What is it? How much is it?

What is it? How much is it?
The Citroen C1 Ev'ie electric car is based on the Citroen C1, but with engine and transmission removed and replaced with a 30KW electric motor and bank of lithium-ion batteries.

The motor and the batteries don't encroach on the passenger cabin or the boot, so the C1 Ev'ie remains as practical as standard petrol or diesel versions of the Citroen.

All of the other features of a conventional C1 are also retained, so you get a stereo, central locking, airbags and the peace of mind that comes from a four-star Euro NCAP crash test rating. All this a far cry from what the troop of quadricycle-based electric cars, such as the G-Wiz, can boast.

It's available as a three- or five-door car with prices starting at 16,850, so it's roughly twice the price of standard C1s.

The motor, batteries and ancillary electric systems are backed with a three-year Electric Car Corporation (ECC) warranty, while the remainder of the car is covered by the standard Citroen warranty.

ECC (0207 402 4334) will sell you one of the cars, but so will a selection of Citroen dealers. The details of which ones remain to be confirmed, but we expect the dealers will be in London and, perhaps, in Slough where Citroen UK is based.