The i-MiEV has a 93-mile range, costing £2 per overnight charge (£1.05 with Economy 7 overnight, seven hours). It costs £270 to charge for 12,000 miles driving, or £135 on Economy 7. Zero CO2 emissions means it is exempt from road tax charges as well as the London Congestion Charge. In some city centres, for example Westminster (in London), parking is also free for zero emissions vehicles.

Along with the reduced running costs, the cars impact on the environment is its major selling point. The zero CO2 emissions equate to free road tax and free entry in to the London Congestion Charge.

Electric cars haven’t been around very long, and there haven’t been any major issues so far with regards to reliability. The manufacturer claims that the battery should last 10 years, with 80% of the charge capacity remaining after that period. Mitsubishi has a good track record as a company, so don’t expect too many issues with the parts of the car that are shared with a number of other cars in the firm’s range.