THE NUMBER of electric vehicles in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole rose by over 50 per cent last year, new figures show.

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.

Department for Transport figures show there were 1,483 battery-electric vehicles in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole at the end of last year, up from 855 at the end of 2020, a 73 per cent rise.

It meant 628 electric vehicles were newly registered in 2021, more than double the 297 the year before.

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.

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