The number of electric cars on Britain's roads has more than doubled in the last year, according to new government data

The number of electric cars on Britain's roads has more than doubled in the last year, according to new government data.

There were 45,326 plug-in and hybrid cars on the streets at the end of last year compared to just 20,522 the year before - a 120 per cent increase.

This compares to just a two per cent rise in the sales of traditional cars over the same period.

It represents a phenomenal growth since 2010, when there were just 134 electric vehicles on the roads, according Driver and Vehicle Licencing Agency (DVLA) data.

Growth has accelerated rapidly since the Government introduced the plug-in car grant scheme at the start of 2011, which offers up to £4,500 off the price.

However, the number of electric vehicles is still just a tiny fraction of the 31 million petrol and diesel engined cars in the UK.

The best-selling fully electric car in the UK is the Nissan Leaf, 11,219 on the road but this is dwarfed by the hybrid Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV with 16,100 models.

Edward Jones, electric vehicle manager at Nissan GB, believes the UK electric vehicle market is at a 'tipping point'.

'Each year we see thousands more motorists switched on to the capability, performance, and reliability of pure electric motoring,' he said.

'With current electric vehicle ranges enabling more than 90 per cent of daily driving needs, we believe the UK is at a tipping point for mass EV adoption.'

Richard Hudson, sales director at BMW UK, said advances in technology are overcoming the drawbacks of electric motoring.

There were 45,326 plug-in and hybrid cars on the streets at the end of last year compared to just 20,522 the year before - a 120 per cent increase

'Range anxiety is subsiding due to increased battery capacity - the latest i3 has 50 per cent more capacity than the original - and there is an increasing number of charging stations and other incentives.

'As an example, the 330d PHEV is already sold out until next year. We expect this trend of greater take up of electric and PHEVs to continue.'