Electric cars: everything you need to know

From how to charge them to whether they are really better for the environment

The first generation of electric-car buyers have been people with homes where it is easy to plug one in. "The vast majority of Nissan Leaf customers are [families with] 2.4 children, mums and dads, with off-street parking," said Gareth Dunsmore of Nissan Europe. "Tomorrow that won't be the case."