SCOTLAND’S biggest battery yesterday helped mark the launch of a new electric vehicle amid the stunning backdrop of the southern Highlands.

Cruachan, a hidden power station, lies a kilometre below the ground with enormous turbines converting water from the nearby loch into electricity.

Essentially one big giant battery, it also stores water in a second man-made loch halfway up Ben Cruachan to be released when called upon by the National Grid – and reverses the process by pumping water back up when needed to expel excess energy too.

Yesterday saw it take on a different role as the pumped storage hydroelectric energy was used to showcase the power of the second generation 2018 Nissan LEAF, the world’s best-selling electric vehicle.

The output of Cruachan’s generation in car terms equates to 590,000 horsepower with an equivalent storage of 11,000 Nissan LEAF vehicles.