They are seen as an antidote to the wave of pollution clouding Britain’s biggest cities. Within the next few years, it is hoped that a fleet of electric cars will clear the air by driving diesel and petrol engines off urban streets.
However, analysis has found that the burgeoning fleet of plug-in vehicles may create a new headache of its own.
Switching all cars to ultra-low emissions may place a massive strain on the power network because of the additional resources needed to recharge batteries, research suggests.
Figures produced by Transport for London (TfL) suggest that switching to an all-electric vehicle fleet in the capital would demand five times the amount of power needed to run the entire London Underground network.
The analysis, seen by