This is how many York drivers own electric vehicles

Department for Transport data shows that, as of September last year, 1,205 ultra-low emission vehicles (ULEV) were licensed to addresses in York - up from 770 the year before.

In York, of those 1,205 vehicles, 711 were privately owned, while the rest were registered to companies based in York.

Nearly 700 ULEVs in York were battery powered, defined as zero emission, while the rest were plug-in hybrid electric models, a combination of an electric motor with a petrol or diesel engine.

Yorkshire drivers save 69.5 per cent of their annual fuel bill by switching over to electric, with diesel drivers saving £549.93, and petrol drivers saving £627.84, according to figures.

• READ MORE: York named one of the most environmentally friendly cities in UK for electric car owners

David Harrison, a York photographer, has owned a Nissan Leaf, a fully electric vehicle, for four and a half years.

He said: "My old car was costing too much to maintain and run and there was a very good deal available on this demonstrator Leaf, as a completely new version was due out later that year.

"Mostly charging at home, I estimate it has saved me 10p per mile. That’s a huge saving. Maintenance has been next to nothing. I hope I never have to go back to an ICE (Internal Combustion Engine) car.

"I spoke recently to someone with a more up to date EV than mine, who has a car that does around 300 miles per charge. He said that with the miles he was doing the fuel saving was frequently paying for the monthly cost of the car."

David's home charger of his electric vehicle. Picture: David Harrison

The Press has reported this month that York has the 12th highest number of electric car charging points in the UK, with 1,633 people per charger.

However, David said: "I haven't charged in York. I don't need to as I charge at home.

"At Monks Cross however, I have seen the specially built EV charging station which has never been opened. Charge stations such as that will become increasingly important as people living in terraced accommodation convert to electric as there is currently no evidence of under road charging being installed in this country." 

In 2021, the number of public charge points in the UK increased by a third.

A Government spokesperson has said that £2.5 billion has been committed to increase the rollout of zero emission vehicles and charging infrastructure across the UK.

David said: "ICE is last century's technology. It's time to move on.

"However, reluctant car manufactures fleecing customers with prices and the usual government inertia are holding things back, as usual."