THE number of electric vehicles sold across East Lancashire last year rose sharply, new figures have revealed.

Department for Transport figures show there were 307 battery-electric vehicles in Blackburn with Darwen at the end of 2021 – up from 173 at the end of 2020, a 77 per cent rise.

This coincided with the fuel shortage crisis which hit the country at the back end of last year, with pumps running dry and fuel prices shooting up amid high demand.

It meant 134 electric vehicles were newly registered in 2021 – over 50 per cent more than the 85 the year before.

Meanwhile in Burnley, there were 158 battery-electric vehicles on the road at the end of last year – up from 78 at the end of 2020.

It meant 80 electric vehicles were newly registered in 2021 – more than double the 36 the year before.

Across the UK, the number ofelectric vehicles on the roads almost doubled, increasing by 94 per cent from 215,000 at the end of 2020 to 420,000 last year.

The Government is aiming to entirely phase out petrol and diesel-powered cars by 2030, with battery electric vehicles planned to account for all car sales by 2035.

Auto Trader said the recent surge is positive, but that electric cars are still too expensive for many people to make the switch from petrol and diesel-powered vehicles.

With the ongoing cost of living crisis - in which fuel prices have soared alongside food prices and household bills - the cost of switching from their current fossil fuel-powered cars to electric vehicles is an expense many cannot afford, despite the savings they would make on running costs - with no more trips to the pumps and a simpler power unit.

On average, an electric car will emit around one-third less carbon dioxide than an equivalent petrol or diesel car, Transport & Environment, a European clean transport campaign group, says.

Ian Plummer, commercial director at Auto Trader, said the automotive industry has responded well to the Government's electric car drive.

Mr Plummer said: "Over the last year, we’ve seen significant strides in range capability, as well as a growing choice of makes, models and body types, right now there’s one new electric vehicle coming onto the market per week."

But he also stressed the need to further invest in charging ports, saying drivers must have confidence in being able to charge their cars to help make the transition from fossil fuels.

The Government hopes to install 300,000 public charging points by 2030, 18 times the number a decade previously.

There is also concern regarding the price of electric vehicles, which still represent a small share of the overall automotive market, Mr Plummer said.

"With the average electric vehicle costing around 30 per cent more than traditionally fuelled alternatives, they remain out of reach for all but the most affluent car buyer," he concluded.

Campaign group FairFuelUK, which claims to represent the country's motorists, has been calling on the Government to take further action to make petrol and diesel cheaper for motorists by reducing taxation, and abandon its 2030 target for banning the sale of new fossil fuel-powered vehicles.