A BBC reporter will re-charge his batteries in the region today as he attempts to drive an electric car from London to Edinburgh using only public charging points.

Today’s leg will take Brian Milligan from York to Wark, in Northumberland, stopping for recharges at Preston Park, in Stockton, and Durham.

The North-East is at the forefront of low-carbon technology and was chosen by the Government’s Office for Low Emission Vehicles as one of three areas to trial the roll-out of electric vehicle technology, along with London and Milton Keynes.

Stockton Borough Council has already installed 11 charging points across its region, working with development agency One North East in the Charge Your Car project, which will roll out 1,000 charging points across the region by 2013.

The council has been using an electric Mitsubishi iMiEV on a three-year trial as a pool car since June, part-funded by Cenex, the centre of excellence for low-carbon technology.

In six months, it has covered 2,750 miles at a cost of £63 in electricity, with no road tax or repair and maintenance costs so far.

Councillor Bob Cook, Stockton’s cabinet member for regeneration and transport, said: “Electric cars are a very exciting prospect and that’s a view the manufacturers are backing with hard cash.”