The government has pledged £9 million to help the UK become a world-leader in electric cars. 

Nick Clegg announced the money would be spent to increase the number of charging points across the country. This will include the introduction of facilities which can fully recharge a car in under half an hour.

The plans are part of the government's Go Ultra Low campaign, which is designed to encourage more people to switch to more environmentally-friendly vehicles. It claims the cars are extremely cheap to run, with the average family able to drive 10,000 miles a year and save around £1,000 on fuel costs. 

Mr Clegg commented that electric cars were one of the country's most promising green industries and said the government aimed to "secure the UK's position as a global leader in both the production and adoption of these vehicles".

The Go Ultra Campaign has been backed by major car manufacturers such as Nissan, BMW and Toyota and includes a commitment to invest a further £5 million to introduce electric vehicles across government.