Back to the future for transport

Scottish inventor Robert Anderson invented the first crude electric carriageway back in the 1830s, and in 1842 a rechargeable battery was used for the first time.

Early vehicles were slow and impractical, but at the turn of the century, an electric racing car fom Belgian set a land speed record of 68mph.

The early 1900s were the hey-dey of electric cars, which were preferred to the petrol or steam-powered alternatives as they did not produce the smell, vibration and noise of their rivals.

With a range of about 18 miles they were soon pushed aside by petrol engines.

But the need to slash carbon emissions and fossil fuel use have left experts hunting for an alternative to petrol – and electric cars have once again become attractive, with cars like the Lotus-based Tesla a favourite with Hollywood stars.