BUSINESSES in the North-East are being given an opportunity to use electric vehicles.

Four vehicles provided by Cenex, the UK’s Centre of Excellence for low carbon and fuel cell technology, will be offered to businesses running fleet operations for a oneweek trial during the next four months.

The cars have so far been used by Newcastle City Council, and now Sunderland City Council has taken delivery of them and will allow companies and individuals in the city to try them out.

City council leader Paul Watson said: “As well as supporting Sunderland in becoming the centre of electric vehicle manufacturing, we must also make sure electric vehicles are used more widely.”

The cars are fitted with equipment that will help researchers understand typical usage patterns.

It is another important step in turning the region into an international hub for electric vehicle research, production and use.

Nissan’s Sunderland plant is expected to learn in the summer whether it has won a deal to build the Leaf electric car for the European market, after the Japanese firm announced that its European centre of excellence for battery manufacturing would be at the factory.