The best alternative-fuel car of 2012 has the potential to be a hugely important car, because it will help shape the future of motoring for good.
 
It goes without saying that our winner here will be a car that, in everyday driving, has next to no impact on the environment. There’s more to it than that, however. It also needs to be a practical everyday car and one that demands very little sacrifice – either in the way it drives or in financial terms – from buyers.