative fuels, such as CNG.

And while we're mentioning CNG, a natural gas-powered Fiat 500 was also one of the contestants. While it failed to take the overall win, it secured victory in the Consistency/Regularity category, in which points were earned for maintaining a constant speed over a specified distance.

Both the Volkswagen and the Fiat were entered into the rally by DEPA SA, a leading natural gas supplier in Greece. In collaboration with Hellenic Petroleum SA, the company works to develop a CNG refueling infrastructure (FISIKON) in Greece's four major cities: Athens, Thessaloniki, Volos and Larisa. By the end of 2014 the FISIKON network is set to comprise 14 locations, while 36 more are to follow within the next five years.