SCOTLAND'S first electric ambulance – which can go 100 miles on a five-hour charge – has been unveiled.

It is being trialled by the patient transport service and will take patients with mobility needs to and from medical appointments.

Scottish Ambulance Service chief executive Pauline Howie said: "The electric ambulance fits into our fleet of 500 vehicles.

"It has zero emissions and has the potential to cut fuel costs."

The electric ambulance has a top speed of 65mph and is much quieter.

This comes as the SAS recorded a faster average emergency response time in the last year, according to Scottish Health Minister Nicola Sturgeon who saw the ambulance launch.

The service dealt with around 630,000 emergency incidents between April 1 2011 and March 31 2012, taking an average 6 mins 42 secs to respond, 12 seconds quicker than in the previous year.