The registrations for ultra-low emission vehicles (ULEV) have soared as drivers steer away from petrol and diesel cars.

Although all of Kent's local authorities saw a rise in electric cars, Ashford topped the list with the biggest increase from 6,123 vehicles in between July and Septembe 2020 to 9,800 in 2021 over the same period.

Folkestone and Hythe ranked the lowest with only 163 new drivers.

ULEV registrations shot up 40% across Great Britain from July to September 2021 - compared to the same time a year before.

The Department for Transport’s figures reveal that ULEVs made up 15.3% of all new registrations between this period, some 83,000 vehicles.

Greg Wilson, Founder of Quotezone.co.uk, a leading car insurance comparison website, said: "These figures show that the government’s aim to phase out fossil fuels from motoring is starting to take effect.

"Initiatives such as more public charging points, a strong rise in home charging grants and London’s new ultra-low emission zone are starting to make a green vehicle a viable option for many."

The report also showed that at the end of September 2021, there were 39.2 million licensed vehicles in Great Britain, an increase of 1.0% compared to the end of September 2020.

However, registrations fell for the first time during July to September and were 28% lower than the same period in 2020, some 542,000 vehicles.

Greg continued: "The fall in car registrations is likely linked to the pandemic and the logistical struggles many manufacturers are having with securing essential parts – increasing demand for quality second-hand vehicles.

"Given these findings, we would expect a real appetite for electric and hybrid vehicles once covid related logistics are ironed out."

More battery electric cars (BEV) were also registered for the first time than diesel cars, with a 44% increase in BEV car registrations in July and September 2021 than the same period in 2020.

Average CO2 emissions for cars registered for the first time in the UK went down by 14% with petrol car registrations falling 41% and diesel falling by 66%.