Electric car sales hit 3m

More than 3m electric cars are now on the planet, with numbers set to soar.

The milestone, passed last month, has spurred manufacturers to ramp up plans for fully electric vehicles in order to meet demand.

e V-Volumes, which tracks the global electric car market, predicts there will be around 5m electric cars on the roads by the end of 2018 as state incentives and falling battery costs make them more attractive.

Models set to launch in 2018 include a longer-range version of the nissan Leaf and the Jaguar I-Pace.

Tesla’s £27,000 Model 3 car should hit UK roads next summer. Despite the growth, electric cars are a fraction of the 80m cars sold worldwide each year.