Waverley Borough Council’s recently-acquired first electric pool car has got off to a bumpy start.

The Nissan Leaf, a 100 per cent electric car, offers an alternative to using petrol or diesel vehicles and is in line with the council’s commitment to reducing its impact on the environment.

But it developed a technical fault last Friday (February 14), which meant the parking brake could not be released and the vehicle could not be moved.

The Leaf, which should be able to travel from Waverley’s Godalming offices for around 100 miles on a single charge, is currently being repaired by Nissan, under warranty.

The council has partnered with Engie EV Solutions to provide charging across the borough.

A borough council spokesperson said: “The car was purchased at a cost of £10,500.

“Prior to the purchase, our car pool consisted of two petrol-powered cars, which are 11 years old and coming to the end of their lives. In light of the climate emergency declared, we plan to replace our petrol-powered pool cars with electric alternatives.”