Skoda Citigo-e iV priced from £16,955

The Skoda Citigo-e iV electric city car will start at £16,955 when orders open next month - undercutting rivals like the SEAT Mii Electric and Renault Zoe.

Based on the petrol Citigo, Skoda says the Citigo-e iV has been re-engineered to incorporate a compact battery pack and 61kW electric motor, giving it a WLTP electric range of up to 170 miles on a single charge.

Buyers will be able to choose from two trim levels: SE and SE L. Both models will have the same battery and electric motor, while the Citigo-e iV has the same luggage capacity as the standard car. That means 250 litres can be stored in the boot, increasing to 923 litres with them dropped flat.

Mounted in the chassis floor, the Citigo-e iV's compact battery has a capacity of 36.8kWh. It consists of a total of 168 cells and delivers a range of between 140 and 170 miles on the WLTP cycle. Both models can be charged using a domestic or workplace wall box.

With a 7.2kW AC wall box, the battery can be charged to 80 per cent in 4 hours 15 minutes, or 12 hours 37 minutes using a lower-powered 3.6kW home‑charging station. The SE L model can be charged faster using a CCS (Combined Charging System) charging cable connected to a 40kW DC fast charger.

When recharging via CCS, the Citigo-e iV’s battery can be recharged to 80 per cent in 60 minutes. The Citigo-e iV can also be recharged using a standard household plug socket if a wallbox is not available.

Citigo-e iV’s electric motor produces an instantaneous 210Nm of torque, taking it to 62mph in 12.5 seconds, while top speed is 81mph.

The Citigo-e iV line-up starts with the SE model, which is priced at £20,455 before the Government's £3500 plug-in car grant. SE models are equipped with climate control air conditioning, three spoke leather steering wheel and handbrake lever, plus Swing DAB radio and remote central locking.

The higher-specification SE L model is priced from £22,815 and adds 16-inch alloy wheels, ambient lighting, comfort pack (heated front seats and rear parking sensors) and body coloured door mirrors and handles. The SE L model also comes with CCS charging capability that allows for rapid charging via 40kW charging stations.

Both models can be linked to the Skoda Connect app, which allows owners to check and control selected features of the car remotely. This means owners can check the charge status of the battery at all times.

The Citigo-e iV will be open for order on 10 December 2019 with first deliveries expected early next year.