In a further sign we may be on the verge of an electric transport revolution, Seat has revealed the new Mii – which ditches the internal combustion engine all together.
The Mii Electric replaces the petrol-powered Mii, which goes out of production next month.
The electric city car will have a range of 162 miles – more than enough for a vehicle designed to spend virtually all of its time in an urban environment.
With an 82bhp electric motor and no gearbox, the Mii Electric accelerates from 0-31mph in 3.9sec and onto a limited top speed of 81mph.
In a move that may surprise many, Seat has left the car’s styling largely unchanged from the combustion engine version.
It looks no different to the petrol model apart from some illuminated badging and a charging port where the fuel filler cap would have been.
This may appeal to buyers who don’t favour the bolder styling adopted by many electric car makers.
On the inside,there’s a sports steering wheel, heated seats, and leather steering wheel.
Safety features have been stepped up, with lane departure warning, cruise control, parking sensors and traffic sign recognition now all coming as standard.
There’s also an app that lets owners pre-heat or cool their car before they get in it in the morning, and keep an eye on battery range. The Mii can be charged to 80% in around four hours from a 7.2kW home charging station or around one hour using a public 40kW charger.
Production of the Mii Electric will begin at Skoda’s plant in Slovakia later this year, with customer deliveries scheduled to begin in early 2020.
Prices are yet to be released but expect it to be one of the most affordable electric cars.
It’s the first in a range of electrified models from Seat. Plug-in hybrid versions of the new Leon and Cupra Formentor SUV are planned, as is an all-electric hatchback with the rather odd name of the el-Born.