Record month for UK electric car sales

The UK electric car market has reached its strongest figures since the plug-in grant was introduced in 2011, according to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders.

During the first three months of 2016 a total of 10,496 electric cars were bought in Britain.

This figure is even more impressive when the government's grant reduction is taken into consideration, dropping from £5,000 to £4,500.

Savings on electric cars were dropped at the beginning of March, but interest in plug-in vehicles didn't and the month was the strongest ever for sales with 7,144 sold.

March is typically one of the busiest months of the year when it comes to buying new cars, with the new registration plates being rolled out.

Petrol and diesel registrations are still significantly more popular than electric vehicles, with more than half a million bought in March.

In 2015, the government committed to making sure that all new cars sold by 2040 would be "ultra-low emissions" vehicles,

Compared to other countries though, the UK's sale figures for electric cars is higher than most. In the European Union, the UK is only behind the Netherlands for electric cars sold.

Other European countries also enjoyed growth in interest for electric cars in 2015, but has slowed in the first quarter of 2016.