The council has said that it's committed to working sustainably and has implemented a carbon management plan, developed with help from the Carbon Trust. It has also been signatory to Scotland’s Climate Change Declaration since 2007.

Councillor Helen McKenna, convener of the Environmental Services committee, said: 'The pioneering technology that has brought these cars will help us make even more difference to our environment, and will hopefully demonstrate to others that there are workable alternatives to petrol vehicles out there. I look forward to seeing them in operation.'

The addition of the new vehicles forms part of the council's move to extend its pool car scheme.

'We expect to generate savings of more than £150,000 in the next 18 months through our pool car scheme as a whole” said Kenneth Wilson, head of land services at North Lanarkshire Council.

'The Mitsubishi i-MiEVs will contribute greatly to the scheme as they cost significantly less to run than petrol or diesel vehicles, and are a far better option for air quality and the environment.'

He added: 'Even the cost of buying the vehicles has been substantially funded by a grant of £215,000 from the Sustainability Carbon Trust.'