Infrastructure for electric vehicles (EV) is broad enough to allow such cars to be a 'viable transport option' according to research by Newcastle University.
The three-year study into EVs across the north east of England - which has invested significantly as a region in charging technology with more than 500 charging points - is part of a £10.7m trial looking into the impact of the cars on the environment, transport networks and driver behaviour.
The research logged more than 71,600 journeys and 19,900 charges from volunteers, who used the EVs as part of their general lifestyle and commuting habits.
It suggests people over-estimate the distance they travel, with most car journeys - 93% - being less than 25 miles, well within the limits of an EVs energy capacity.
In all, 44 EVs were involved in the trial, totalling almost half-a-million miles and releasing 76,000 less kilograms of CO2 than traditional internal combustion engines.
Phil Blythe, professor of intelligent transport systems at Newcastle University, told a local paper: 'This has been a huge undertaking over the past three years, involving almost 200 volunteer drivers from across the North East to help us build up the first true picture of what a low-carbon transport system might look like in the future.
'And what we’ve demonstrated is that EVs are a viable alternative to combustion engine vehicles for many drivers and would help us tackle rising pollution levels.
'Local authorities should look at policies that will encourage electric vehicle adoption to reduce traffic-related pollution in their urban areas.'
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