One North East’s head of strategic economic change, Chris Pywell, said: "We are delighted to have such high-profile private-sector backing for what the region is trying to achieve.

"Electric vehicles are not a futuristic vision, they are on our roads now. It’s a reality that we must take advantage of, not only to lower our carbon emission levels, but to exploit the economic potential it offers the region.

"We want the North East to be showing the rest of the world how best to develop a comprehensive infrastructure to support the use of electric vehicles."

A programme of technical advice and promotional work will be introduced to show motorists how to "fill-up" their electric cars.

The 750 charging points will be installed over the course of 2010 and 2011 to provide future electric vehicle owners the power to drive their cars.

The announcement comes after the region was named as one of the government’s Ultra Low Carbon Vehicle Demonstrator areas. The £10.7m project will see an initial 35 new electric passenger vehicles developed in the North East. That includes 15 Nissan cars, 10 Smith electric taxis, five Smith people carriers, a Smith executive minibus, two AVID saloon cars and two Liberty urban Range Rovers.

AA president Edmund King said: "The North East electric car strategy has the potential to spark a personal transport revolution in UK cities. For the vision to work we need infrastructure, incentives, clean electricity and affordable, practical vehicles. Drivers want change."

There are already electric vehicle charging points in the yellow multi-storey car park at Gateshead’s MetroCentre, part-owned by Capital Shopping Centres. And it is anticipated that British Gas will install electric vehicle charging infrastructure on sites across the North East.

Tesco’s community and government director, David North, said: "Our involvement in this project is part of our commitment and will help us understand how we can best support our customers as electric car use grows."