COMMENT

The move goes a step further than recent proposals from Westminster, which will see conventional combustion engine cars and vans phased out by 2040.

JLR, which increased production by 11 per cent last year to 544,000, also said it will develop a driverless car dubbed “Future-type”, which features a talking steering wheel that can “summon your car, play music, book you a table and even knows what’s in your fridge”.

The popularity of electric cars in the UK has risen sharply over the past few years.

There are now more than 100,000 plug-in vehicles on the road, compared with just 3,500 in 2013.

The dramatic rise has come about because of a greater level of choice for drivers, a shift in public attitude and improvements in the public recharging network.

The latest move has been welcomed by the green power industry.

Matthew Trevaskis, head of electric vehicles at the Renewable Energy Association, said: “Jaguar Land Rover’s announcement today reflects how rapidly the elec-

0 Singer KT Tunstall with the Land Rover I-pace at its launch yesterday

MATTHEW TREVASKIS tric vehicle market is changing and how car companies are recognising that if they’re not increasingly electrifying their vehicles they’re going to be left behind.”

In order to facilitate the shift away from fossil fuels, he says governments must put in place “policy that supports the growth of a network of easily accessible, strategically placed charge points across the country with the renewable energy generation, grid capacity and intelligent management to sustain it”.

“Companies are recognising that if they’re not increasingly electrifying their vehicles they’re going to be left behind”