Bassetlaw is plugging into a future of electric cars

Electric car technology is advancing rapidly and the latest figures suggest that Bassetlaw is getting on board the green revolution.
More Bassetlaw drivers are switching to electric carsMore Bassetlaw drivers are switching to electric cars
More Bassetlaw drivers are switching to electric cars

From October 2017 to September 2018, the number of registered plug-in vehicles in the area increased by 35 per cent.

The latest Department for Transport statistics show the number of registered electric or plug-in hybrid cars, vans and micro cars called quadricycles in Bassetlaw for each quarter of the year.

From July 2017 to September 2017 there were 113 electric vehicles.

However by the latest quarter, from July to September 2018, that figure had grown to 153, a jump of 40.

Back in 2013, in Bassetlaw, there were just nine electric cars, which shows the progress the industry has made in a short time.

Over the past few years manufacturers have increased the range of their vehicles, and prices have lowered, helping fuel the rise in environmentally friendly vehicles.

The latest Nissan Leaf, the UK's most popular entirely electric car, can now travel 235 miles before it needs to be recharged, 80 miles more than the previous version.

Over the next year BP will install charging points at its petrol stations, following Shell's roll out in 2017.

Dyson has also said it plans to release an electric car by 2020.

One advantage electric car users have over other vehicles is that they do not have to pay road tax, as they do not release any emissions.

Electricity is also far cheaper than petrol and diesel, and green drivers have the satisfaction of helping save the planet.

However, in November, the Government reduced the maximum discount electric car buyers could get from £4,500 to £3,500.

Plug-in vehicles still make up a tiny percentage of the cars on the road in Bassetlaw.

Compared with the 153 electric cars on its roads, there are 67,531 cars and vans in total, according to the latest complete vehicle registration data from 2017.