Drivers in Helensburgh are amongst the least prepared in Scotland for the big switch to electric vehicles (EV), a new study has found.

The report, by car lease comparison site Moneyshake, analysed data from the Department for Transport's vehicle licensing statistics to establish which local authority in Scotland has the highest percentage of licensed electric vehicles per the overall number of licensed vehicles in that area, before ranking them from highest to lowest.

And Argyll and Bute have ranked in the top ten of areas least prepared with just 0.64 per cent of all licenced vehicles being electric.

Eben Lovatt, CEO of Moneyshake said: “There’s no doubt that electric vehicles are better for the environment but there is still a way to go. Combustion engines still make up the majority of the market, but we have seen an increase in interest for people looking to lease electric cars.”

The UK Government plan to end the sale of new petrol and diesel cars and vans by 2030, as part of the fight against climate change and the UK’s aim to become net-zero by 2050.

The research revealed that just 1.23 per cent of all licensed vehicles in Scotland are electric.

Top of the list as most ready for the change to EV was Stirling, with Glasgow coming in second with 3.57 per cent of all licensed vehicles being electric.

Alongside Argyll and Bute in the top ten of least prepared were West Dunbartonshire and North and East Ayrshire, with the council area of Stornoway and the Isle of Lewis considered the worst in Scotland overall, with just 0.36 per cent of licensed vehicles being electric.