Other renewables

2,149 electric vehicles have been sold in UK since 2006

The Department for Transport says that around 2,500 charging points have been installed. The high cost of electric cars has put many off. The Nissan Leaf still costs £25,990 even after the £5,000 grant has been deducted.

The government is spending £30million on publicly-funded charging points and those in private companies.

These range from points which take between six and eight hours, to those which provide an 80 per cent charge in half an hour.

Drivers can pay an annual fee to use the majority of the points, with authorities charging a membership fee for the year but no extra charge for electricity.

A spokesman for Nissan said: ‘The Leaf is meeting its business plans but it’s a car that’s going to take a while to be accepted in the market.’

www.dft.gov.uk/