Number of electric cars in the Black Country rose by almost 70 per cent last year

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

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Department for Transport figures show 734 battery-electric cars were registered in Wolverhampton at the end of last year – up from 434 the year before.

In Walsall it was also 734, up from 418 the previous year while in Dudley it rose from 669 to 1,116 and in Sandwell there was an increase from 419 to 701.

Across the UK, 629,000 battery-electric cars were licensed at the end of 2022 – up by 66 per cent from 379,000 at the end of 2021.

The AA said the numbers show "the appetite for electric vehicles is steadily growing", adding improved charging infrastructure and more affordable price points could see the total number break the one million mark this year.

But Ian Plummer, commercial director at Auto Trader, said the online car marketplace has seen interest in brand-new electric vehicles drop by almost two thirds since the beginning of last year.

Mr Plummer said: "The uptake is positive and moving in the right direction, but it’s not where we need to be if we’re to meet the Government’s admirable, but ambitious 2030 targets."

He added "substantial measures to support the market", such as cutting VAT on public chargers, should be introduced to further encourage buyers.

"To reach the Government’s goal, the focus needs to be on converting the masses and making EVs more accessible across different demographics," he said.

The number of plug-in hybrids also rose during 2022, with 30 per cent more cars registered on the UK's roads at the end of 2022 than the year before.

Jack Cousens, head of roads policy for the AA, said: "The growing number of vehicles that come with a plug shows that the appetite for electric vehicles is steadily growing.

"Continued growth in the public charging network, improved single-charge distances and more models available at more affordable price points could mean the number of battery electric cars breaks the one million mark this year."

A Department for Transport spokesperson said: "The statistics speak for themselves – more people than ever are buying electric vehicles and we’ve put more than £2bn into helping them do so.

"This includes our £381m Local Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Fund to support the roll-out of charge points across the country, and we are also working closely with industry to make sure electric vehicles are an attractive choice for everyone as sales grow."