Swindon is one of the regions leading the UK's switch to electric cars, according to new research.

Between 2009 and 2023, 493,623 electric cars were registered in the town, placing it at number seven in the list of UK regions with the most registrations.

The rankings were compiled using data from the Department for Transport and Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency by insurance company Howden Insurance.

Greater Manchester is leading the charge, with 1,045,910 electric cars registered in the area over the same period, which accounts for almost 10 per cent of the UK total.

Within the region, Stockport took the crown as the town with the highest count of registered plug-in cars, with 837,067 vehicles, representing 80 per cent of the local authority's total.

A spokesperson for Howden Insurance said: "With greater awareness of the impact of petrol and diesel vehicles on the planet, many local authorities are proposing to introduce clean air schemes.

"With the cost-efficiency of electric cars and local governments introducing electric vehicle benefits, interest in electric vehicles or low-emission vehicles has soared in the UK."

In second place is Outer London, which saw 908,775 electric vehicles registered.

The Outer London borough of Hillingdon has the highest number of electric vehicles within this area, with 109,831 registered.

Following in third is West Yorkshire, with 625,234 electric cars.

Leeds is top of the list for the area, accounting for 487,775 of the registered plug-in vehicles between 2009 and 2023.

In fourth place is Inner London, which registered 620,365 electric vehicles.

Westminster, an Inner London borough, saw 131,286 of these registrations.

The spokesperson added: "Areas such as the West Midlands and West Yorkshire have Clean Air Zones in Birmingham and Bradford, so these areas have invested more in electric vehicle charging points than other areas have done in order to accommodate electric vehicles.

"In March 2024, the West Midlands secured £15.7 million in funding to support its plans to install up to 12,000 electric vehicle chargers across the area over the next five years."

The West Midlands completes the top five, registering 580,289 electrics vehicles, with Birmingham alone accounting for 325,895 of those.

Beyond the top five, Milton Keynes ranks seventh, with 489,533 registered electric cars, while eighth place belongs to Slough, with 489,444 registrations.

Peterborough claims the ninth spot with 485,998 registered electric cars, and South Gloucestershire rounds out the top 10 with 333,315 registrations.