Electric cars are not a common sight on our roads.

While motorists acknowledge that they are greener, help to cut air pollution, are quiet and cheaper to run, few decide to ditch petrol or diesel and try one for themselves.

But this could change, as more companies introduce these vehicles to their fleets and they become a more regular fixture in our communities.

From this week, employees of Bradford Council will get the chance to drive an electric car as the authority begins a month-long trial of a Nissan Leaf.

The Council has been given £30,000 from the Government’s Office for Low Emission Vehicles (OLEV) to provide electric vehicle charging points on its property across the district. A point at Jacob’s Well is already in place and sites are being identified in Baildon and Keighley.

There is also a ‘rapid charge’ project for West Yorkshire, with Bradford and Keighley being earmarked as locations for these sites, where full charging takes a fraction of the time of a regular charger.

Metro is spearheading this project, working in partnership with the five West Yorkshire district councils, with £125,000 of Local Transport Funding, to introduce rapid charging points at strategic locations in each one.

At around 4p per mile, electric vehicles have low running costs, there is no engine noise, no exhaust emissions, low or zero CO2 emissions, depending on the energy source, and no road tax.

Bradford Council is looking at options for match funding for future charge points, where public or private money may be invested.

Currently, the charging point at Jacob’s Well is free to use, not only for Council employees but members of the public.

Councillor Andrew Thornton, Bradford Council’s executive member for the environment, says the trial will reveal the practicalities and running costs of the vehicle. “We want to see that there are zero emissions which will help towards cleaner air in Bradford. This is also about encouraging the take-up and use of electric vehicles.”

But, he stressed, before that can happen, the infrastructure must be in place . “If we don’t have places to charge them, people will not use them.”

One private company in the Bradford district is already reaping the rewards of electric cars.

Stuart Hastings, boss of Metro taxis in Keighley, has been running a Nissan Leaf for two months. “I’d been looking at it for two years and when I contacted Nissan UK they were quite excited and introduced me to Colin Appleyard dealership – we worked together.”

He has seen huge savings, which – if more cars are introduced – may have long-term implications for his large fleet of vehicles. “Our average vehicle costs about £150 a week in fuel. This takes it down to about £12.50 – that’s more than £7,000 a year saved,”

He adds: “There is a limited life in the battery which has to be considered but it has a five-year warranty and could last a lot longer.

“The average electric car will do about 100 miles a day on full charge, but taxis travel up and down, so we need a charger at home and a rapid charger locally.”

Stuart is impressed by the driving experience. “It is fantastic, it is fine on hills and does whatever speed you want it to go.”

He has his eye on seven- seater electric vehicles, which will be available at the end of the year.

If Bradford Council’s own trial is a success the authority may develop an electric car pool for the long-term.

James Brass, environment officer with the Council, is expecting to glean much information from the pilot.

“The car is going to be bookable for any member of staff, such as social workers, traffic and highway engineers, building inspectors and planners. In the past few weeks around 30 people have expressed an interest in driving it, so we expect lots of useful feedback.

“We want to demonstrate that it is a cost-effective way to carry out our business and that it is viable. We know that it is cleaner and better for the environment.

“We have solar panels at Jacob’s Well – when they are generating energy the car will running on zero emissions.

“I have looked at figures already produced, but we want to see what the car is like in real life – its energy use, and how often it is used. We are going to monitor it.”

Should the cars be more widely adopted for use by Council staff, James hopes it will encourage more people to buy them.

“One member of staff drives her own electric car and we hope more people will follow suit,” he says.