There will be two versions of the Citigo-e offered in the UK early next year: the SE and the better equipped SE L. Our Dutch-spec test car was closest to SE L and acceptably well equipped, with electric front windows, heated front seats, remote central locking, rear parking sensors, basic ‘ambient’ air conditioning, body-colour mirrors and doorhandles and an on-board charger capable of accepting 40kW. At this rate, the battery can be replenished from zero to 80% in just one hour.

The SE L costs £22,815 (£19,315 including the Government’s £3500 grant). The cheaper version, which as standard can be charged only from a three-pin plug or 7kW wallbox (still perfectly adequate for many a drive-to-school-or-station application), saves you £2360. At £16,995 post-grant, the Citigo-e iV is one of the cheapest electric car options going.

It feels much faster in acceleration than its claimed 0-62mph time would have you believe, mainly because, as with all electric cars, its maximum torque is delivered from standstill, so it can zip away from traffic lights with the best. 

It’s no long-distance cruiser, although 65-70mph feels comfortable enough. And while we had no opportunity to test the range fully, several circuits of a fairly long city route appeared to show that 161 miles is no lie.

In tight going, the Citigo-e iV comes into its own, as you’d expect. Small dimensions and quick steering make it feel quite sporty and fun to drive, even though the suspension rates (and possibly an insulation effect from the underfloor battery) also make it surprisingly quiet and smooth when riding over cobbled streets.

There are two app-based assistance systems. Skoda Connect allows you to check battery charge, turn the air-con on or off (while charging) and stop a charging session. Then there’s Move & Fun, which allows you to do some of the same stuff but also preset charging times to take advantage of lower electricity costs.