Sales of electric vehicles in the county continue to soar with the latest figures for November showing they now account for almost a quarter of the market.

Across Kent and Sussex, sales have doubled since August. Last month they accounted for 22.63% of the overall market - in August, it was just 11.08%.

The surge in sales comes as traditional petrol and diesel sales have nosedived.

In September, the traditional biggest month for car sales as new registrations are released, overall sales were down a third on last year. Electric cars, by contrast, grew by almost 50% during the same period.

Buyers, who have seen fuel prices rocket, are also taking steps now ahead of a ban on the sale of new petrol or diesel cars by 2030 - and 2035 for hybrid models.

The latest data comes from the New AutoMotive, an independent transport research group supporting the uptake of electric vehicles in the UK

Head of policy and research at the group, Ben Nelmes, said: “Electric car sales continue to boom in the UK, and November marks the second best month on record for sales of fully electric cars. It is fantastic to see another 20,000 people discovering the benefits of electric cars: a better driving experience, cheaper running costs and the peace of mind that you’re doing your bit for the environment.

“The rapid growth in sales of electric cars is great news, but it poses a conundrum for ministers. As the Department for Transport designs a California-style Zero Emissions Vehicle mandate for the UK, ministers must ensure that the scheme does not become a cap on ambition.”

The Zero Emissions Scheme would see manufacturers forced to sell a rising share of electric cars as the government looks to ensure it hits its 2030 target. If manufacturers fail to hit the targets, they can then pay to buy 'credits' from other manufacturers.

Yet while the uptake of electric cars continues, there remain concerns about the availability of public charging stations.

In a bid to try and provide more, the Prime Minister announced last month that all new homes and workplaces being built from next year must include charging points.

This is anticipated to increase the number of points by 145,000 each year.

The government has, already, backed the installation of 250,000 points in the UK.