East London is becoming an electric car hotspot after the area saw one of the highest surges in low emission vehicles in the country.

Waltham Forest and Redbridge were in the top five local authorities across the UK for percentage increase in ultra-low emission vehicles (ULEV) at 82.4 per cent and 80.6 per cent respectively.

In 2018 there were 330 registered ULEV in Waltham Forest, rising to 602 in 2019. In Redbridge the figure rose from 525 to 948.

The figures, secured by Freedom of Information (FOI) requests made by Motorway.co.uk to the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) in December 2019, include all-electric vehicles, electric range-extender vehicles and plug-in hybrids (PHEVs).

ULEV is the term used to describe any vehicle that uses low carbon technologies, emits less than 75 grams of CO2 per kilometre from the tailpipe and is capable of operating in zero tailpipe emission zone for a range of at least 10 miles.

They range from pure electric vehicles and fuel cell electric vehicles, to plug-in hybrids and extended range electric vehicles.

Seven of the top ten local authorities for growing ULEV registrations since 2018 are London boroughs.