As electric cars drop in price and increase their range, they’re set to become an increasingly common sight on UK roads. The government plans to ban sales of all diesel and petrol cars and vans by 2040, pushing more drivers towards buying electrically powered vehicles. Yet there’s a possibility that the country’s transition to EVs may happen even sooner, as financial subsidies and falling costs continue to sway the public.

Household brands such as BMW, Volkswagen, Ford and Volvo have made pledges to become greener in the coming years, by making more plug-in hybrids or placing billion-pound investments in the production of fully-electric vehicles. These models are set to have improved performance – more torque and better handling – which will appeal to a wider market. Major supermarket chains such as Lidl and Sainsbury’s now often have outdoor charging points for electric vehicles.

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Batteries that can hold more charge and allow longer-distance travel are being manufactured more frequently thanks to global investment. As batteries become cheaper, EVs are expected to fall in price, too. As electric cars are comparatively lightweight, future models are potentially set to be faster than conventional diesel or petrol models.

Combine this with the push towards driverless cars, advanced by tech companies like Tesla and Google, and there’s every chance that EVs will make the streets look quite different in 15 years’ time.

Thinking of pulling the plug on petrol and going electric? Read the guide to buying an electric car by motors.co.uk and find out if an EV could work for you.