Go Ultra Low Kia Soul EV on charge on a London street. Ultra-low emission vehicles such as this can cost as little as 2p per mile to run and some electric cars and vans have a range of up to 700 miles. Miles Willis / Stringer

The Scottish government has pledged to phase out new petrol and diesel cars and vans across Scotland by 2032, eight years ahead of the UK Government target.

Nicola Sturgeon outlined plans to "massively expand" charging points and set up pilot projects to encourage uptake of electric vehicles.

The SNP leader also said there were plans to make the A9 Scotland's first fully electric-enabled road and that an innovation fund would be set up to encourage climate-change solutions such as charging vehicles in areas with a high concentration of tenements.

"Our aim is for new petrol and diesel cars and vans to be phased out in Scotland by 2032," Ms Sturgeon said.

In July, Britain said it would halt the production of new petrol and diesel cars from 2040 to cut pollution.

The plans replicate those already made by France and cities such as Madrid, Mexico City and Athens.

The Government said the commitment was necessary due to the avoidable impact poor air quality was having on people's health.

Jesse Norman, the parliamentary under-secretary at the Department for Transport, confirmed the government's plans.

"The Government has a manifesto commitment for almost all cars and vans on our roads to be zero emission by 2050. We believe this would necessitate all new cars and van being zero emission vehicles by 2040," Mr Norman said in a written answer to the Commons.

It comes after Sadiq Khan, the London Mayor, pledged that London's entire transport system would become zero emission by 2050, with a "zero emission zone" by 2025.

All taxis and minicabs in the capital will be non-polluting by 2033 while the entire bus fleet will be zero emission by 2037, the mayor's office said.